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History => Ancient and Medieval History => Topic started by: Imperial Dave on October 04, 2024, 08:47:26 PM

Title: Sutton Hoo oak in short supply...?
Post by: Imperial Dave on October 04, 2024, 08:47:26 PM
https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/culture/2024/oct/04/appeal-british-oak-recreate-sutton-hoo-burial-ship?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17280711184017&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fculture%2F2024%2Foct%2F04%2Fappeal-british-oak-recreate-sutton-hoo-burial-ship

Good grief...
Title: Re: Sutton Hoo oak in short supply...?
Post by: Nick Harbud on October 05, 2024, 09:17:33 AM
Don't know what all the fuss is about.  As the article points out, there is plenty of oak available in Europe - the French felled quite a lot to rebuild the roof of Notre Dame.

If one reads accounts of the Olympias trireme construction, they had to make all sorts of timber substitution due to most Mediterranean woodlands having been felled a long time ago.  Therefore, using something other than English oak for this reconstruction is perfectly acceptable.  I mean, just how authentic do you want to get?  I bet they are using modern power tools rather than restricting themselves to what was available during Anglo-Saxon times.

 :P
Title: Re: Sutton Hoo oak in short supply...?
Post by: Ian61 on October 05, 2024, 10:07:31 AM
Plenty of oak around us and plenty of squirrels busy planting both acorns and, annoyingly, walnuts all over the place.
Is the problem perhaps more that there is a great reluctance to cut down any tree that is not dead?
Title: Re: Sutton Hoo oak in short supply...?
Post by: Nick Harbud on October 05, 2024, 12:05:14 PM
Any suitable trees undoubtedly have Tree Preservation Orders (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-preservation-orders-and-trees-in-conservation-areas) all over them, otherwise they would have already been cut down.  I mean, some 40 years ago, a mate of mine bought a house with a fully-grown walnut tree in the back garden sans TPO and shortly after moving in made £5,000, as well as improving the daylight in his lounge.

 :-\
Title: Re: Sutton Hoo oak in short supply...?
Post by: Imperial Dave on October 05, 2024, 12:08:45 PM
Nice little earner....
Title: Re: Sutton Hoo oak in short supply...?
Post by: Cantabrigian on October 07, 2024, 11:44:19 AM
Quote from: Nick Harbud on October 05, 2024, 09:17:33 AMIf one reads accounts of the Olympias trireme construction, they had to make all sorts of timber substitution due to most Mediterranean woodlands having been felled a long time ago. 
Foreigners using foreign wood isn't a big deal.  Us using foreign wood is.

They're all the same over there, you know...
Title: Re: Sutton Hoo oak in short supply...?
Post by: Nick Harbud on October 07, 2024, 12:02:46 PM
Let us not forget that the Athenian expedition to Syracuse in 415 BC was partly in order to secure supplies of timber.
Title: Re: Sutton Hoo oak in short supply...?
Post by: Imperial Dave on October 07, 2024, 12:47:55 PM
Wood you believe it...