[Sca-cooks] Sperm Whales

[Mark.S Harris]

Nanna said:
> > ps. Anyone know why they are called sperm whales?
>
> Because of the spermaceti organ inside their head. No one is really quite
> sure what this organ does, it is thought to be either a buoyancy control
> device or a navigation device (I think). Or both. Whatever it does, it is
> filled with spermaceti oil, which can be either liquid or solid and was much
> sought after to make cosmetics, candles and other stuff. It was mostly
> because of this oil that the sperm whales were hunted. Both sperm whales and
> killer whales are considered inedible. Except by other whales, of course.

Thanks for this explanation.

There is evidence of whales being hunted and eated in period. Do we
have any idea when the sperm whales were first hunted for this
spermaceti? Or perhaps in period these whales were considered edible
and were hunted for food as well as for this oil?

How were whales hunted in period? I guess going after them in a longship
type vessel isn't any more hair-raising than in a whaleboat, but not
something I would willingly do. (actually, for more reasons than the
just the hazard). Perhaps the whales were more common, and came in
closer
to shore such that you didn't need a large ship to act as a home base.

Stefan li Rous
stefan at texas.net