The Scoska Skeleton - What else is known?

[BrightAire]

I've often wondered that, these days, isotope analysis could shed light on where the person of the skeleton originated. Also I can't find any reference to where the skeleton is curated. Perhaps it's lost, and that seems a shame.

Does anyone know more about the Scoska Skeleton than is represented in this YRC article? - https://www.yrc.org.uk/journal-and-...c-journal-1906-7-vol-2-no-7/journal-v2n7p229/

 

[Andy C]

I've often wondered that, these days, isotope analysis could shed light on where the person of the skeleton originated. Also I can't find any reference to where the skeleton is curated. Perhaps it's lost, and that seems a shame.

Does anyone know more about the Scoska Skeleton than is represented in this YRC article? - https://www.yrc.org.uk/journal-and-...c-journal-1906-7-vol-2-no-7/journal-v2n7p229/

In 2014 Tony Brown obtained a radiocarbon date on a human finger bone found in the cave (presumed to be from the same skeleton) which showed that the individual died in early medieval times around 700-800 AD.

 

[BrightAire]

In 2014 Tony Brown obtained a radiocarbon date on a human finger bone found in the cave (presumed to be from the same skeleton) which showed that the individual died in early medieval times around 700-800 AD.

That's interesting. Thanks. The YRC article has it as bronze age (2500-700 BC).

Do you know if the finger bone was a recent find or recovered from the cave much earlier, nearer the time of the original excavation. That might indicate if the skeleton is effectively curated.

 

[BrightAire]

The article then seems to contradict itself, putting the age of the skeleton at "anything between 1500 and 2000 years".

I'll take the more recent radiocarbon date, I think.

 

[Andy C]

The finger bone was found on the surface of the cave floor in 2013, as far as I am aware.

 

[BrightAire]

The finger bone was found on the surface of the cave floor in 2013, as far as I am aware.

Thanks Andy. Do you have a reference? I wonder if there's anything in Cave & Karst... Vol. 1 but I don't have it to hand.

 

[cavingbiker]

Thanks Andy. Do you have a reference? I wonder if there's anything in Cave & Karst... Vol. 1 but I don't have it to hand.

Just had a quick look through the pages listed in the index of Caves and Karst Vol 1 for Scoska Cave and didn't see any mention of the skeleton.

 

[Andy C]

There is an unpublished report by Anthony Brown (Northern Boggarts), but unfortunately I do not have a copy of this, and neither does the British Caving Library.

Brown, A. (2013) Scoska Bone Hunt, 10 July 2013 Unpublished Report.

 

[BrightAire]

There is an unpublished report by Anthony Brown (Northern Boggarts), but unfortunately I do not have a copy of this, and neither does the British Caving Library.

Brown, A. (2013) Scoska Bone Hunt, 10 July 2013 Unpublished Report.

Thanks Andy. That's really kind.

 

[BrightAire]

Just had a quick look through the pages listed in the index of Caves and Karst Vol 1 for Scoska Cave and didn't see any mention of the skeleton.

That seems a bit of an omission. It seems a pretty significant find for the area.

 

[mikem]

Bristol university might have more info, as they've put together this:

Scoska Cave

caveburial.ubss.org.uk

Or the British Caver article listed here:

Scoska

Anyone been down recently? It may have potential!!

ukcaving.com

 

[mikem]

I suppose you'd better start at Leeds city museum, as the skull was in the collection of their Philosophical and Literary Society (PDF):

https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/25449/1/Steadman%2520Thesis%252014_06_2019.pdf

Grampian have another of the early reports:

Cave Archaeology | Grampian Speleological Group

www.gsg.org.uk

 

[cavingbiker]

I suppose you'd better start at Leeds city museum, as the skull was in the collection of their Philosophical and Literary Society (PDF):

https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/25449/1/Steadman%2520Thesis%252014_06_2019.pdf

Grampian have another of the early reports:

Cave Archaeology | Grampian Speleological Group

www.gsg.org.uk

The ethese.whiterose.ac.uk link gives a 404 page not found error.

 

[rm128]

The ethese.whiterose.ac.uk link gives a 404 page not found error.

Try this link and then you can click on the download link from there:

A History of the Scientific Collections of the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society's Museum in the Nineteenth Century: Acquiring, Interpreting & Presenting the Natural World in the English Industrial City - White Rose eTheses Online

etheses.whiterose.ac.uk

 

[mikem]

It's the %2520 additions from googling (25 not in original link)

 

[BrightAire]

The ethese.whiterose.ac.uk link gives a 404 page not found error.

Thanks so much for that.

That's information worth following up, I think.

 

[BrightAire]

Hmm. This text from Steadman's thesis looks bad for the Scoska skeleton's survival -

"...the loss of the majority of these
collections during the bombing in 1941. Both Philosophical Hall and the
collections suffered severe damage from the bombing raid on the town...".

 

[kay]

Tony sought a contribution to funding from CNCC for the dating, and produced a paper for the Committee Meeting which was supposed to be attached to the Minutes of the meeting of 11 Jan 2014 but seems not to be - perhaps the CNCC Sec could locate this.

In the September 2014 0110eetn Tony said the skeleton in the Leeds Museum was "current;y lost"

Ton..y al-so- sought a contribution from BCRA, so a search of their Minutes might be fruitful

Extra punctation courtesy of cat.She's adding it quicker than I can delete

 

[bog4053]

The carbon dating was 1255 AD +/- 31(SUERC-55425 I'm expecting an article in the next Caves and Karst Science - a long time coming I know, my apologies for that

 

[mikem]

The other articles suggest 1255 BP (before present)