Archive · 1 Feb 2026
Jordan Mass Grave Reveals Insights Into Ancient Pandemic
Scientists have found a big grave in Jordan where many people were buried together a long time ago.
This grave is linked to a very old and deadly disease called the Plague of Justinian, which killed many people in the Byzantine Empire.
The researchers studied the DNA from the teeth of the people buried there.
They found out that the disease affected people of all ages and backgrounds.
This helps us understand how the disease spread and how people lived during that time.
The study also shows how the city of Jerash, which was an important trading center, dealt with the crisis.
It's like learning about how people coped during a big sickness, similar to what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers confirmed the first Mediterranean mass grave linked to the Plague of Justinian in Jerash, Jordan.
DNA analysis revealed the grave was a single burial event, not a gradually filled cemetery.
The bacterium Yersinia pestis was identified as the cause of the plague.
The study focused on the lives, movements, and vulnerabilities of the people who died.
The research provides insights into how the city of Jerash coped with the epidemic and the social impact of the disease.
- Who
- Researchers from the United States led by Rays Jiang
- What
- Confirmed the first Mediterranean mass grave linked to the Plague of Justinian
- When
- The pandemic occurred between 541 and 750 AD; research published in February
- Where
- Jerash, present-day Jordan
- Why
- To understand the impact of the plague and the lives of those affected
- Location
- Jerash, Jordan
- Pandemic
- Plague of Justinian
- Bacterium
- Yersinia pestis
- Time Period
- 6th to 8th centuries AD
- Research Team
- University of South Florida, Florida Atlantic University, University of Sydney
- Publication
- Journal of Archaeological Science (February)
- Lead Author
- Rays Jiang