Archaeology in York 15 (4)

Follow up to earlier article. Exploratory trench and boreholes revealed well preserved organic remains resulting from rubbish dumped in the shallows of the King's Fishpool.

Re--examination of the riverside area at Skeldergate (see also Interim 14(2), 1989, pp 21-4). Working down to specified depths over a wider area, material ranged from fourteenth century limestone walling to nineteenth century cellaring. Boreholes enabled the land surface and waterfront to be plotted from the Anglo--Scandinavian period onwards. Provides useful information on riverside use and development and also confirms that any future development down to a level of more than one metre would irrevocably damage evidence.

The discovery of `straw rope', in 1977, associated with thousands of bee fragments led to the deduction that the fibre was part of a bee `skep' or domed hive. This quickly became archaeological lore despite no comparative physical analysis. The concomitant bee fragments were analysed some years later and were confirmed as examples of the British black bee. However, when the `skep' piece was sought for analysis it was found to be missing.

Polychrome tin glaze tiles, in a style imported from the Netherlands but originating in the east, were recovered from the Swinegate area. Four--coloured tiles precede the more common blue and white type.