DECORATED ANTLER HAMMERS AND AXES FROM ESTONIA

Finds of decorated hammers or axes made of elk antler are rather rare in Estonia. One axe comes from the River Pärnu, and another from the Otepää hill-fort and later episcopal castle site. In addition, there are two almost identical hammers: one was a stray find from Harju county, and another was found in the Medieval town of Tartu. The two stray finds have no connected items that would enable their dating. The other two examples originate from contexts that cannot be dated exactly. The aim of this research is to find parallels to help us date the Estonian items, to ascertain the material and tools used for producing these items, and to discuss on the basis of the former, and an analysis of the find contexts, the probable areas of usage and meanings of these items. Although it is not possible to date these antler objects precisely, they probably come from the end of the Estonian Prehistoric period or the Middle Ages: the 11th to the 15th centuries. The function of the items is also not definite. Tools in the shape of a hammer were probably used as hammers. It was not possible to use any axe-shaped object as an axe, so assumptions about their function are still just speculative.Key words: antler, axe, hammer, function, meaning, Middle Ages, Estonia.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/ab.v24i0.156

Of pots and hearths – the material environment of domestic foodways

The material culture of the medieval and later foodways in Estonia was in a constant evolution, influenced by various changes in the local society as well as in the broader human environment. In this paper, we will broadly outline these changes through the development of the equipment used both for making and consuming food and liquids in the domestic sphere. Based on the surviving evidence, it is possible to note several processes, some bound with the cultural transfer from abroad, others connected with the political and economic situation in the area under discussion

Zooarchaeological evidence for the exploitation of birds in medieval and early modern Estonia (ca 1200–1800)

In this paper, we discuss bird bones from sixteen sites across Estonia, focusing on the Medieval and Early Modern Period (ca 1200â1800). Zooarchaeology, stable isotope analysis and Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectometry (ZooMS) are used to explore how the exploitation of birds has differed between sites of various functions and locations. The results demonstrate the ubiquity of the chicken as the most abundant avian species in most sites and periods under study. The goose and the duck were the second and third most common species identified in the assemblages. Species diversity was highest at castle sites, where the presence of different wild birds can be associated with higher social status; however, the use of several bird species is unlikely to be food-related. The most frequently discovered wild birds were the black grouse and the western capercaillie, which are also known to have been served at feasts. This paper presents the first comprehensive study of Estonian avian zooarchaeological material from various contexts, giving a better overview of the importance of birds to historical communities

A month in a horse’s life : healing process of a fractured third metatarsal bone from medieval Viljandi, Estonia

The remains of a horse’s hind foot – a third metatarsal bone and three phalanges – were found in a presumed waste pit of a prosperous medieval household in Viljandi, Estonia, dated from the second half of the 13⁠th to the beginning of the 15⁠th century. The metatarsal bone had been broken during the horse’s lifetime and showed evidence of partial healing. Using archaeological, zooarchaeological, morphological, microscopic, densitometric and radiographic analyses, we investigated the bones and the healing process in order to understand animal treatment in a medieval urban context. Our results show that the fracture was a complete comminuted fracture that appears to have been closed and stable, caused most probably by a trauma from a strong impact. Based on callus formation and the worn edges of the separated diaphysis, the horse had survived for at least a month and used the injured foot to some extent. We suggest that the horse was treated by splinting the foot and keeping the animal in a standing position during the healing process. Eventually the horse died because of a wound infection, or was killed. The relatively long period of careful treatment indicates the animal’s economic or emotional value

Viljandimaa linnuste kedrakeraamika hilisrauaajal (11. sajand – 13. sajandi algus)

Teadusmagistritö

Dataset on zooarchaeological records of Estonian medieval and early modern mammal remains

This dataset contains data collected during the analyses of archaeological mammal remains from 37 medieval and early modern sites in Estonia. The dataset consists of four tables: 1) information on archaeological sites, 2) identifications, 3) cattle metacarpal morphometrics, 4) stable isotope data. It is being made public both to act as supplementary data for the research project PRG29 and for the publication Rannamäe, E. & Aguraiuja-Lätti, Ü. 2023. Zooarchaeology of livestock and game in medieval and early modern Estonia. Estonian Journal of Archaeology, 27, 3S, 50–82, https://doi.org/10.3176/arch.2023.3S.03