Experts Take Preventive Measures and Construct a New Model to Help Spot Archaeological Bear Baiting Assemblages

Bear-baiting was a very popular sport in Shakespearean England. For decades, researchers have been trying to understand the process and value this sport had in the Elizabethan period, stated Phys.org. A new study uses a model to analyze the popular practice in England. Findings from this method have been published in the Antiquity journal. The study was conducted under the project 'Box Office Bears: Animal Baiting in Early Modern England.'

Experts from the universities of York and Nottingham came together to construct a new model that would help researchers spot archaeological bear baiting assemblages. The model was formulated by combining zooarchaeological, stable isotope, and archival evidence collected from nine archaeological sites in London. These proofs helped experts in figuring out the patterns of bear baiting. The method would help experts in identifying bear baiting, even if there are no supporting records, as per experts.

Examinations showcased that dogs and bears lived in locations like Bankside and had a similar diet. The size of dogs set them apart from their kind found in other localities. "They demonstrated that both dogs and bears lived on Bankside and were eating the remains of old horses, as well as each other. The dogs were particularly large—some 60–80cm high at the shoulder—like a large modern German Shepherd or Great Dane," Dr. Lizzie Wright, from the University of York's Department of Archaeology said.  "This size of dog was uncommon across England at the time, suggesting these big dogs known as 'mastiffs' were particularly used for baiting."

The analysis also indicated that there were no remains of bears under the age of four in the selected localities. It was likely that these creatures were captured as cubs, and before being baited were made to perform on stage. Experts also speculate that these bears in their formative years were looked after extremely well, because of their cost. This was because, if any one of them expired, people would have to import their replacement. The same assertion has been made for dogs. Though some of their specimens have been found with bone fractures, however, all of them were healed. The remains were made available by the Museum of London and project partners MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology), stated the University of Southampton.

Experts were excited about the scope of this study. "This article allowed us to put fascinating archival details – from early writing on dog breeds to lists of celebrity bear names – into conversation with the physical presence of these extraordinary animals. It’s exciting to consider the potential for this kind of interdisciplinary research around the history of entertainment," Dr Callan Davies, from the University of Southampton’s English department, who led the archival research shared.

Researchers claim that this analysis is important because the practice was so interwoven with English public life, Phys.org stated. "It's a hugely unpleasant topic, but understanding baiting is critical to understanding performance in Shakespeare's England," said Hannah O'Regan, Professor of Archaeology and Palaeoecology at the University of Nottingham. "The people who went to watch King Lear and Hamlet would also have popped into the arenas to see a baiting. They saw no difference between the practices, and indeed baiting terminology, and even the bears themselves are threaded throughout early modern plays." The practice was banned by authorities in 1835.