I was speaking largely historically through oral tradition. My brother worked an traditional/historical farm and some of the older visitors (on seeing the modern incubators and heat lamps) told historical tales of chickens, in their grandfather's days, being brought into heated building such as blacksmiths and drying areas in order to encourage lay, keep the birds healthy, and aid the incubation of eggs. What level of accuracy is here is open to debate. Whilst they were talking about chickens I wondered if (despite their much lower egg yield) the same might hold true for geese.

Chicken presence in e.g. blacksmith buildings is also a fairly common theme in historical paintings such as: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-a-country-blacksmith-disputing-upon-the-price-of-iron-and-the-price-charged-to-the-n00478 , http://www.tate.org.uk/art/images/work/T/T06/T06309_10.jpg  although here they are perhaps more likely to be just another pretty part of the countryside scene ideal.

If I recall correctly it has been postulated as an interpretation in some archaeological contexts too such as where high proportions of eggs (including hatched specimens) were found in a blacksmith shop: Drummond-Murray, J., Thompson, P., and Cowan, C. 2002 Settlement in Roman Southwark: archaeological excavations (1991-8) for the London Underground Limited Jubilee Line Extension Project. London: Museum of London Archaeology Service.

Of course the other interpretation might be that someone was cooking their lunch in the vicinity!

All the best,
Julia


Dr Julia Best
Post-Doctoral Research Associate
Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science, Faculty of Science and Technology
Bournemouth University
Christchurch House, Talbot Campus, Poole, BH12 5BB

Tel: +44 (0)1202 962074
Room: CG23




-----Original Message-----
From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Anne Birgitte Gotfredsen
Sent: 26 October 2015 11:47
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] Goose bones and kilns

Hi Julia,

Do you have any reference on that interesting information?

All the best
Gitte


Anne Birgitte Gotfredsen
Ph.D., Post. doc.

University of Copenhagen
Natural History Museum of Denmark,
Zoological Museum
Universitetsparken 15
2100 Copenhagen Ø

DIR +45 35321086
[log in to unmask]





-----Original Message-----
From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Julia Best
Sent: 26. oktober 2015 12:39
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] Goose bones and kilns

Interesting. Do you have any particular elements present or is the majority of the skeleton represented?

I have heard of laying birds being kept near (but not too near!) warm structures such as kilns and blacksmith's forges to encourage lay and also for eggs to aid hatching. Any eggshell to go along with the medullary bone?

All the best,
Julia


Dr Julia Best
Post-Doctoral Research Associate
Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science, Faculty of Science and Technology Bournemouth University Christchurch House, Talbot Campus, Poole, BH12 5BB

Tel: +44 (0)1202 962074
Room: CG23



-----Original Message-----
From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Julia Cussans
Sent: 26 October 2015 11:07
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ZOOARCH] Goose bones and kilns

Hello All,

I have a collection of goose bones (MNI=4) from a posthole associated with a corn-drying kiln dated to the 10-13th Centuries from the East of England.

Is anyone aware of any similar occurrences?  Either birds in association with kilns or just large collection of goose bones. The assemblage includes some butchered elements and some medullary bone.

Any references, pdfs etc gratefully received.

Many thanks in advance.


Julia


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BU is a Disability Two Ticks Employer and has signed up to the Mindful Employer charter. Information about the accessibility of University buildings can be found on the BU DisabledGo webpages This email is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed and may contain confidential information. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender and delete this email, which must not be copied, distributed or disclosed to any other person. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Bournemouth University or its subsidiary companies. Nor can any contract be formed on behalf of the University or its subsidiary companies via email.