Skeletons
Wednesday 23 July 2008 - Sunday 28 September 2008

As Londoners go about their busy lives, little do they imagine
that they are walking over the bones of generations of their
predecessors. Excavations required for the continuous redevelopment
of London have revealed a city of skeletons hidden beneath our
streets. Burial grounds have been uncovered right across the city -
sometimes beneath familiar landmarks and at other times in the most
banal of locations.
Drawn from the Museum of London's
astonishing collection of 17 000 skeletons spanning 16 centuries,
this exhibition examined the bones of some of those who lived, died
and were buried in our city. The skeletons reflect London's rich
past and varied social geography - from the affluent district of
Chelsea to the Cross Bones cemetery in Southwark, believed to have
been established originally as a graveyard for prostitutes.
Through careful forensic analysis by
the team at the Museum of London, each skeleton reveals its own
story, allowing us fascinating insights into the times in which
they lived and the health hazards of the day - from syphilis to
smallpox and rickets.
"Compelling…The show probes the most intimate recesses of
human experience."
'The Times'
In collaboration with the Museum of London.