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Beaver Hair found at Skipsea Withow Mere SSSI

A short note by  Mike Horne

Towards the top of the peat deposit at Skipsea Withow Mere SSSI there were a number of finds of dark beaver hair in 2017-2019.

One sample * has been carbon dated as being about 4000 years old [3512 +/- 43 and 4529 +/- 32 carbon 14 years BP by Queen's University Belfast].

A sample has been donated to the Geology Collection at the University of Hull by Malcolm Lillie**. It has been allocated the catalogue number UoH2022-01 and is being stored with the Lewis Penny Collection.

ancient beaver hair 

Notes added 2024 -

I collected a small sample in July 2019

* Rodger Connell informs me that two samples of hair were collected in October 2017. They were 1.12m and 1.62m from the top if the exposure. Rachel Peacock obtained a grant from the Quaternary Research Association to pay for the Carbon 14 dating.

** Richard Middleton informs me that this sample was found by Sheila Cadman in 2017.

(c) Mike Horne & Hull Geological Society 2022 and 2024

Copyright Hull Geological Society.