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Monument details

HER Number:	TR 02 SE 152
Type of record:	Findspot
Name:	Find spot of whale bones from Denge West quarry

Summary

Find spot of the bones of a northern or southern right whale from Denge West quarry.

Grid Reference:	TR 06474 20080
Map Sheet:	TR02SE
Parish:	LYDD, SHEPWAY, KENT

Monument Types

FINDSPOT (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 840 AD to 1031 AD) + Sci.Date

Associated Finds

BUTCHERED ANIMAL REMAINS (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon - 840 AD to 1031 AD) + Sci.Date

Full description

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Find spot of the bones of a northern or southern right whale from Denge West quarry. These were discovered in the same context as another whale, 700m to the north west, during mechanical extraction of gravel in 1995.

The remains comprise eight vertebrae, four complete and fifteen pieces of unfused vertebral centrum epiphyses, rib fragments, occipital and some undiagnostic fragments.

Cut marks are evident on three of the ribs and numerous vertebrae consistent with defleshing and the recovery of flesh from the ribs. Some evidence for the removal of the intercostal muscles is also implied.

Radiocarbon dating yeilded a calibrated date of 840-1031 AD. (1-2)

<1> Gardiner, M., Stewart, J. & Preistley-Bell, G., 1998, Anglo-Saxon whale exploitation: Some evidence from Dengemarsh, Lydd, Kent (Article in serial). SKE16132.

<2> Romney Marsh Research Trust, 2010, Romney Marsh Research Trust Gazetteer 2010 (Unpublished document). SKE16034.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref.	Source description
<1>	Article in serial: Gardiner, M., Stewart, J. & Preistley-Bell, G.. 1998. Anglo-Saxon whale exploitation: Some evidence from Dengemarsh, Lydd, Kent. Medieval Archaeology 42 pp96-101.
<2>	Unpublished document: Romney Marsh Research Trust. 2010. Romney Marsh Research Trust Gazetteer 2010.