Frightening Discovery: Green-Colored Human Skeletons Found in Germany
World
Archaeologists discovered oddly discolored skeletons in plague graves in Germany’s historic Franconia region. The bones exhibited a bright green hue. These individuals had died from the plague in the 17th century.
The bones were found earlier this year during construction work in the St. Johannis district of Nuremberg. City archaeologist Melanie Langbein and her team had anticipated uncovering around 1,000 bodies. However, the results exceeded expectations: upon fully excavating graves 1.5 meters deep, they discovered 2,000 skeletons. This became the largest plague cemetery ever found in Germany. The individuals were buried during the major plague outbreak of 1632–1633.
The green color of the skulls shocked the archaeologists, as it appeared as though they had been artificially painted.
Archaeologist Langbein told BILD: "We were astonished when we saw the color." The cause was traced to an old Bavarian copper factory, which in the 19th century dumped its waste into the ground. Metal oxides from discarded copper sheets seeped into the soil with rainwater, staining the skeletons in the graves green.
"We had only observed this on animal bones before," Langbein noted. "Or in some cases, the discoloration was due to burial decorations."
When asked by journalists whether the blue-tinged skeletons would be displayed in museums, the response was: "We’ve already considered this. It’s a challenging topic. Displaying remains in museums or other public spaces has changed significantly over the past 20 years. While skeletons were previously exhibited in showcases, today there are ethical concerns about respecting the memory of ancestors."
The green color of the skulls shocked the archaeologists, as it appeared as though they had been artificially painted.
Archaeologist Langbein told BILD: "We were astonished when we saw the color." The cause was traced to an old Bavarian copper factory, which in the 19th century dumped its waste into the ground. Metal oxides from discarded copper sheets seeped into the soil with rainwater, staining the skeletons in the graves green.
"We had only observed this on animal bones before," Langbein noted. "Or in some cases, the discoloration was due to burial decorations."
When asked by journalists whether the blue-tinged skeletons would be displayed in museums, the response was: "We’ve already considered this. It’s a challenging topic. Displaying remains in museums or other public spaces has changed significantly over the past 20 years. While skeletons were previously exhibited in showcases, today there are ethical concerns about respecting the memory of ancestors."
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