It’s the first time when experts have been able to scientifically prove that there were rabbits in the UK in Roman times hopping around. It was according to the tests on a rabbit bone, discovered at Fishbourne Roman Palace in West Sussex have proved that animal was alive in 1AD. Actually, it was a tibia bone of about 1.6in, i.e. 4sm piece which was found in 1964 and kept in a box until 2017. It was the time when zoo archaeologist realized that it came from a rabbit.
What Does Researchers Say?
As per the researchers, it is considered that rabbits may have been saved as an exclusive pet at that time. Also, radiocarbon counting was also carried out with evaluation on the universities of Exeter, Oxford as well as Leicester.
As per the wordings of Prof Naomi Sykes, there were many past claims also regarding the evidence of Roman rabbits and also from the Bronze Age too, but they could not be supported up by proof. She added that ‘the bone fragment was so small and it was ignored for several years. When the trendy and new analysis strategies implied on it, we found about the date as well as genetic background precisely.
This can be an incredible and exciting discovery. Also, the rabbit is already revealing new insights into the historical past of Easter traditions too.’
Rabbits and Easter
Till date, it is not very much clear regarding the link amid rabbits and Easter. It is said that Rabbits give birth to a big litter of babies also called as kittens, and that is the reason they became a symbol of life.
The primary historical mention of the Easter bunny is actually an Easter hare found in 1682 in a German text. Several consider that the link is because of the Christian Religious Belief as well as Paganism. It was at that time when Emperor Constantine fused Pagan rituals through Christian festivals.
