‘Among his fellows cast’: A histotaphonomic investigation into the impact of the Black Death in England

The Black Death had a devastating impact on communities living in Europe during the mid-14th century. devastation wreaked by epidemic was thought to lead disruption of social norms, including those surrounding burial dead. Some scholars have, however, suggested this not always case, particular for rural settings (Kacki et al., 2011). Recent excavation at Thornton Abbey Lincolnshire revealed two populations; one associated with abbey’s medieval hospital, and other mass grave that use epidemic. Together post-epidemic burials from East Smithfield, London, these populations presented an opportunity explore early taphonomic histories plague dead through inspection bone diagenesis bacterial soft tissue decomposition. histological analysis 81 skeletons striking differences post-mortem treatment compared buried urban paper we possible scenarios may account variability. We also present three cases where individuals’ status life have led attempts inhibiting their corporeal decay.