Rædwald
Dear Editor,
In his article on the performance camp-cruiser RÆDWALD (WB No. 311), Nic Compton did not mention the derivation of the boat’s name. Rædwald was king of East Anglia—today’s Norfolk and Suffolk in the east of England. It is thought that the Sutton Hoo ship burial may have been for King Rædwald, although after the excavation some theorized he was lost at sea and the ship burial was a memorial, or cenotaph—an empty-tomb monument.
Paul Tambini
Hastings, England
A further detail: The British Museum’s web site states that the empty-tomb theory was disproved by modern chemical analysis, which suggests that there was a human body laid to rest in the Sutton Hoo burial—although the body’s identity remains a mystery.
—Tom Jackson, Senior Editor
Life-Jacket Omission
I just caught up with Jan Adkins’ latest article, the one about life jackets (Skills 101, WB No. 311) and see a glaring omission. All children’s PFDs should have a crotch strap. Children have a dangerous habit of coming out of PFDs, especially when in the water. An injured or unconscious child is already at risk, even without the added hazard of losing flotation. As children grow quickly, shopping for a new jacket with the kid should be an annual event; they are more likely to cooperate if they participate in its selection.
Eric P. Russell
Via email
Six Seven
The letter on naval stores from Joseph Herbert in WB No. 309 quotes “Anatomy of a Tar Kiln,” North Carolina Archaeology (2018) as Volume 76. In fact, it’s Volume 67. Just FYI; it was an interesting article!
Jeffrey R. Pike
Via email