Archaeologists uncover patterns of bear baiting in early modern England

[Still Waters]

Animal baiting—a blood-sport which involved the pitting of dogs against other animals such as bulls and bears for public entertainment—was an incredibly popular and culturally important form of entertainment in Shakespearian times. In London, baiting took place from c.1540 to 1682 in formalized arenas on Bankside in Southwark, which was a key early modern entertainment hub.

The research, published in the journal Antiquity, forms part of the Box Office Bears: Animal Baiting in Early Modern England project exploring the widespread, surprising, and sometimes alarming recreational interactions between humans and animals in early modern England.

https://phys.org/news/2025-02-archaeologists-uncover-patterns-baiting-early.html