Archaeologists in Canada have discovered a graveyard containing a dozen human skeletons, including those of several children and babies.

The remains were uncovered during excavations that have been taking place over the last three weeks on Rue de Maisonneuve—a street located in Quebec City, French language newspaper Le Soleil reported. The excavations are being conducted in preparation for the construction of a new tramway.

The finds are not entirely unexpected given that the work is taking place above the site of an old cemetery. Human bones had already been discovered under Rue de Maisonneuve in 1997 during work on municipal pipes.

Between 1832 and 1855, the Saint-Louis Cemetery was the burial site for victims of cholera and other outbreaks of disease. As a result, it has been dubbed the “cholera cemetery.”

Stock image of an archaeologist excavating human remains. Archaeologists have discovered a graveyard containing a dozen human skeletons in Quebec City, Canada. iStock

Your daily briefing of everything you need to know

By clicking on SIGN ME UP, you agree to Newsweek’s Terms of Use & Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Cholera is a bacterial disease usually spread through contaminated water that can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration. The disease, caused by infection with the Vibrio cholerae bacteria, first reached Canada in 1832, brought over the Atlantic by immigrants from Britain.

Epidemics of the disease occurred that year, as well as in 1834, 1849, 1851, 1852 and 1854, according to The Canadian Encyclopedia. In total, these epidemics killed at least 20,000 people in Canada. The deadly disease was feared at the time because no one understood how it spread or how to treat it. If left untreated, Cholera has a very high fatality rate.

During the epidemic of 1832, hundreds of people were dying every day in Canada, mostly in the larger settlements, such as Quebec City. This, in part, explains the large number of people that are buried in the Saint-Louis cemetery, Quebec City archaeologist Stéphane Noël told Le Soleil.

A decree was issued closing the cemetery in 1855, but some historical sources indicate that burials took place there up until the 1870s.

The latest discovery on Rue de Maisonneuve includes the remains of three adults or teenagers, plus several children and babies.

“On the historical plans, we see that it is a place where they buried children…who died of cholera,” said Noël.

The archaeologist said excavations along the street may uncover around 20 graves by the time they come to an end next week. After this, any human remains and artifacts that have been found will be cleaned and studied in the lab.

Archaeologists will aim to determine the sex of the people buried, as well as their age when they died and whether or not they suffered from certain bone diseases. The remains will then be sent to a local diocese to be reburied.