Dear Dr Gleed-Owen,
The earliest record I have of
honey bee is from a late Bronze Age palaeochannel
deposit (around 3000BP) at Runnymede, Berks. It is
soon to be published in the report of the British
Museum excavation. Quite a few Iron Age and Roman
finds have been made (some noted including a photo
in Allen TG and Robinson MA 1993 The prehistoric
landscape and Iron Age enclosed settlement at
Mingies Ditch, Hardwick-with-Yelford, Oxon ).
I found so many in a Roman well at Godmanchester,
Cambs, that I think there must have beem a colony
nearby and they were visiting the well to drink.
The Romans in Italy, of course, were very familiar
with beekeeping.
I am not sure whether it is native. I am told that
the lost wax technique of metal casting is first
used in Britain in the late Bronze Age.
Best wishes,
Mark Robinson.
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