Deciphering diet and monitoring movement

Multiple stable isotope analysis of the viking age settlement at H ofstaðir, L ake M ývatn, I celand

Bibliographic Data

ID8320696
AuthorsKerry L Sayle (0000-0003-3492-5979, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park East Kilbride Scotland G75 0QF UK, corresponding author), Derek Hamilton (0000-0003-4019-3823, Scottish Enterprise), W Derek Hamilton (Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park East Kilbride Scotland G75 0QF UK), Gordon T Cook (Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park East Kilbride Scotland G75 0QF UK), Gordon Cook (0000-0002-7206-6266, Scottish Enterprise), Philippa Ascough (0000-0001-6529-2903, Scottish Enterprise), Philippa L Ascough (Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park East Kilbride Scotland G75 0QF UK), Hildur Gestsdóttir (0000-0002-8382-5985, Fornleifastofnun Íslands (Institute of Archaeology) Reykjavík Iceland), Thomas H Mcgovern (Hunter Zooarchaeology Laboratory Hunter College CUNY New York NY)
Year2016
Volume160
Issue1
Pages126-136
Publication date2016-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.22939
PMID26799531
OpenAlexW2225600168
LanguageEN
Citations received13
References cited79

OBJECTIVES: A previous multi-isotope study of archaeological faunal samples from Skútustaðir, an early Viking age settlement on the southern shores of Lake Mývatn in north-east Iceland, demonstrated that there are clear differences in δ(34)S stable isotope values between animals deriving their dietary protein from terrestrial, freshwater, and marine reservoirs. The aim of this study was to use this information to more accurately determine the diet of humans excavated from a nearby late Viking age churchyard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: δ(13)C, δ(15)N, and δ(34)S analyses were undertaken on terrestrial animal (n = 39) and human (n = 46) bone collagen from Hofstaðir, a high-status Viking-period farmstead ∼10 km north-west of Skútustaðir. RESULTS: δ(34)S values for Hofstaðir herbivores were ∼6‰ higher relative to those from Skútustaðir (δ(34)S: 11.4 ± 2.3‰ versus 5.6 ± 2.8‰), while human δ(13)C, δ(15)N, and δ(34)S values were broad ranging (-20.2‰ to -17.3‰, 7.4‰ to 12.3‰, and 5.5‰ to 14.9‰, respectively). DISCUSSION: Results suggest that the baseline δ(34)S value for the Mývatn region is higher than previously predicted due to a possible sea-spray effect, but the massive deposition of Tanytarsus gracilentus (midges) (δ(34)S: -3.9‰) in the soil in the immediate vicinity of the lake is potentially lowering this value. Several terrestrial herbivores displayed higher bone collagen δ(34)S values than their contemporaries, suggesting trade and/or movement of animals to the region from coastal areas. Broad ranging δ(13)C, δ(15)N, and δ(34)S values for humans suggest the population were consuming varied diets, while outliers within the dataset could conceivably have been migrants to the area

Archaeology · Biology · Deposition (geology) · Geography · Habitat · Herbivore · Human bone · Isotope analysis · Period (music) · Physical geography · Sediment · Shore · Stable isotope ratio · Viking Age · δ13C · δ15N · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Ecology · Geology · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Oceanography · Paleontology · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology

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