双语阅读 | 日本挖掘遗骸表明19世纪该地曾爆发过传染病

Remains from Mass Grave in Japan Suggest Epidemic in 1800s

日本乱葬坑遗骸表明19世纪该地曾爆发过传染病

Workers have unearthed the remains of more than 1,500 people in western Japan. Archeologists report finding evidence that many of those individuals died of disease, possibly in an epidemic.

工人们在日本西部挖掘出1500多具遗骸。考古学家报告说，他们发现的证据表明，其中许多人患病而死，可能是死于一场传染病。

The burial ground is thought to date back to the 1850s. It is being dug up for a development project in the city of Osaka.

该墓地的历史可以追溯到19世纪50年代。由于大阪的一个开发项目，它被挖掘了出来。

Officials at Osaka’s City Cultural Properties Association have studied the remains. They said many of the individuals were likely in their 30s or small children when they died.

大阪城市文化产业协会的官员们对这些遗骸进行了研究。他们说，很多人可能在30多岁或还很小的时候就死了。

The Umeda Grave is one of seven historical burial grounds in Osaka. It was discovered near a main train station as part of a redevelopment project that began in September 2019.

梅田墓是大阪七个具有历史意义的墓地之一。它是在一个大型火车站附近被发现的，是2019年9月开始的一个再开发项目的一部分。

In an earlier study, workers dug up hundreds of similar remains in surrounding areas, said Yoji Hirata, an official at Osaka’s Cultural Properties Association.

平田说，在早些时候的一项研究中，工人们在周边地区挖掘出了数百具类似的遗骸。他是大阪文化产业协会的官员。

“It was our first historical discovery of a burial site in Osaka,” Hirata said. “The findings will provide details of burial traditions of ordinary people back then.”

平田说:“这是我们在大阪历史上首次发现墓地。这些发现将提供当时普通人埋葬传统的细节。”

In the earlier find, many remains showed signs of disease in the hands and feet. The discovery of additional, similar remains suggests the 19th century mass grave was used for victims of an epidemic in the area, Hirata said.

在早期的发现中，许多遗骸的手脚都有患病的迹象。另外发现的类似遗骸表明，这个19世纪的万人坑曾被用来埋葬该地区传染病的受害者，平田说。

All the remains have been removed from the work area. Experts hope to examine them and other objects to learn more details about the deaths. Some experts have suggested that the epidemic could have involved syphilis, which was widespread during the time in populated areas.

所有遗骸已从工作区移走。专家们希望对它们和其他物品进行检查，以了解更多有关致死的细节。一些专家认为，这种流行病可能与当时在人口密集地区广泛传播的梅毒有关。

Many of the remains were in small round holes, where bodies appeared to have been buried on top of each other. Researchers found coffins containing more than one skeleton, a sign that many epidemic victims were buried together, Hirata said.

许多遗骸被埋在小圆洞里，尸体似乎一具摞一具的埋在里面。平田说，研究人员发现棺材中不止有一具骸骨，这表明许多传染病患者被葬在一起。

Reuters news agency says researchers discovered about 350 small graves. They also found the remains of animals including four piglets, horses and cats, city officials said. Researchers also unearthed money, Buddhist jewelry and dolls that were believed to have been buried with the dead.

路透社说，研究人员发现了大约350座小坟墓。市政府官员说，他们还发现了包括四只小猪、马和猫在内的动物尸体。研究人员还发现了钱币、佛教珠宝和玩偶，这些被认为是和死者一起埋葬的。

Hirata said experts plan to prepare a report with their findings by the end of next year. The burial ground sits in what used to be a farming area near the city’s famous Osaka Castle. It was one of seven major cemeteries in the city.

平田说，专家们计划在明年年底前准备一份报告，公布他们的调查结果。墓地位于大阪著名的城堡附近，原来是一片农田。它是该市七大墓地之一。

People used to visit the cemeteries to pray for their ancestors during Japan’s mid-summer Bon season under Buddhist tradition.

根据佛教传统，在日本的仲夏元宵节期间，人们过去常常会去墓地为他们的祖先祈祷。

I’m Bryan Lynn.

布莱恩·林恩报道。