Bone finds

[Andrew Brozyna]

I've been reading Food in Roman Britain, by Joan Alcock. There is 1 paragraph discussing whales. Unfortunately, this general audience book is not cited, so I don't know what her references are.

According to Alcock, whale bones were found at:

-the Iron Age Bishopstone settlement in East Sussex.

-Brancaster fort (Norfolk), where the first Cohort of Aquitanians was stationed. Some had chop marks.

-Valkenburg, on the mouth of the Rhine, where the Third Cavalry Cohort of Gauls was stationed in the 2nd century.

The author says that there was whale hunting, but rare (based on what evidence?) Apparently, beached whale meat is not safe to eat, but fresh meat is very nutritional.

P.S. A friend of mine went to Japan and ate whale—not cool!

[Ironhand]

There is a difference between sentience and sapience and under the old world thinking I doubt it would have been an issue unless the animal was humanlike and displaying obvious intelligence. Fish were fish and until they started manufacturing weapons and buildings, I doubt they would be seen as equal and since not even remotely similar it wouldn't spark any cannibalistic revulsion.