But the securely-dated presence of rats in Britain in the Roman period
does not mean that the populations persisted into the much less
urbanised Dark Ages. I have argued that the absence of remains of rats
(but not of house mice) from York in the 5th-9th centuries AD indicates
local extinction with subsequent re-introduction as urban life got
underway late in the 9th. However, that does require arguing from
absence of evidence, which is always a little difficult!
Terry O'Connor
-----Original Message-----
From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tommy Tyrberg
Sent: 12 May 2003 19:51
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ZOOARCH]
>Dear All,
>I have recently identified a femur of black rat from a securely =
>dated late 1st/early 2nd century context at the Southwark Cathedral =
>site. >Does anyone know of any other early Roman find of Rattus rattus
in = >Britain? Any help in this matter will be very much appreciated..
>Many Thanks from Philip
This is of considerable historical interest since there has been a great
deal of controversy whether the Justinian Plague (and the plague
epidemics that followed it up to ca 750 AD) affected Europe north of the
Mediterranean. The conventional view is that it did not, since there
were no black rats to serve as vectors. If there was rats in Britain in
the Dark Ages, then the "yellow plague" that killed among others Maelgwn
of Gwynedd may really have been plague, it certainly happened about the
right time and is described as a "mortalitas magna". There definitely
was trade between Aquitaine/Iberia and Celtic Britain which could have
spread the infection.
Tommy Tyrberg
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