Genetic and ZooMS Identification of Marine Mammal Bone from Norse Sites in Iceland and Greenland: Insights into Historic Ecology and Norse Economies

Summary

Evidence from Arctic and North Atlantic archaeological sites shows marine mammals were frequently used by Norse settlers in Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Archaeofaunal assemblages often yield a wealth of complete bones, however, species-level identification is not possible for heavily fragmented specimens. Therefore, specific details about marine mammal utilization are often unquantified and marine species identification largely remains unverified. This paper reveals utility of ZooMS (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) and genetic analysis of ancient mtDNA to examine Norse uses of whales at an array of sites in Iceland and Greenland over the course of the Middle Ages (~800-1500 CE). The analysis of mtDNA and collagen collected from these sites yields new information on the importance of cetaceans and pinnipeds during this period. Comparison of samples and their suitability for mtDNA analysis also underscores the loss and degradation of genetic material in rapidly degrading Arctic contexts. With this loss, it is challenging to detect changes in marine mammal utilization and species composition through periods of climate change. Additionally, these data provide critical insight into premodern economies, and a snapshot of mammal community ecology and levels of genetic diversity prior to the advent of industrial-scale exploitation beginning in the 16th century.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22331