First evidence of Black Death found in Edinburgh skeleton

The first scientific evidence of the Black Death in Edinburgh has been discovered on the skeleton of a teenage boy who died in the 14th century, shedding new light on one of history's deadliest pandemics.

The remains, originally unearthed in 1981 from St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile grounds, were recently re-examined using advanced techniques such as ancient DNA sequencing, isotopic analysis, and radiocarbon dating.

Scientists found traces of Yersinia pestis — the bacterium responsible for the bubonic plague — preserved in plaque on the boy's teeth. The finding confirms that Edinburgh was directly affected by the Black Death, which ravaged Europe between 1347 and 1353, killing an estimated 50 million people.

John Lawson, curator of archaeology at the City of Edinburgh Council, described the discovery as "very exciting." He noted that the teenager had been "buried with care," unlike many plague victims who were laid to rest in mass graves.

The skeleton, dated between 1300 and 1370, is one of 115 exhumed nearly 45 years ago to make way for new cathedral steps. The remains have since been stored in the city's archives and are now part of a major research project commissioned under Edinburgh 900, a year-long celebration of the city's 900th anniversary.

Lawson said the new evidence directly connects the individual and the historic pandemic. "We know the Black Death happened, but now we can tie this person to that moment in history," he told BBC Scotland News.

The project, in collaboration with the Francis Crick Institute in London, has also recreated the faces of several medieval Edinburgh residents using pioneering technology developed by experts from the universities of Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Dundee.

Dr Maria Maclennan, a senior lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art, led the facial restoration work, which has helped reveal the identities, diets, and origins of people buried in and around the cathedral between the 12th and 16th centuries.

Margaret Graham, Edinburgh Council's convener for culture and communities, said the discovery was "hugely significant," offering a rare glimpse into life during one of the darkest chapters in European history.

"Thanks to this research, we've gained a closer insight into the lives of those who lived and died through such a notable chapter in our past," she added.