Parasite infection in the silk-weaving district of Realejo in Granada (Spain) in the 17th–18th century

Abstract

The district of Realejo in Granada, Spain, was a renown centre for the production of fine silk cloth from the medieval period onwards. During the excavation of a building on the south side of the square of Campo del Principe, two cesspits were identified that dated to the 17th– 18th century. Historical evidence suggests this building might have been associated with the guild of silk workers, or might have been a residential property. Samples of sediment from each cesspit were taken at the time of excavation. Optical microscopy identified the eggs of Ascaris sp. (roundworm), Trichuris sp. (whipworm), probable Fasciola sp., Spirometra sp. and Capillaria sp. The presence of Ascaris and Trichuris likely reflect infection of the popu- lation by these helminths, and indicate ineffective sanitation. However, the eggs of Fasciola, Spirometra and Capillaria are more likely to reflect infection of animals rather than humans. The eggs could have been deposited in the cesspit if humans ate the organs of infected herbi- vores (Fasciola), if the faeces of companion animals such as cats or dogs were discarded in the cesspits (Spirometra), or if rodents defecated inside the cesspits as they explored the waste dis- carded there (Capillaria). While we cannot be sure if those who used these toilets were involved in silk manufacturing, merchants who traded in silk, or other members of society, the pattern of parasite species recovered help provide a vivid picture of life in the people who lived and worked in the silk district of Granada 300–400 years ago.