Bear baiting, a practice where bears were forced to fight against dogs or other animals for entertainment, became more common in England after the Norman invasion in the 11th century, according to new research from Cardiff University and the University of Nottingham. The study combines archaeological evidence from bear bones and historical records to show that bears were present in England and northern France during the medieval period. Published in the journal Society & Animals, the research reveals that bear baiting was an established activity in England by the 12th century—more than 400 years before it became famously associated with Queen Elizabeth I. An image of a bear-baiting scene is even found in the lower margin of the Bayeux Tapestry, a famous medieval tapestry depicting the Norman conquest of England. Although wild bears were once native to Great Britain, they became extinct by the Roman period. Researchers believe that brown bears were imported into England from Europe, with remains found as far south as Colchester and as far north as Carlisle. Dr. Liam Lewis of Cardiff University's School of Global Humanities noted that the absence of bear remains from live animals in England before the Norman Conquest, followed by their sudden appearance in London and North Yorkshire afterward, suggests that live bears were being brought into the country more frequently after 1066. Bear bones from the medieval period have been identified at 10 sites across England and France. A newly dated shoulder blade from Richmond, England, confirms that bears were present in northern England immediately after the Norman Conquest. The study also examined historical documents like the Domesday Book, medieval manuscripts, and other records to piece together the role of bears in medieval society. Professor Hannah O'Regan of the University of Nottingham said that bear baiting was an important social and economic activity in early modern England, and this research shows that its roots go much further back than previously thought. The study authors collaborated with The Yorkshire Museum to analyze a scapula (shoulder blade) found in Richmond in 1864. The bone was radiocarbon dated by Dr. Thibaut Devièse at the University of Oxford, confirming it is from the medieval period. Dr. Lewis emphasized the importance of preserving and re-examining historical collections, as they can still reveal valuable information. Additionally, Richmond is mentioned in one of the earliest known references to a named medieval "bearward"—a person responsible for keeping bears—called Spenellus, who lived there in the early 1200s.