Welsh island rabbits are archaeologists

[Duncan Head]

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/mar/25/welsh-rabbits-serve-up-prehistoric-finds-on-tiny-skokholm-island

[Imperial Dave]

 

[Justin Swanton]

Definitely a hare-raising profession...

[Imperial Dave]

how did you dig that one up

[RichT]

Rabbits are excellent archaeologists.* I always check over burrows in the banks of hillforts etc, just in case.

* though of course they are careless about stratigraphy, and their publishing record is lamentable.

[Justin Swanton]

how did you dig that one up

Oh, you just listen to archaeologists rabbit on about their subject.

[Jim Webster]

Rabbits are excellent archaeologists.* I always check over burrows in the banks of hillforts etc, just in case.

* though of course they are careless about stratigraphy, and their publishing record is lamentable.

To be fair, a lot of professional archaeologists aren't a lot better when it comes to publishing! 

[Erpingham]

Rabbits are excellent archaeologists.* I always check over burrows in the banks of hillforts etc, just in case.

* though of course they are careless about stratigraphy, and their publishing record is lamentable.

I was taught at uni to check by rabbit burrows and in mole hills for signs of underlying material .  Number of hills and burrows checked so far over the decades - hundreds.  Number of finds - zero. 

[Imperial Dave]

I bet they were hopping mad.....

[Justin Swanton]

I bet they were hopping mad.....

Nah. They warren too concerned.

[Imperial Dave]

I wouldnt buck the trend

[Justin Swanton]

I wouldnt buck the trend

Trend? With them it's all hare today gone tomorrow.

[Imperial Dave]

I bet that gave them kittens

[Justin Swanton]

It did make them jumpy.

[Imperial Dave]

It did make them jumpy.

doe n't say that!