City Bunhill Burial Ground

18 February 2008

Work on this site was rapidly turned around by MoLAS osteologists and analysis is now coming to an end: 248 skeletons were recovered dating from 1833 to 1853.

Preservation is excellent and it is intended that hair samples will be subject to isotopic analysis at the University of Bradford. The cemetery population contained individuals in all age groups with subadults comprising just over half (51%). Infant mortalities were quite high, forming 37% of the sample. Given the period and urban location, it is perhaps unsurprising that there are 14 cases of rickets. Some of the rachitic children suffered multiple pathological fractures.

Traumatic lesions in adults included, nasal fractures and healed maxillofacial trauma in a young adult female. Infectious disease was also present, including a four year old child with tuberculosis showing facial involvement (lupus vulgaris). A single case of venereal syphilis was observed in an adult male. Two elderly women had osteoporosis related fractures. Evidence of autopsy of both adults and children and of dissection was also seen.

The database will hold the records for all burials recorded. Results will be published as a MoLAS Studies Series volume. Further information on accessing this data will be available here following publication.

For information on MoLAS sites please contact the Head of Osteology.