Species identification using ZooMS, with reference to the exploitation of animal resources in the medieval town of Odense

ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry) is increasingly being used as a method for species identification of archaeological and historical remains. The method identifies species from the peptide mass fingerprint of extracted collagen – the principal protein of bone, ivory, dentine, leather, and parchment. ZooMS has the advantages that it is a fast and simple method, that requires only small sample sizes or even non-destructive sampling. The taxonomic resolution of the method varies, but ZooMS is diagnostic for most domesticated animals and for the relatively depauperate Scandinavian fauna, although some groups (seals, martens) cannot be resolved, and it cannot discriminate some domesticates (dog, cattle) from their wild counterparts. In this article, we overview the method and demonstrate the value of ZooMS and illustrate our points via a case study of 20 samples from 12th to 14th century layers in the Danish medieval town of Odense. Four artefacts were tested by a non-destructive eraser technique because of their uniqueness, but only one could be identified. The remaining 16 were identified following destructive analysis of the sample, one sample could not be identified. Through the identification of a gaming piece as walrus tusk the analysis demonstrated the long distance trade networks of Odense and the pursuit of some inhabitants for luxury products and high living standards. Conversely, the species identification of combs showed that the medieval comb maker would use the resources immediately available to him to create an affordable everyday object rather than rely on imported antler

A silver figurine from Lejre

The current article describes in detail the Lejre figurine found in 2009, inside the mail hall-area at the settlement. The silver figurine depicts a small, anthropomorphic person seated on a throne, with a larger bird on each side. The description includes the context and circumstances of the find location – the aristocratic settlement of Lejre – as well as a thorough evaluation of the attributes of the figurine itself. In the article it is argued that the figurine presents a male personality, which presumably is of a noble status, dressed in a ritual garment and placed on a high seat, thus bearing similarities with the historic descriptions of the Norse god Odin. The garment might even be that of a coronation costume as it has been described and depicted in contemporary continental sources