Some 3,000 historical skeletons are now being exhumed by archaeologists in London from a burial ground containing plague victims to make way for a new train station.

A team of researchers will work for six days a week in shifts during the course of the next month at the Bedlam burial grounds to remove the ancient skeletons spanning centuries. The skeletons will then be properly buried at a cemetery located in east of London.

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The company building this new train station, Crossrail, is constructing a new east-west train line in London. The dig is found near the Liverpool Street station where a team of 60 archaeologists are transferring the skeletons under the archaeology unit of the Museum of London.

These bones will also be studied and tested to hopefully reveal information about early migration patterns, diet and lifestyle along with demographics.

Crossrail adds the archaeologists also hope to conduct tests on these plague victims to further understand the evolution of the plague bacteria strain.

The Bedlam grounds became a cemetery during the Great Fire of London and many plague outbreaks spanning from 1569 to 1738. The excavation also uncovered an ancient Roman road where several artifacts were found such as horseshoes and cremation urns.

Bedlam is also London's first municipal cemetery and was named after the nearby Bethlehem Royal Hospital, which is also the world's oldest psychiatric institution. It was also used by locals who couldn't afford a church burial.

After the excavation, a new ticket hall will be built for the Liverpool Street station. Crossrail archaeologist Jay Carver said this dig presents a great opportunity to study the lives and deaths of 16th to 17th century Londoners.

According to Nick Elsden, project manager of the excavation under the Museum of London Archaeology, this site holds six meters of archaeology finds since it's one of the oldest areas in the city. Prior excavations at Liverpool Street last 2013 and 2014 revealed more than 400 skeletons.

TagsMOLA, Crossrail, London, 3000 skeletons london train station, bedlam skeletons