# The outcasts, the sick, and the undead: atypical burials of the late medieval to modern greater Poland

## TL;DR

This study explores unusual burials in medieval Poland to understand how society treated outcasts, the sick, and plague victims.

## Contribution

The study identifies a new confirmed case of plague in Poland and provides insights into burial practices and social perceptions of outsiders and the sick.

## Key findings

- Yersinia pestis DNA was found in a non-adult male, confirming plague in medieval Poland.
- Several individuals were identified as likely outsiders based on skeletal and DNA evidence.
- The study reveals burial practices reflecting societal responses to disease and social status.

## Abstract

Past burial practices can provide insights into the social status of the inhumed and inform us of how the individuals were perceived by their community. Atypical or “deviant” burials may indicate that the deceased was considered an outcast, either due to disease, different provenance, criminal activity, or religious beliefs. To explore the importance of atypical burial practices in medieval and modern Poland, an interdisciplinary study was conducted on three Polish cemeteries (Dzwonowo, Skoki, and Wągrowiec) dating to the 14th -18th centuries CE. Twelve individuals were examined using archaeological evidence, anthropological analysis, and ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis. This study aimed to determine the underlying reasons behind the atypical nature of the burials (i.e., whether the individuals were outsiders, outcasts, relatives, or victims of infectious disease) and shed light on the complex interplay between health, social status, and community perception in medieval and modern Poland. The results revealed that a non-adult male and a middle-aged female, who were holding hands in a double burial in Skoki, possibly died from the plague. Yersinia pestis DNA was recovered from the non-adult individual, making it the third confirmed case of plague in Poland. Using the nonmetric skeletal traits, archaeological assemblage, and aDNA analysis, we identified several individuals as likely “outsiders” in the community. The results of this study expand our knowledge of past societal structures and cultural responses to disease as well as provide crucial context for interpreting burial patterns elsewhere in Europe.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-04425-2.