Broad Garth, sheep fleeces

Evidence of caulking (stopping up the seam of ships) was identified in 13 samples of cattle hair and 10 samples of sheep's wool, which resembled modern Shetland fleece, a common type in the middle ages. Three samples were black or brown fleece which would have had a lower value as a raw material for the textile trade. The changeover from wool to hair in English caulking occurred between C13 and C15. Large quantities of similar caulking material, C13-C14 in date, was recovered from excavations at Byker Chare in 1986.