Enghoff, Inge Bødker Hunting, fishing and animal husbandry at The Farm beneath the Sand, Western Greenland An archaeozoological analysis of a Norse farm in the Western Settlement
This book presents an analysis of a large and well-preserved sample of animal bones, which was excavatd on "The Farm beneath the Sand" in the Norse Western Settlement in Greenland. A wide range (at least 36 species) of fish, birds and mammals is represented in the material, from tiny capelin over geese and sheep to huge baleen whales. The analysis covers the entire period of accupation of the farm, from ca. AD 1000-1400. It illustrates how the Norsemen exploited the wild fauna but also kept domestic animals, and how the latter adapted to living in the new environment.
Abstract • 7
The archaeological background by Jette Arneborg • 9
Setting the scene • 18
Material and methods • 19
Method of bone recovery • 19
Dating • 19
State of preservation • 19
Identification • 20
Size and age estimation • 20
Tooth nomenclature • 20
Results of the identification • 21
Hunting • 30
Birds • 30
Seals • 34
Walrus • 39
Whales • 40
Reindeer • 41
Arctic hare • 44
Arctic fox • 45
Polar bear • 46
Fishing • 47
Recovery and preservation of fish bones • 47
Notes on identification • 48
Representation of fish bones • 49
Size of the fish • 49
Biology of fish species • 49
Discussion of fish • 50
Animal husbandry: domestic mammals • 53
Sheep and goats • 53
Cattle • 68
Horse • 75
Swine • 79
Dogs • 79
House mouse • 85
The roles of animals at GUS • 87
Overwiew • 87
The annual cycle • 88
Development through time • 89
Wild versus domestic, and marine versus terrestrial animal food • 90
GUS in a broader perspective • 92
GUS and Nipaatsoq – two neighbour farms • 92
Comparison with Sandnes – an elite Norse manor farm • 92
Comparison with Niaquusat • 93
GUS in the framework of the Western Settlement • 93
Concluding remarks • 97
Acknowledgements • 98
References • 99
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