francene--blog. Year 2013
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March 16th

3/16/2013

 
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commons.wikimedia.org

Teams of archaeologists have found a mammoth jaw bone and a rare piece of amber deep under London. It's hard to imagine a time when wild animals populated an area once considered the greatest city in the world.


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history.howstuffworks.com
Excavations for London's Crossrail project have unearthed bodies believed to date from the time of the Black Death. A burial ground was known to be in an area outside the City of London, but its exact location remained a mystery. From the remains, they will uncover information about the population and the individuals. In addition, the bodies may contain DNA from the bacteria responsible for the plague, helping modern epidemiologists track the development and spread of differing strains of a pathogen that still exists today.


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www.londontourist.org







One of the most devastating pandemics in human history, the Black Death raged in Europe between 1348 to 1350 and killed between 75 and 200 million people. Oriental rat fleas were thought to have carried the plague on merchant ships.


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www.history.com
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www.skyscrapercity.com
Archaeologists working for The Museum of London and Crossrail are taking every care with the test sites. The 73-mile high-speed rail link is due to open in 2018. Taken together, the project's 40 sites comprise one of the UK's largest archaeological ventures. They have found artifacts from periods ranging from the very ancient prehistoric right up to a 20th-Century industrial site.

When I first arrived in London from Australia in 1987, a huge culture shock awaited. Instead of the wide, clean streets of Adelaide, history and culture smacked me in the face. Along streets scattered with litter, and crowded with jostling people wearing the colorful costumes of every different nationality, I gazed awe-struck at the ancient architecture. I follow every new discovery into the history of London with the interest of an explorer.


Gladys Parker link
3/16/2013 04:02:30 am

A tad bit freaky but very interesting. Everything is interesting coming from my little town. How great that they may find pathogens to help us now or in the future.

Francene Stanley link
3/16/2013 07:29:26 pm

I find the whole subject fascinating. The fact that someone has posed the question about finding DNA from the bacteria, means there is a possibility of doing so.

AMummys Life link
3/16/2013 04:11:20 am

Every city begins somewhere!

Hope they are taking care not to spread the black plague back into the populace too!

Francene Stanley link
3/16/2013 07:31:35 pm

I saw a movie or a documentary once about past life under New York. Incredible.
They hope to find DNA, not the plague!! Hehe.

Alana link
3/16/2013 11:05:14 am

This is fascinating. What amazing things are being found and I'd like to read more about it. However - I am also a bit concerned about being able to retrieve Black Death pathogen DNA. That is not anything any sane person would ever want to see unleashed - even accidentally.

Francene Stanley link
3/16/2013 07:34:52 pm

This is a frightening thought. Reminds me of The Curse of Tutankhamun or Durassic Park.


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    Author

    Francene Stanley, author of many published novels. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books? You'll see them on the sidebar below.
    Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life.

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