[MR] BBC: First Evidence of the Black Death in Scotland

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, especially fellow Scots,

Yesterday the BBC reported on the first scientific evidence for the Black
Death in Scotland.

Traces of DNA from the plague bacterium *Yersinia pestis* were discovered
in dental plaque from a 14th century skeleton. The remains were of a
teenage boy who had been buried at St. Giles Cathedral (then only a parish
church, but a large one).

The plague reached Scotland in 1349. It is said to have killed between 1/3
and 1/2 the population, and was particularly rampant in the burghs and
towns. There are no census figures from the time, but the total population
has been estimated at between 500,000 and 1,000,000.

The skeleton was one of 115 removed from St. Giles in 1981 to build new
steps at the cathedral. The remains have been stored in the Edinburgh city
archives, and were being studied as part of the city's upcoming 900-year
birthday celebration.

The BBC story is at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2kpz2vnqglo .

More about St. Giles is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Giles%27_Cathedral .

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a crusade to keep the original Merry Rose relevant and in
business.