Wood, Seeds and Fruits, Phytoliths, Pollen and Non-pollen Palynomorphs of the Horse Burial of Fregerslev II

This work concerns multi-scalar archaeobotanical studies of a poorly preserved Viking-Age equestrian burial in Denmark, Fregerslev II, dated around the mid-10th century, where macrobotanical remains such as wood seeds and fruits, combined with phytoliths, pollen and non-pollen palynomorph records, revealed the nature of the grave goods and grave equipment of plant material. The microbotanical results point to the presence of bedding on the bottom of the grave chamber consisting of straw or hay of grass and herbs, as well as a chaff concentration of oat, interpreted as horse fodder, whose skeleton was not preserved. Wood findings show the selective use of wood with taxa commonly used in contemporary Viking burials such as oak, but also non-local pine, suggesting the use of specific wood for arrow-making as an indicator of prestige items, or therefore as a result of import or gift exchanges, pointing to the elite of the Viking Age society

Biology · Botany · Pollen · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Botany and Plant Ecology Studies · Geology · Historical and Archaeological Studies

• The potential of phytolith analysis to reveal grave goods

  Open Access•Welmoed A Out, Mario Hasler et al.•Vegetation History and…•2022

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