In order to study the limitations and possibilities of age estimation based on tooth wear of skel... more In order to study the limitations and possibilities of age estimation based on tooth wear of skeletal remains from wild boar, 315 mandibles from five different populations of wild boar from Poland, Germany and Sweden were analysed. Asymmetric tooth wear between the right and left mandibles was found to be rare and no systematic difference in tooth wear between males and females (less than 36 months) could be proven. The rate of tooth wear seems to vary between different populations of wild boar. The largest difference was found between wild boar kept in enclosures and four populations of free-ranging animals that showed relatively small difference in tooth wear of individuals younger than 36 months. The analysis reveals a strong correlation between age and mandible wear stages (MWS)/tooth wear stages (TWS) and indicates that tooth wear can be useful in age estimation of mandibles or loose teeth of wild boar. However, the individual variation of tooth wear is relatively large and increases with age, which implies that long lasting TWS and MWS can only be restricted to broad age groups. (Less)
Bones, behaviour and belief. The zooarchaeological evidence as a source for ritual practice in ancient Greece and beyond
In this paper an approach to studying ritual bone depositions by reconstructing the taphonomic hi... more In this paper an approach to studying ritual bone depositions by reconstructing the taphonomic history of the zooarchaeological remains is presented. By methodically examining the taphonomic evidence from the chain of events, from the selection of animals to the killing, from the processing and utilization of the carcass to the deposition of the bones, different stages of a ritual, such as animal sacrifice, can be studied and understood. A bone assemblage from a Viking Age cult place at Frösö church in Jämtland in central Sweden (late 10th–early 11th century AD) will serve as an example of the approach. The analysis shows that brown bear and piglets were specifically selected to be used in the rituals, while horses were not important sacrificial animals in the cult, as has otherwise been indicated by written sources. Seasonal analysis indicates that sacrifices took place at three periods of the year. Butchering marks reveal the intense utilization of the carcasses and that meat was ...
A unique assemblage consisting of 113 pine samples collected from a submerged Mesolithic landscap... more A unique assemblage consisting of 113 pine samples collected from a submerged Mesolithic landscape in the Haväng area, southern Sweden, was examined to assess the presence of large herbivores, as well as changes in wild-game population density and composition. Bark-stripping damages on prehistoric trees is an extremely underutilized source of information about past game-population dynamics, yet our analyzes of wood samples – dated to around 10 500 cal. yr. BP – shows that such material can be successfully used to study the presence and activities of large herbivores, most likely ungulates. To evaluate our results, comparisons have been made with subfossil peatland trees that grew around 6000 years ago, as well as trees from two present day clearcut logging sites in southern Sweden. Furthermore, studies in a wild-game reserve were performed to recognize and understand different types of damages on trees caused by ungulates. Bark-stripping indicate the presence of ungulates, and the r...
In 2006 a palisade enclosure dated to the late Middle Neolithic was excavated at Bunkeflostrand, ... more In 2006 a palisade enclosure dated to the late Middle Neolithic was excavated at Bunkeflostrand, Malmö, Sweden. The excavation of pits and wells containing flints, animal bones and pottery revealed a wide range of activities at the site, which is exceptional in comparison with most other palisade enclosures of southern Scandinavia. Palisade enclosures have emerged as places of great significance to our understanding of cultural relations traditionally associated with the transition from the Funnel Beaker culture to the Battle Axe culture. The results of the excavation at Bunkeflostrand and other palisade enclosures in the region can be used to understand social relations and cultural change in the Middle Neolithic in southern Scandinavia.
1 Archeologijos ir senovės istorijos katedra, Lundo universitetas,Lurdas, Švedija tel. +46(0) 46 ... more 1 Archeologijos ir senovės istorijos katedra, Lundo universitetas,Lurdas, Švedija tel. +46(0) 46 222 4466; el. paštas: [email protected] 2 Sussexo institutas, Sussexo universitetas, Brightonas, Anglija, tel. +44(0) 1273 87 29 56; El. paštas: [email protected] Santrauka. Linijinė emalio hipoplazija (LEH)-tai skersines linijos arba ruožai ant dantų emalio, susiformavę veikiant stresui danties vainiko formavimosi laikotarpiu. LEH yra naudinga tiriant ankstyvųjų amžių kiaulių populiacijų sveikatos būklę. LEH chronologija ir amžius parodo, ar gyvūnai buvo veikiami streso. Šernų dantų formavimasis buvo analizuojamas rentgenu ištyrus 55 žinomo amžiaus apatinius žandikaulius. Reikšmingos šernų dantų formavimosi diagramos sudarytos nustatant priešistorinių ir viduramžių kiaulių LEH chronologiją. Dantų vystymosi reikšmė interpretuojant LEH chronologiją taip pat aptariama. Raktažodžiai: linijinė emalio hipoplazija, dantų vystymasis, kiaulė, šernas, amžiaus nustatymas.
The hunting of wild boar during the Mesolithic was studied by analysis of age and sex distributio... more The hunting of wild boar during the Mesolithic was studied by analysis of age and sex distributions in faunal remains from four settlement situated in Scania, Southern Sweden. The results show that the harvest of wild boar varied between different settlements, Piglets dominate the age distribution in the faunal remains of teh sites of Ringsjoholm and Tagerup, which indicate a hunting of wild boar reflecting the age composition of living populations. In the faunal remains from the sites of Agerod I:HC and Bredasten the age distributin are different, with mainly individuals older than 36 months, which is interpreted as the result of a selective prey choice by the hunters. The sex ratio based on osteometry indicates that females made up two thirds of the harvest of adult wild boar. The hunting seems not to have been directed towards promoting a sustainable harvest, but rather to maximise the yield of the hunt. (Less)
This thesis deals with the hunting of wild boar during the Mesolithic in South Scandinavia and th... more This thesis deals with the hunting of wild boar during the Mesolithic in South Scandinavia and the relationship between humans and wild game. The study is based on an analysis of osteological remains from sites in Scania, Sweden, dating from the Late Maglemose Culture to the Early Ertebolle Culture. Tooth development and tooth wear in recent populations from Poland, Germany and Sweden have been studied in order to evaluate and improve the methodology for ageing remains of wild boar. The taphonomic history of bone assemblages has been studied by analysis of the relationship between skeletal part frequencies and bone density and of utility index, bone fragmentation, cut marks, marrow fracturing, carnivore gnawing and spatial distribution. Osteometric analysis shows that the body size of wild boar during the Atlantic does not decrease, as has been shown for red deer and roe deer. The large body size indicates favourable environmental conditions for wild boar during the Atlantic in Sout...
Ancient organic remains are essential for the reconstruction of past human lifeways and environme... more Ancient organic remains are essential for the reconstruction of past human lifeways and environments but are only preserved under particular conditions. Recent findings indicate that such conditions are becoming rarer and that archaeological sites with previously good preservation, are deteriorating. To investigate this, we returned to the well-known Swedish Mesolithic site Agerö d I. Here we present the result of the re-excavation and the osteological analyses of the bone remains from the 1940s, 1970s and 2019 excavation campaigns of the site, to document and quantify changes in bone preservation and relate them to variations in soil conditions and on-site topography. The results indicate that the bone material has suffered from accelerated deterioration during the last 75 years. This has led to heavily degraded remains in some areas and complete destruction in others. We conclude that while Agerö d can still be considered an important site, it has lost much of the properties that made it unique. If no actions are taken to secure its future preservation, the site will soon lose the organic remains that before modern encroachment and climate change had been preserved for 9000 years. Finally, because Agerö d has not been subjected to more or heavier encroachment than most other archaeological sites, our results also raise questions of the state of organic preservation in other areas and call for a broad examination of our most vulnerable hidden archaeological remains.
Despite a growing body of evidence concerning accelerated organic degradation at archaeological s... more Despite a growing body of evidence concerning accelerated organic degradation at archaeological sites, there have been few follow-up investigations to examine the status of the remaining archaeological materials in the ground. To address the question of archaeoorganic preservation, we revisited the Swedish, Mesolithic key-site Agerö d and could show that the bone material had been subjected to an accelerated deterioration during the last 75 years, which had destroyed the bones in the areas where they had previously been best preserved. To understand why this has happened and to quantify and qualify the extent of the organic degradation, we here analyse the soil chemistry, bone histology, collagen preservation and palaeobotany at the site. Our results show that the soil at Agerö d is losing, or has already lost, its preservative and buffering qualities, and that pH-values in the still wet areas of the site have dropped to levels where no bone preservation is possible. Our results suggest that this acidification process is enhanced by the release of sulphuric acid as pyrite in the bones oxidizes. While we are still able to find well-preserved palaeobotanical remains, they are also starting to corrode through reintroduced oxygen into the archaeological layers. While some areas of the site have been more protected through redeposited soil on top of the archaeological layers, all areas of Agerö d are rapidly deteriorating. Lastly, while it is still possible to perform molecular analyses on the best-preserved bones from the most protected areas, this opportunity will likely be lost within a few decades. In conclusion, we find that if we, as a society, wish to keep this valuable climatic, environmental and cultural archive, both at Agerö d and elsewhere, the time to act is now and if we wait we will soon be in a situation where this record will be irretrievably lost forever.
Osteologisk analys av benmaterialet från område 12 förundersökning inför utbyggnad av E22 sträcka... more Osteologisk analys av benmaterialet från område 12 förundersökning inför utbyggnad av E22 sträckan Sölve-Stensnäs. Reports in osteology 2010:7
Age estimation based on the dentition of animal remains is one of the most important methods used... more Age estimation based on the dentition of animal remains is one of the most important methods used for analysis of the demography of past as well as contemporary animal populations by zooarchaeologists and wild game biologists (Wagenknecht 1967; Silver 1969; Morris 1972; Wilson et al. 1982). By constructing age profiles from faunal remains it is possible to study hunting of wild boar and pig husbandry in past societies (Higham 1967a; Rolett & Chiu 1994; Vigne et al. 2000a; Magnell 2005a). Age estimation can also be used for assessing seasonal occupation of settlements and slaughtering of pigs (Legge & Rowley-Conwy 1988; Rowley-Conwy 1993, 1998; Ervynck 1997). Several contributions to this volume provide good examples of how different aspects of the past relationship between humans and pigs can be understood from estimations of age. Age estimations based on tooth development have several advantages over ageing methods based on tooth eruption and wear. Experiments with undernourished p...
Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) is transverse lines or bands on the enamel of teeth caused by deve... more Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) is transverse lines or bands on the enamel of teeth caused by developmental stress during the formation of the tooth crown. LEH has shown to be useful as a stress marker in studies of health conditions in past populations of pigs. The chronology of LEH and the age at which animals of past populations where afflicted by metabolic stress can be determined based on tooth formation. Tooth development in wild boar has been determined based on radiographs of 55 mandibles with known age of death. A user-friendly diagram of tooth development in wild boar has been made for determination of the chronology of LEH in archaeological pigs. The implications of the presented tooth development for the interpretation of chronology of LEH are also discussed. 1 Archeologijos ir senovės istorijos katedra, Lundo universitetas,Lurdas, Švedija tel. +46(0) 46 222 4466; el. paštas: [email protected] 2 Sussexo institutas, Sussexo universitetas, Brightonas, Anglija, tel. +44(...
Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) is transverse lines or bands on the enamel of teeth caused by deve... more Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) is transverse lines or bands on the enamel of teeth caused by developmental stress during the formation of the tooth crown. LEH has shown to be useful as a stress marker in studies of health conditions in past populations of pigs. The chronology of LEH and the age at which animals of past populations where afflicted by metabolic stress can be determined based on tooth formation. Tooth development in wild boar has been determined based on radiographs of 55 mandibles with known age of death. A user-friendly diagram of tooth development in wild boar has been made for determination of the chronology of LEH in archaeological pigs. The implications of the presented tooth development for the interpretation of chronology of LEH are also discussed. (Less)
The paper discusses the generally limited of use of animal bones in Swedish medieval archaeology ... more The paper discusses the generally limited of use of animal bones in Swedish medieval archaeology and the potential of osteological remains as a source of information about social, ideological and economic conditions in the past. Results from analysis of animal bones from the quarter Blekhagen in Lund are used as examples of how osteological remains can be used to identify social and economic conditions. The animal remains indicate a specialization in working with pelts of cats and lambs, based on frequency of species along with age and sex structures. A shift in the composition of the animal remains towards more ordinary food refuse coincides with historical sources of clergymen that moving to the site.
Animal bones from the town and castle of Solvesborg dating to the 13th-15th century have been ana... more Animal bones from the town and castle of Solvesborg dating to the 13th-15th century have been analysed. The study indicates social differences in food and in animal husbandry between a household in quarter Uttern and the castle. Wild game is unusual frequent represented in the bone sample from the castle. The kill-off pattern of cattle from the town, with most juvenile animals, is typical of a self-sufficient unit, while the slaughter of mainly adult animals at the castle is similar to medieval towns supplied with older milk cows and draught animals from the countryside. The animal bones indicates that Solvesborg castle functioned as an urban center, while the town was more similar to a rural settlement, at least when it comes to subsistence and animal husbandry.
Late glacial skeletal remains from mainly reindeer and wild horse, but also other species such as... more Late glacial skeletal remains from mainly reindeer and wild horse, but also other species such as mountain hare, arctic fox and elk have been collected from kettle holes in Hassleberga, Scania. Bones from reindeer and wild horse have been radiocarbon dated to Allerod and Younger Dryas. Analysis of bone modifications has revealed several different actors and factors behind the accumulation of the skeletal remains. Marks caused by gnawing and chewing by rodents, ungulates and carnivores have been observed on skeletal remains from reindeer and wild horse. The frequent occurrence of carnivore tooth marks probably both represents predation by carnivores as well as scavenging of bone refuse. Modifications interpreted to be cut marks and marrow fracturing caused by humans have been observed on bones from reindeer and wild horse. Man-made modifications on radiocarbon dated reindeer bones indicate the presence of humans in Hassleberga during Allerod and Younger Dryas. (Less)
In order to study the limitations and possibilities of age estimation based on tooth wear of skel... more In order to study the limitations and possibilities of age estimation based on tooth wear of skeletal remains from wild boar, 315 mandibles from five different populations of wild boar from Poland, Germany and Sweden were analysed. Asymmetric tooth wear between the right and left mandibles was found to be rare and no systematic difference in tooth wear between males and females (less than 36 months) could be proven. The rate of tooth wear seems to vary between different populations of wild boar. The largest difference was found between wild boar kept in enclosures and four populations of free-ranging animals that showed relatively small difference in tooth wear of individuals younger than 36 months. The analysis reveals a strong correlation between age and mandible wear stages (MWS)/tooth wear stages (TWS) and indicates that tooth wear can be useful in age estimation of mandibles or loose teeth of wild boar. However, the individual variation of tooth wear is relatively large and increases with age, which implies that long lasting TWS and MWS can only be restricted to broad age groups. (Less)
Bones, behaviour and belief. The zooarchaeological evidence as a source for ritual practice in ancient Greece and beyond
In this paper an approach to studying ritual bone depositions by reconstructing the taphonomic hi... more In this paper an approach to studying ritual bone depositions by reconstructing the taphonomic history of the zooarchaeological remains is presented. By methodically examining the taphonomic evidence from the chain of events, from the selection of animals to the killing, from the processing and utilization of the carcass to the deposition of the bones, different stages of a ritual, such as animal sacrifice, can be studied and understood. A bone assemblage from a Viking Age cult place at Frösö church in Jämtland in central Sweden (late 10th–early 11th century AD) will serve as an example of the approach. The analysis shows that brown bear and piglets were specifically selected to be used in the rituals, while horses were not important sacrificial animals in the cult, as has otherwise been indicated by written sources. Seasonal analysis indicates that sacrifices took place at three periods of the year. Butchering marks reveal the intense utilization of the carcasses and that meat was ...
A unique assemblage consisting of 113 pine samples collected from a submerged Mesolithic landscap... more A unique assemblage consisting of 113 pine samples collected from a submerged Mesolithic landscape in the Haväng area, southern Sweden, was examined to assess the presence of large herbivores, as well as changes in wild-game population density and composition. Bark-stripping damages on prehistoric trees is an extremely underutilized source of information about past game-population dynamics, yet our analyzes of wood samples – dated to around 10 500 cal. yr. BP – shows that such material can be successfully used to study the presence and activities of large herbivores, most likely ungulates. To evaluate our results, comparisons have been made with subfossil peatland trees that grew around 6000 years ago, as well as trees from two present day clearcut logging sites in southern Sweden. Furthermore, studies in a wild-game reserve were performed to recognize and understand different types of damages on trees caused by ungulates. Bark-stripping indicate the presence of ungulates, and the r...
In 2006 a palisade enclosure dated to the late Middle Neolithic was excavated at Bunkeflostrand, ... more In 2006 a palisade enclosure dated to the late Middle Neolithic was excavated at Bunkeflostrand, Malmö, Sweden. The excavation of pits and wells containing flints, animal bones and pottery revealed a wide range of activities at the site, which is exceptional in comparison with most other palisade enclosures of southern Scandinavia. Palisade enclosures have emerged as places of great significance to our understanding of cultural relations traditionally associated with the transition from the Funnel Beaker culture to the Battle Axe culture. The results of the excavation at Bunkeflostrand and other palisade enclosures in the region can be used to understand social relations and cultural change in the Middle Neolithic in southern Scandinavia.
1 Archeologijos ir senovės istorijos katedra, Lundo universitetas,Lurdas, Švedija tel. +46(0) 46 ... more 1 Archeologijos ir senovės istorijos katedra, Lundo universitetas,Lurdas, Švedija tel. +46(0) 46 222 4466; el. paštas: [email protected] 2 Sussexo institutas, Sussexo universitetas, Brightonas, Anglija, tel. +44(0) 1273 87 29 56; El. paštas: [email protected] Santrauka. Linijinė emalio hipoplazija (LEH)-tai skersines linijos arba ruožai ant dantų emalio, susiformavę veikiant stresui danties vainiko formavimosi laikotarpiu. LEH yra naudinga tiriant ankstyvųjų amžių kiaulių populiacijų sveikatos būklę. LEH chronologija ir amžius parodo, ar gyvūnai buvo veikiami streso. Šernų dantų formavimasis buvo analizuojamas rentgenu ištyrus 55 žinomo amžiaus apatinius žandikaulius. Reikšmingos šernų dantų formavimosi diagramos sudarytos nustatant priešistorinių ir viduramžių kiaulių LEH chronologiją. Dantų vystymosi reikšmė interpretuojant LEH chronologiją taip pat aptariama. Raktažodžiai: linijinė emalio hipoplazija, dantų vystymasis, kiaulė, šernas, amžiaus nustatymas.
The hunting of wild boar during the Mesolithic was studied by analysis of age and sex distributio... more The hunting of wild boar during the Mesolithic was studied by analysis of age and sex distributions in faunal remains from four settlement situated in Scania, Southern Sweden. The results show that the harvest of wild boar varied between different settlements, Piglets dominate the age distribution in the faunal remains of teh sites of Ringsjoholm and Tagerup, which indicate a hunting of wild boar reflecting the age composition of living populations. In the faunal remains from the sites of Agerod I:HC and Bredasten the age distributin are different, with mainly individuals older than 36 months, which is interpreted as the result of a selective prey choice by the hunters. The sex ratio based on osteometry indicates that females made up two thirds of the harvest of adult wild boar. The hunting seems not to have been directed towards promoting a sustainable harvest, but rather to maximise the yield of the hunt. (Less)
This thesis deals with the hunting of wild boar during the Mesolithic in South Scandinavia and th... more This thesis deals with the hunting of wild boar during the Mesolithic in South Scandinavia and the relationship between humans and wild game. The study is based on an analysis of osteological remains from sites in Scania, Sweden, dating from the Late Maglemose Culture to the Early Ertebolle Culture. Tooth development and tooth wear in recent populations from Poland, Germany and Sweden have been studied in order to evaluate and improve the methodology for ageing remains of wild boar. The taphonomic history of bone assemblages has been studied by analysis of the relationship between skeletal part frequencies and bone density and of utility index, bone fragmentation, cut marks, marrow fracturing, carnivore gnawing and spatial distribution. Osteometric analysis shows that the body size of wild boar during the Atlantic does not decrease, as has been shown for red deer and roe deer. The large body size indicates favourable environmental conditions for wild boar during the Atlantic in Sout...
Ancient organic remains are essential for the reconstruction of past human lifeways and environme... more Ancient organic remains are essential for the reconstruction of past human lifeways and environments but are only preserved under particular conditions. Recent findings indicate that such conditions are becoming rarer and that archaeological sites with previously good preservation, are deteriorating. To investigate this, we returned to the well-known Swedish Mesolithic site Agerö d I. Here we present the result of the re-excavation and the osteological analyses of the bone remains from the 1940s, 1970s and 2019 excavation campaigns of the site, to document and quantify changes in bone preservation and relate them to variations in soil conditions and on-site topography. The results indicate that the bone material has suffered from accelerated deterioration during the last 75 years. This has led to heavily degraded remains in some areas and complete destruction in others. We conclude that while Agerö d can still be considered an important site, it has lost much of the properties that made it unique. If no actions are taken to secure its future preservation, the site will soon lose the organic remains that before modern encroachment and climate change had been preserved for 9000 years. Finally, because Agerö d has not been subjected to more or heavier encroachment than most other archaeological sites, our results also raise questions of the state of organic preservation in other areas and call for a broad examination of our most vulnerable hidden archaeological remains.
Despite a growing body of evidence concerning accelerated organic degradation at archaeological s... more Despite a growing body of evidence concerning accelerated organic degradation at archaeological sites, there have been few follow-up investigations to examine the status of the remaining archaeological materials in the ground. To address the question of archaeoorganic preservation, we revisited the Swedish, Mesolithic key-site Agerö d and could show that the bone material had been subjected to an accelerated deterioration during the last 75 years, which had destroyed the bones in the areas where they had previously been best preserved. To understand why this has happened and to quantify and qualify the extent of the organic degradation, we here analyse the soil chemistry, bone histology, collagen preservation and palaeobotany at the site. Our results show that the soil at Agerö d is losing, or has already lost, its preservative and buffering qualities, and that pH-values in the still wet areas of the site have dropped to levels where no bone preservation is possible. Our results suggest that this acidification process is enhanced by the release of sulphuric acid as pyrite in the bones oxidizes. While we are still able to find well-preserved palaeobotanical remains, they are also starting to corrode through reintroduced oxygen into the archaeological layers. While some areas of the site have been more protected through redeposited soil on top of the archaeological layers, all areas of Agerö d are rapidly deteriorating. Lastly, while it is still possible to perform molecular analyses on the best-preserved bones from the most protected areas, this opportunity will likely be lost within a few decades. In conclusion, we find that if we, as a society, wish to keep this valuable climatic, environmental and cultural archive, both at Agerö d and elsewhere, the time to act is now and if we wait we will soon be in a situation where this record will be irretrievably lost forever.
Osteologisk analys av benmaterialet från område 12 förundersökning inför utbyggnad av E22 sträcka... more Osteologisk analys av benmaterialet från område 12 förundersökning inför utbyggnad av E22 sträckan Sölve-Stensnäs. Reports in osteology 2010:7
Age estimation based on the dentition of animal remains is one of the most important methods used... more Age estimation based on the dentition of animal remains is one of the most important methods used for analysis of the demography of past as well as contemporary animal populations by zooarchaeologists and wild game biologists (Wagenknecht 1967; Silver 1969; Morris 1972; Wilson et al. 1982). By constructing age profiles from faunal remains it is possible to study hunting of wild boar and pig husbandry in past societies (Higham 1967a; Rolett & Chiu 1994; Vigne et al. 2000a; Magnell 2005a). Age estimation can also be used for assessing seasonal occupation of settlements and slaughtering of pigs (Legge & Rowley-Conwy 1988; Rowley-Conwy 1993, 1998; Ervynck 1997). Several contributions to this volume provide good examples of how different aspects of the past relationship between humans and pigs can be understood from estimations of age. Age estimations based on tooth development have several advantages over ageing methods based on tooth eruption and wear. Experiments with undernourished p...
Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) is transverse lines or bands on the enamel of teeth caused by deve... more Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) is transverse lines or bands on the enamel of teeth caused by developmental stress during the formation of the tooth crown. LEH has shown to be useful as a stress marker in studies of health conditions in past populations of pigs. The chronology of LEH and the age at which animals of past populations where afflicted by metabolic stress can be determined based on tooth formation. Tooth development in wild boar has been determined based on radiographs of 55 mandibles with known age of death. A user-friendly diagram of tooth development in wild boar has been made for determination of the chronology of LEH in archaeological pigs. The implications of the presented tooth development for the interpretation of chronology of LEH are also discussed. 1 Archeologijos ir senovės istorijos katedra, Lundo universitetas,Lurdas, Švedija tel. +46(0) 46 222 4466; el. paštas: [email protected] 2 Sussexo institutas, Sussexo universitetas, Brightonas, Anglija, tel. +44(...
Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) is transverse lines or bands on the enamel of teeth caused by deve... more Linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) is transverse lines or bands on the enamel of teeth caused by developmental stress during the formation of the tooth crown. LEH has shown to be useful as a stress marker in studies of health conditions in past populations of pigs. The chronology of LEH and the age at which animals of past populations where afflicted by metabolic stress can be determined based on tooth formation. Tooth development in wild boar has been determined based on radiographs of 55 mandibles with known age of death. A user-friendly diagram of tooth development in wild boar has been made for determination of the chronology of LEH in archaeological pigs. The implications of the presented tooth development for the interpretation of chronology of LEH are also discussed. (Less)
The paper discusses the generally limited of use of animal bones in Swedish medieval archaeology ... more The paper discusses the generally limited of use of animal bones in Swedish medieval archaeology and the potential of osteological remains as a source of information about social, ideological and economic conditions in the past. Results from analysis of animal bones from the quarter Blekhagen in Lund are used as examples of how osteological remains can be used to identify social and economic conditions. The animal remains indicate a specialization in working with pelts of cats and lambs, based on frequency of species along with age and sex structures. A shift in the composition of the animal remains towards more ordinary food refuse coincides with historical sources of clergymen that moving to the site.
Animal bones from the town and castle of Solvesborg dating to the 13th-15th century have been ana... more Animal bones from the town and castle of Solvesborg dating to the 13th-15th century have been analysed. The study indicates social differences in food and in animal husbandry between a household in quarter Uttern and the castle. Wild game is unusual frequent represented in the bone sample from the castle. The kill-off pattern of cattle from the town, with most juvenile animals, is typical of a self-sufficient unit, while the slaughter of mainly adult animals at the castle is similar to medieval towns supplied with older milk cows and draught animals from the countryside. The animal bones indicates that Solvesborg castle functioned as an urban center, while the town was more similar to a rural settlement, at least when it comes to subsistence and animal husbandry.
Late glacial skeletal remains from mainly reindeer and wild horse, but also other species such as... more Late glacial skeletal remains from mainly reindeer and wild horse, but also other species such as mountain hare, arctic fox and elk have been collected from kettle holes in Hassleberga, Scania. Bones from reindeer and wild horse have been radiocarbon dated to Allerod and Younger Dryas. Analysis of bone modifications has revealed several different actors and factors behind the accumulation of the skeletal remains. Marks caused by gnawing and chewing by rodents, ungulates and carnivores have been observed on skeletal remains from reindeer and wild horse. The frequent occurrence of carnivore tooth marks probably both represents predation by carnivores as well as scavenging of bone refuse. Modifications interpreted to be cut marks and marrow fracturing caused by humans have been observed on bones from reindeer and wild horse. Man-made modifications on radiocarbon dated reindeer bones indicate the presence of humans in Hassleberga during Allerod and Younger Dryas. (Less)
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