I was wondering if anyone has references to the use of wood shavings to line
the interior of coffins? I recently carried out a salvage of a coffin
discovered under a church and, while skeletal preservation was extremely
poor due to the wet conditions and weight of the clay in-fill, the coffin
was in very good shape. The bottom of the coffin was covered in what appear
to be wood shavings. Some recovered jewellery indicates that this was a
young girl of German descent who died in 1773 and was recorded as being
buried under the church.
Thanks for your help.
Laird Niven
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia