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Subject:        Re: Yorkshire Black Bees
 
In article <[log in to unmask]>, "[log in to unmask]"
<[log in to unmask]> writes
<snip>
 
> If so then the bees found in the excavation would be
>Italian/Danish/Black crosses!
 
You are assuming that any bees that were imported survived long enough
to mate with local bees.
--
Paul Walton
 
Hi Paul,
 
If the Romans did bring bees to York then I think that it is almost certain that interbreeding took place.  The Romans were there for about 400 years.  Why do you think the Italian bees would not survive?  I think the question is whether the Romans brought their bees with them or not.  I believe the Romans were very keen on honey and used it a lot in cooking.  Did they have sugar at that time?  The analogy with the colonists is not very good as the countries they were trying to colonize did not have honey bees whereas I assume that bees existed in Britain before the Roman occupation.  Is there any evidence that bees were indigenous to Britain before that time?  There was a book written by Dr. Eva Crane,  The Archaeology of Beekeeping,  which I had a look at a few years ago.  If anyone out there has a copy perhaps they could look up and answer some of these questions. Perhaps Eva Crane might even respond if she reads this!
 
Harry
Scotland