What the landscape can tell: An integrative stratigraphic prospection approach for localizing a Black Death mass grave in Erfurt/Central Germany

Researchers have successfully localized a Black Death mass grave in the deserted village of Neuses, Erfurt, using an integrative stratigraphic prospection approach combining historical research with minimally-invasive pedostratigraphical and geophysical methods. The study identified a belowground pit structure, confirmed by vibracoring and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), which contained skeletal remains radiocarbon-dated to the 14th century. This rare, planful discovery of a precisely dated mass grave offers valuable insights into the origin, spread, and societal impact of the Yersinia pestis pathogen during the Black Death pandemic (1346-53). The approach also elucidated late Quaternary sedimentary processes, distinguishing two distinct pedogeographical zones that co-determined the village's internal structure. This method holds potential for future archaeological and forensic investigations at similarly challenging sites.

Hein, M., Usmar, N., Engel, A., Rabiger-Völlmer, J., Schmidt, J., Silbermann, M., Pohle, M., Nießen, I., Offermann, M., Werther, L., Schneider, B., Tannhäuser, C., Herbig, A., Nováček, J., Werban, U., Bauch, M., & Zielhofer, C. (2025). What the landscape can tell: An integrative stratigraphic prospection approach for localizing a Black Death mass grave in Erfurt/Central Germany. https://doi.org/10.31223/x53146