Newcastle, Broad Garth, sheep fleeces

HER Number:
11958

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
Newcastle, Broad Garth, sheep fleeces

Place:
Newcastle

Map Sheet:
NZ26SE

Class:
Ecofacts

Site Type: Broad:
Animal Remains

Site Type: Specific:
Mammal Remains

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:
C14

Form of Evidence:
Find

Description:
Evidence of caulking (stopping up the seam of ships) was identified in 13 samples of cattle hair and 10 samples of sheep's wool, which resembled modern Shetland fleece, a common type in the middle ages. Three samples were black or brown fleece which would have had a lower value as a raw material for the textile trade. The changeover from wool to hair in English caulking occurred between C13 and C15. Large quantities of similar caulking material, C13-C14 in date, was recovered from excavations at Byker Chare in 1986.

Easting:
253

Northing:
639

Grid Reference:
NZ253639

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
P. Walton, 1988, 'Caulking, cordage and textiles' in C. O' Brien, L. Brown, S. Dixon and R. Nicholas, 1988, Origins of the Newcastle Quayside