Jessica,
from 19th century Gothenburg on the swedish west coast I have information
that is similar to that of Liz Somerville.
Around the turn of the 18th/19th centuries the brown rat began to replace
the black rat. The black rats moved upstairs in the houses when their
brown cousins took over the basements. Unfortunately I donīt have the
reference to the written eyewitness statements that I know exist (I will
try to see if I can trace them).
I have several cases of rats (both species) acting as taphonomic agents in
the generation of bone collections under housefloors. Rats do collect a
very special selection of anatomical elements, depending of species and
size of bones, that can be very different from what is found in
surrounding contexts. The rats seldom turn up themselves, only their gnaw
marks.
Leif Jonsson
Gothemburg Museum of Natural History
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