The distribution of seabird wings recovered from Viking Age domestic midden deposits in Skagafjörður, North Iceland

Grace M. Cesario; John M. Steinberg

doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103497

The distribution of seabird wings recovered from Viking Age domestic midden deposits in Skagafjörður, North Iceland

Grace M. Cesario
, John M. Steinberg

University of Iceland

University of Iceland

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Bird bones from domestic midden deposits on Hegranes, North Iceland, dating from AD 870-1104, are mostly puffin (Fratercula arctica) and guillemot (Uria aalge)—diving seabirds in the Alcidae family. We find that Alcidae wings are significantly overrepresented compared to legs, and that in particular, proximal wing bones are systematically more common than if whole birds were deposited in the middens. Trends in the wing-leg index and distal wing index suggest that while bird bones are commonly recovered from these domestic middens and generally make up about a quarter of the faunal assemblages, there is evidence for specific species selection between puffin and guillemot. The disproportionate number of wings in the Viking Age middens points to some kind of deposition strategy that favors wings over other body parts. Birds seem to be much more common in Viking Age archaeofaunal assemblages from Hegranes than those from other parts of Iceland. All of this suggests that more specialized butchery and disposal practice is derived from specific cultural practices.

Original language	English
Article number	103497
Journal	Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
Volume	44
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103497
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information: Funding for fieldwork and analysis comes from the National Science Foundation [grant nos. DGE 1037525, PLR 1417772, 1523025]; Fulbright, the American Scandinavian Foundation, and the Leifur Eiríksson Foundation supported Cesario's research and analysis on the bones as well as fieldwork. Thanks to Þorvaldur Björnsson at Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands and Albína Pálsdóttir at Landbúnaðarháskóli Íslands for access to the comparative collections. We wish to thank the owners of the case study sites for their permission and encouragement: Heiðbjört Pálsdóttir and Mikael Brennan (Utanverðunes); Magnus and Yvonne Liljeroos, Andrés Magnússon, Ragnar Ólafsson, and Ólafur Jonsson (Kotið on Helluland); María Eymundsdóttir and Pálmi Jónsson (Grænagerði on Hulduland); Jón Gunnar Magnússon, Guðríður Valtýsdóttir, Einar Valur Valgarðsson, Elísa Björk Einarsdóttir, and Bjarney Anna Björnsdóttir (Næfurstaðir on Ás 1 and 2); and Margrét Ólafsdóttir, Sigrún Ólafsdottir, and Sæunn Jónsdóttir (Vatnskot on Svanavatn). We also extend our thanks to Kristine Bovy (whose work inspired this paper), Kathryn Catlin, and Orri Vésteinsson for reading early drafts of this article and giving helpful feedback. We would also like to thank our anonymous reviewer for their insightful comments that added significantly to the clarity of the paper. Funding Information: Funding for fieldwork and analysis comes from the National Science Foundation [grant nos. DGE 1037525 , PLR 1417772 , 1523025 ]; Fulbright, the American Scandinavian Foundation, and the Leifur Eiríksson Foundation supported Cesario’s research and analysis on the bones as well as fieldwork. Thanks to Þorvaldur Björnsson at Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands and Albína Pálsdóttir at Landbúnaðarháskóli Íslands for access to the comparative collections. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Other keywords

Archaeological survey
Avifauna
Farmsteads
Marine resource exploitation
Skeletal part representation

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103497

Cite this

@article{aebcf17cbff64c7da357c2978036107d,

title = "The distribution of seabird wings recovered from Viking Age domestic midden deposits in Skagafj{\"o}r{\dh}ur, North Iceland",

abstract = "Bird bones from domestic midden deposits on Hegranes, North Iceland, dating from AD 870-1104, are mostly puffin (Fratercula arctica) and guillemot (Uria aalge)—diving seabirds in the Alcidae family. We find that Alcidae wings are significantly overrepresented compared to legs, and that in particular, proximal wing bones are systematically more common than if whole birds were deposited in the middens. Trends in the wing-leg index and distal wing index suggest that while bird bones are commonly recovered from these domestic middens and generally make up about a quarter of the faunal assemblages, there is evidence for specific species selection between puffin and guillemot. The disproportionate number of wings in the Viking Age middens points to some kind of deposition strategy that favors wings over other body parts. Birds seem to be much more common in Viking Age archaeofaunal assemblages from Hegranes than those from other parts of Iceland. All of this suggests that more specialized butchery and disposal practice is derived from specific cultural practices.",

keywords = "Archaeological survey, Avifauna, Farmsteads, Marine resource exploitation, Skeletal part representation",

author = "Cesario, \{Grace M.\} and Steinberg, \{John M.\}",

note = "Funding Information: Funding for fieldwork and analysis comes from the National Science Foundation [grant nos. DGE 1037525, PLR 1417772, 1523025]; Fulbright, the American Scandinavian Foundation, and the Leifur Eir{\'i}ksson Foundation supported Cesario's research and analysis on the bones as well as fieldwork. Thanks to {\TH}orvaldur Bj{\"o}rnsson at N{\'a}tt{\'u}rufr{\ae}{\dh}istofnun {\'I}slands and Alb{\'i}na P{\'a}lsd{\'o}ttir at Landb{\'u}na{\dh}arh{\'a}sk{\'o}li {\'I}slands for access to the comparative collections. We wish to thank the owners of the case study sites for their permission and encouragement: Hei{\dh}bj{\"o}rt P{\'a}lsd{\'o}ttir and Mikael Brennan (Utanver{\dh}unes); Magnus and Yvonne Liljeroos, Andr{\'e}s Magn{\'u}sson, Ragnar {\'O}lafsson, and {\'O}lafur Jonsson (Koti{\dh} on Helluland); Mar{\'i}a Eymundsd{\'o}ttir and P{\'a}lmi J{\'o}nsson (Gr{\ae}nager{\dh}i on Hulduland); J{\'o}n Gunnar Magn{\'u}sson, Gu{\dh}r{\'i}{\dh}ur Valt{\'y}sd{\'o}ttir, Einar Valur Valgar{\dh}sson, El{\'i}sa Bj{\"o}rk Einarsd{\'o}ttir, and Bjarney Anna Bj{\"o}rnsd{\'o}ttir (N{\ae}fursta{\dh}ir on {\'A}s 1 and 2); and Margr{\'e}t {\'O}lafsd{\'o}ttir, Sigr{\'u}n {\'O}lafsdottir, and S{\ae}unn J{\'o}nsd{\'o}ttir (Vatnskot on Svanavatn). We also extend our thanks to Kristine Bovy (whose work inspired this paper), Kathryn Catlin, and Orri V{\'e}steinsson for reading early drafts of this article and giving helpful feedback. We would also like to thank our anonymous reviewer for their insightful comments that added significantly to the clarity of the paper. Funding Information: Funding for fieldwork and analysis comes from the National Science Foundation [grant nos. DGE 1037525 , PLR 1417772 , 1523025 ]; Fulbright, the American Scandinavian Foundation, and the Leifur Eir{\'i}ksson Foundation supported Cesario{\textquoteright}s research and analysis on the bones as well as fieldwork. Thanks to {\TH}orvaldur Bj{\"o}rnsson at N{\'a}tt{\'u}rufr{\ae}{\dh}istofnun {\'I}slands and Alb{\'i}na P{\'a}lsd{\'o}ttir at Landb{\'u}na{\dh}arh{\'a}sk{\'o}li {\'I}slands for access to the comparative collections. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Elsevier Ltd",

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doi = "10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103497",

language = "English",

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T1 - The distribution of seabird wings recovered from Viking Age domestic midden deposits in Skagafjörður, North Iceland

AU - Cesario, Grace M.

AU - Steinberg, John M.

N1 - Funding Information: Funding for fieldwork and analysis comes from the National Science Foundation [grant nos. DGE 1037525, PLR 1417772, 1523025]; Fulbright, the American Scandinavian Foundation, and the Leifur Eiríksson Foundation supported Cesario's research and analysis on the bones as well as fieldwork. Thanks to Þorvaldur Björnsson at Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands and Albína Pálsdóttir at Landbúnaðarháskóli Íslands for access to the comparative collections. We wish to thank the owners of the case study sites for their permission and encouragement: Heiðbjört Pálsdóttir and Mikael Brennan (Utanverðunes); Magnus and Yvonne Liljeroos, Andrés Magnússon, Ragnar Ólafsson, and Ólafur Jonsson (Kotið on Helluland); María Eymundsdóttir and Pálmi Jónsson (Grænagerði on Hulduland); Jón Gunnar Magnússon, Guðríður Valtýsdóttir, Einar Valur Valgarðsson, Elísa Björk Einarsdóttir, and Bjarney Anna Björnsdóttir (Næfurstaðir on Ás 1 and 2); and Margrét Ólafsdóttir, Sigrún Ólafsdottir, and Sæunn Jónsdóttir (Vatnskot on Svanavatn). We also extend our thanks to Kristine Bovy (whose work inspired this paper), Kathryn Catlin, and Orri Vésteinsson for reading early drafts of this article and giving helpful feedback. We would also like to thank our anonymous reviewer for their insightful comments that added significantly to the clarity of the paper. Funding Information: Funding for fieldwork and analysis comes from the National Science Foundation [grant nos. DGE 1037525 , PLR 1417772 , 1523025 ]; Fulbright, the American Scandinavian Foundation, and the Leifur Eiríksson Foundation supported Cesario’s research and analysis on the bones as well as fieldwork. Thanks to Þorvaldur Björnsson at Náttúrufræðistofnun Íslands and Albína Pálsdóttir at Landbúnaðarháskóli Íslands for access to the comparative collections. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

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N2 - Bird bones from domestic midden deposits on Hegranes, North Iceland, dating from AD 870-1104, are mostly puffin (Fratercula arctica) and guillemot (Uria aalge)—diving seabirds in the Alcidae family. We find that Alcidae wings are significantly overrepresented compared to legs, and that in particular, proximal wing bones are systematically more common than if whole birds were deposited in the middens. Trends in the wing-leg index and distal wing index suggest that while bird bones are commonly recovered from these domestic middens and generally make up about a quarter of the faunal assemblages, there is evidence for specific species selection between puffin and guillemot. The disproportionate number of wings in the Viking Age middens points to some kind of deposition strategy that favors wings over other body parts. Birds seem to be much more common in Viking Age archaeofaunal assemblages from Hegranes than those from other parts of Iceland. All of this suggests that more specialized butchery and disposal practice is derived from specific cultural practices.

AB - Bird bones from domestic midden deposits on Hegranes, North Iceland, dating from AD 870-1104, are mostly puffin (Fratercula arctica) and guillemot (Uria aalge)—diving seabirds in the Alcidae family. We find that Alcidae wings are significantly overrepresented compared to legs, and that in particular, proximal wing bones are systematically more common than if whole birds were deposited in the middens. Trends in the wing-leg index and distal wing index suggest that while bird bones are commonly recovered from these domestic middens and generally make up about a quarter of the faunal assemblages, there is evidence for specific species selection between puffin and guillemot. The disproportionate number of wings in the Viking Age middens points to some kind of deposition strategy that favors wings over other body parts. Birds seem to be much more common in Viking Age archaeofaunal assemblages from Hegranes than those from other parts of Iceland. All of this suggests that more specialized butchery and disposal practice is derived from specific cultural practices.

KW - Archaeological survey

KW - Avifauna

KW - Farmsteads

KW - Marine resource exploitation

KW - Skeletal part representation

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U2 - 10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103497

DO - 10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103497

M3 - Article

SN - 2352-409X

VL - 44

JO - Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

JF - Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

M1 - 103497

ER -

The distribution of seabird wings recovered from Viking Age domestic midden deposits in Skagafjörður, North Iceland

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Other keywords

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Cite this