THE MAMMAL AND BIRD BONE FROM THE 1986 EXCAVATIONS AT HARTLEPOOL, MIDDLEGATE, CLEVELAND
Author(s): L J Gidney
Excavations on the sea front revealed a sequence of occupation from the 12th century to the present day. The major structural phase is phase 4 when two buildings with an associated yard were in use from the 13th to 15th centuries. A large part of the animal bone was recovered from this phase. The bones from all phases are the product of urban domestic household consumption with no evidence for any commercial waste products. In all phases sheep/goat remains outnumber those of cattle with lesser numbers of pig bones also present. Polled and horned sheep are represented in phases 4-6. It seems probable that two types of sheep rather than two sexes are indicated. Horse bones are scarce. Several cats had been interred on the site in phases 4 and 6. Dogs were kept as many bones were gnawed but dog bones were much less frequent than those of cat. Hare, rabbit and rat are represented but uncommon. Fowl and goose bones are present in all phases and phase 4 also produced bones of duck, pigeon, cormorant and gannet. Manx shearwater was found in phase 2, 13th century backfill, and guillemot was found in modern material. Preservation in general is good with clear butchery marks observable. Sawing as a method of butchery is only frequent from phase 6, 18th century onwards. Bones of very young cattle and sheep/goat survive with a trend for a higher proportion of younger animals in the more recent phases.
- Report Number:
- 116/1990
- Series:
- AML Reports (New Series)
- Pages:
- 42
- Keywords:
- Animal Bone Animal Remains Bird Bone
