The Black Death was the name given to an episode of the devastating bubonic plague in Europe between 1348 and 1351. The first wave of the Black Death reached Italy in 1348, carried by flea-bearing rats on ships. The disease spread throughout Europe during the next three years. All told, the Black Death is now estimated to have killed half of the total population of Europe and substantially changed the culture.
Archaeological studies into the Black Death include excavation of mass graves and abandoned villages (such as Tilgarsley, Tusmore, Quob and Wharram Percy in England), and, more recently, studies of rat bones and the effect of the Black Death on art and architecture. Deserted Medieval Villages (DMVs) are a class of villages studied by archaeologists that primarily resulted from the effects of the Black Death.
Be sure to test your knowledge in the Black Death Trivia Quiz.
Sources
Benedictow, Ole J. 2005 The Black Death: The greatest catastrophe everThe Black Death: The greatest catastrophe ever. History Today 55(3):42-49.
Caciola, Nancy 1996 Wraiths, revenants, and ritual in medieval culture. Past & Present 15:23-45.
Cohn, Samuel K. 2002 The Black Death: End of a paradigm. American Historical Review 107(3):702-738. Free to read online
Hatcher, John 1994 England in the aftermath of the Black Death. Past & Present 14:43-35.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology.
