Project 3 Death Cart

Visual Design

Project 3 - Death Cart.

For my Death cart I am drawing inspiration from the Black Death in 1346-53. The black death was the pandemic that wiped out 75 - 200 million people all over Europe. The Black Death is a term for the Bubonic Plague.

The Black Death.

 The Bubonic Plague is a bacteria transmitted and circulated through mainly rats, fleas and other rodents. When bitten by a rodent or flea that carries the Bubonic Plague, you will develop lumps(Lymph Nodes) around your groin and armpit areas. The bacteria will make its way around your body from the lymph node, eating and destroying the iron that subsides in your blood. It destroys all of the victims immune system on its way through the body. It makes its way back to the lymph node and continues the cycle. The victims blood vessels become weak and start to leak. The victims body will eventually kill itself. The body doesn't know what to do with all the bacteria in the system and the immune system cannot kill the bacteria.

The Black Death wiped out 1 third to 2 thirds of Europe's population. The bodies of the victims were buried mainly in mass graves (Plague Pits). Graves became only available to the wealthy. The bodies of the dead would be disposed of by "Death Cart Laborers". Death carts were used to transport the dead bodies from the houses to the plague pits. Death carts maintain a similar shape through-out the ages. The common cart has 2 wheels and a wooden box to transport the bodies. The cart is pulled by a Death Cart Laborer. 

Reference Images For Death Cart

Pictures for Death Carts are somewhat limited. This shows what looks to be the most historically accurate.

This is a corpse cart from table top war game called Warhammer. I am going to use this picture to influence my model. It makes the death cart somewhat more interesting.

This is a painting that was created by James Hulett in the mid 18th Century. It shows the Death Cart Laborers.

Another depiction of a death cart

Another depiction of the Death Cart Laborers

A illustration of mass burials

Another illustration of the Black death. This illustration shows the wide spread disease over london.

This is a picture of the mass burials in London. This is just one of many burial sites around London. By the way the remains are placed its shows that they were dumped in there.