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A Comparison of the Medieval White Castle Flute with the Chalcolithic Example of Veyreau

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2014

Paula M. T. Scothern*
Affiliation:
Lucy Cavendish College, Lady Margaret Road, Cambridge CB3 0BU

Extract

The clearance of White Castle, Gwent, in the late 1920s led to the discovery of an end-blown flute or flageolet in the moat (Megaw 1961). This was a metatarsal of red deer, pierced by five regularly spaced finger-holes, two rear thumb-holes, a sound and suspension-hole (pl. 35 a, b). Its association with medieval pottery suggested a 13th-century date which was supported by its scratch and dot engraving reminiscent of medieval examples from Bornholm and Wartburg (fig. 2). Megaw considered it to be one in a long tradition of block and duct flutes dating as far back as Avebury (1500 BC) and Malham Tarn (Iron Age).

Type
Other
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 1989

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References

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Fages, G. and Mourer-Chauviré, C. 1983. La flute en os d'oiseau de la grotte sépulcrale de Veyreau (Aveyron) et inventaire des flutes préhistoriques d'Europe. Mémoires de la Société Préhistorique Française 16, 95103.Google Scholar
Gailli, R. 1978. L'Aventure de l'Os dans la Préhistoire. Editions France-Empire.Google Scholar
Megaw, J. V. S. 1961. An end-blown flute or flageolet from White Castle, Monmouthshire. Medieval Archaeology 5, 176–80.Google Scholar