Keith Hall wrote:
>
> An archeaological excavation of a Viking settlement in York unearthed a skep
> dating from the 10th (from memory) Century. In it were quite a number of
> bees and bee fragments which had been preserved. Local beekeepers who heard
> of this arranged for wing vein measurements to be taken which gives the base
> line aganst which to compare our colonies.
>
> Keith Hall
 
I remember reading about this archeological excavation but did not pay
much attention to it at the time.  I believe that York started off as a
Roman fort and was occupied by the Romans from about A.D. 70 - 400 and
then the Danes from 867 to about 1066. I wonder if the Romans brought
bees with them from Italy?    When the colonists went to
America/Australia/New Zealand they took their bees with them.  Why not
the Romans? If so then the bees found in the excavation would be
Italian/Danish/Black crosses!