Differential deposition of bird body parts in domestic Viking Age middens in Iceland

Zooarcheological analysis shows that there is an overabundance of seabird wings recovered from Viking Age archeological sites in Iceland, especially when the rest of the body is considered. Cultural choices seem to be driving this differential. By comparing two species of alcids to ptarmigan, primarily recovered from domestic middens, the overabundance of specific bones suggests differences in bird butchery and use strategies. The data come from nine sites: one from Þjórsárdalur, five from Skagafjörður, and three from Mývatnssveit. Alcid wings, particularly proximal bones, are disproportionately recovered, while ptarmigan are generally represented by more legs than expected. By several metrics, the statistical significance of these patterns is dramatic and leads to the conclusion that alcid wings are discarded more frequently than other body parts. The simplest explanation for this pattern is that it is a result of the availability of each of the birds, which ultimately affects the way they are processed.