Remains dug from Japan mass grave suggest epidemic in 1800s

The Umeda Grave, one of seven historical burial sites in Japan’s bustling merchant city of Osaka, was unearthed as part of a redevelopment project near a main train station.

This undated photo provided Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, by Osaka City Cultural Properties Association shows human bones buried in holes at the south section of the “Umeda Grave” burial site, in Osaka, western Japan. (Osaka City Cultural Properties Association via AP)

More than 1,500 remains were found during the latest round of excavation that started in September 2019, following an earlier 2016-2017 study that dug up hundreds of similar remains at adjacent locations, according to Yoji Hirata, an official at the association.

“It was our first historical discovery of a burial site in Osaka,” Hirata said. “The findings will provide details of burial tradition of ordinary people back then. As in the earlier excavation, the remains of some of the people showed lesions on their limbs, suggesting they fell victim to an epidemic in the region”, Hirata said.

All of the remains have been removed from the excavation site, and experts will further examine them and other artifacts in hopes of finding more details related to the deaths.

This undated photo provided Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, by Osaka City Cultural Properties Association, shows urns found at the “Umeda Grave” burial site, in Osaka, western Japan. (Osaka City Cultural Properties Association via AP)

Many of the remains were in small round holes, where bodies were apparently stacked and buried. Archaeologists found coffins containing multiple remains, a sign that many victims of an epidemic were buried together, Hirata said.

Experts also found about 350 urns and a possible ossuary at the site, signs that bodies were cremated. They also unearthed coins, Buddhist prayer beads, headdresses, combs, sake cups and clay dolls that were believed to have been buried with the dead.

Remains of several piglets were buried in the north side of the cemetery, and two horses in the south, while those of cats were in containers.

This undated photo provided by Osaka City Cultural Properties Association shows the foundation of a structure at the “Umeda Grave” burial site in Osaka, western Japan. (Osaka City Cultural Properties Association via AP)

Hirata said experts plan to compile their findings and analysis in a report expected at the end of next year.

The burial site is in what used to be a farming area outside of the urban community near Osaka Castle and was one of seven major cemeteries in the city. People used to tour around the cemeteries to pray for their ancestors during the mid-summer Bon season under the Buddhist tradition.