City vs. Country: A Twist in History

One reason for the surprising results is that many of the quantitative sources come from urban areas, which were particularly characterized by cramped spaces and poor hygiene. But in the mid-14th century, more than three-quarters of Europe’s population lived in rural areas.

“There is no single model of ‘pandemic’ or ‘plague outbreak’ that can be applied anywhere, at any time,” says Adam Izdebsky, chair of the Palaeo-Science Group and History at Max Planck – Institute for Humans. “Epidemics is a complex phenomenon, but it has Also different regional and local characteristics. What we were able to experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have now also shown to the plague.”

The differences in mortality in Europe show that the plague was a dynamic disease. Cultural, environmental, economic and climatic factors have had a decisive influence on its spread and consequences. For future research in particular, the scientists hope to conduct further studies based on paleoecological data, particularly in relation to epidemiology. In this way, they want to better understand how different variables interact in the development of mass diseases, past and present.