評論
打印
Old bones
老骨頭
A grave issue
墓地問題
The opportunity cost of letting ancient Cockneys rest in peace
讓老倫敦人安息的機會成本
THE Cross Bones Graveyard lies on a dingy street in south London. The medieval prostitutes buried there were much used and little loved ; yet their graves have become a modest attraction. The unconsecrated cemetery's rusty gates are festooned with colourful feathers, trinkets and ribbons. The most ardent well-wishers, who are campaigning for the graveyard to be protected as a monument, hold monthly vigils there at which they chant poetry and remember the long-ago outcasts.
十字骨墓地坐落于倫敦南部一條骯臟陰暗的街道，在墓地中長眠的中世紀妓女被一再利用卻得不到任何關愛；但是如今她們的墳墓卻成為了一個不大不小的旅游景點。被視為不圣潔的墓地大門雖然已經銹跡斑斑，但現在卻被多彩的羽毛，小飾品以及彩帶裝點著。最虔誠的一批許愿者，正致力于申請將這片墓地作為歷史遺跡保護起來，他們每月都會來守夜一次，在墓地旁吟唱圣歌以紀念這群故去的放逐者們。
Transport forLondon, the authority that owns the spot, wants to develop it. At 1,600 per square foot, primeLondonland is among the world's dearest. To soothe the vigilistas, however, TfL says it will leave the graveyard undisturbed.
擁有這片墓地的倫敦交通局計劃重新開發這片區域。倫敦最繁華地段的土地以每平方英尺1600英鎊的價格躋身于世界上最昂貴的土地之列。然而為了安撫這群守夜人，倫敦交通局表示施工將不會擾亂這片墓地的清靜。
Bringing up the bodies
挖掘遺骸
This highlights a growing dilemma inLondon. It is an ancient city and its subsoil is packed with ancient remains. Tradition and, by and large, the law demand that they be left in peace. But the opportunity cost is enormous.
這突顯了倫敦一個日趨嚴重的問題。倫敦是一座歷史悠久的城市，因此城市的底土都埋藏著先人的遺骨。傳統觀念告訴我們應該要讓先人們在地下得以安息，總的來說，法律也是這么要求的。但是讓先人們安息的機會成本是巨大的。
Developers normally have to obtain a licence for every buried body they wish to disinter. But big infrastructure projects are sometimes granted a bulk deal. Crossrail, a 15 billion rail link across the capital, is permitted by a special act of Parliament to remove ancient skeletons from its path. To that effect, more than 300 have so far been dug up from the grounds of a medieval hospital nearLiverpool Street, to be reburied in a mass grave. By the time the project is finished, the bones of thousands of ancient Cockneys will have been shifted.
一般來說，開發商們想挖掘的每一具遺骸都必須獲得相應的許可證。但是有時在大型的基建項目中也會大批量地進行授權。倫敦橫貫鐵路是一條橫貫首都倫敦并價值150億英鎊的鐵路聯絡線，在它建設期間就曾被議會特別允許移除施工路途中的每一具遺骸。也就是說，至今已經有超過300具遺骸從靠近利物浦大街的中世紀醫院的地下挖掘出來，并被重新埋葬集體墳墓之中。等到這項項目竣工之時，會有成千上萬的老倫敦人的遺骸被重新安放。
