-
1337
Natural Disasters
Asia was devastated by earthquakes, floods and famines which made wild animals enter villages in search of food. -
1337
Spread of germs
The fleas that arrived, were carriers of the bacterium called Yersinia pestis, hence they spread the germs to other animals like rats. Then they were passed on to humans. -
1338
Earliest evidence
In Central Asia, at the cemetery near Lake Issyk-Kul, several graves were found during this period of time which are thought to be the first victims of this plague. -
1338
Between humans
The disease spread from one person to another simply by coughing as the germ spread by air and was easily tranfered by breathing. -
1345
From city to city
Caravans were filled with fleas which carried the plague. Whithout knowing, these groups of traders had taken death to places like Sarai and Astrakhan. -
1348
By sea
Soon, the trading ships spread the plague across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. It reached cities like Cyprus, Jerusalem, Genoa, Venice, Barcelona and Marseilles. -
1353
Black Death ends
This tragic event caused about 1/3 of Europe's population and 1/2 of North Africa and Middle East's population to die.
