DIETS IN THREE LATE MEDIEVAL TO EARLY MODERN COASTAL POPULATIONS IN FINLAND ACCORDING TO THE δ13C AND δ15N VALUES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL BONE AND DENTIN COLLAGEN

We explored the diets in three populations (Iin Hamina, Oulu, Rauma) dating between the late Middle Ages and mid-19th century. We compared diets of mid-childhood, adolescence, and adulthood based on the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in dentin (PM2, M3) and bone collagen. The δ13C values were typical of terrestrial C3 environments and to be expected by the brackish Baltic Sea. The 13C content in the water decreases north- wards, which was reflected in the results. The analyses displayed overall elevated δ15N values, which is consistent with fish having been an important part of the nutrition of all the populations. The PM2 and bone collagen δ15N values diverged in the Iin Hamina population, implying different diets of children and adults

Reindeer retrieved from melting snow patches reveal information on prehistoric landscape use in Swedish Sápmi

In this study we discuss the remains of reindeer skeletal elements found at two different snow patches at Varánjunnje and Gárránistjåhkkå situated in the National Park of Stuor Muorkke in northern Sweden. Unfortunately, glaciers and snow patches are melting; however, this offers a unique opportunity to study the use of mountainous landscape in the past. Here we compare modern, historic and archaeological reindeer to Forest and Mountain Sámi reindeer herding districts. By using radiocarbon dating and osteological and stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N and δ34S) we aim to study reindeer mobility and land use in the past. The results from the morphometric data, stable isotope analysis and radiocarbon dating from prehistoric and historic reindeer (n=40) show that there is very little variation over time in the diet of the reindeer retrieved from the snow patches. We also found that these reindeer must have grazed in different geographic areas. There was no correlation between age, gender, pathological changes and diet, and the castrated reindeer did not differ from other reindeer

Food, Mobility, and Health in a 17th and 18th Century Arctic Mining Population in Silbojokk, Swedish Sápmi

Established in 1635, the silver mine of Nasafjäll and the smeltery site in Silbojokk in Swedish Sápmi were used during several phases until the late 19th century. Excavations in Silbojokk, c. 40 km from Nasafjäll, have revealed buildings such as a smeltery, living houses, a bakery, and a church with a churchyard. From the beginning, both local and non-local individuals worked at the mine and the smeltery. Non-locals were recruited to work in the mine and at the smeltery, and the local Sámi population was recruited to transport the silver down to the Swedish coast. Females, males, and children of different ages were represented among the individuals buried at the churchyard in Silbojokk, which was used between c. 1635 and 1770. Here we study diet, mobility, and exposure to lead (Pb) in the smeltery workers, the miners, and the local population. By employing isotopic analysis, δ13C, δ15N, δ34S, 87Sr/86Sr and elemental analysis, we demonstrate that individuals in Silbojokk had a homogenous diet, except for two individuals. In addition, both local and non-local individuals were all exposed to Pb, which in some cases could have been harmful to their health. La mine d’argent de Nasafjäll et la fonderie de Silbojokk dans le territoire Sápmi en Suède ont été établies en 1635. Elles ont fait l’objet de plusieurs phases d’utilisation jusque vers la fin du 19e siècle. Des fouilles effectuées à Silbojokk, à une quarantaine de kilomètres de Nasafjäll, ont permis de découvrir des structures comme une fonderie, des maisons d’habitation, une boulangerie ainsi qu’une église et un cimetière. Dès le début, des gens de la région ou d’ailleurs ont travaillé à la mine et à la fonderie. Des gens d’ailleurs ont été recrutés pour travailler à la mine et à la fonderie, tandis que la population locale de Sámis a été engagée pour transporter l’argent sur la côte suédoise. Femmes, hommes et enfants d’âges différents figurent parmi les personnes enterrées au cimetière de Silbojokk, utilisé entre les années 1635 et 1770 environ. Ici, nous étudions le régime alimentaire, la mobilité et l’exposition au plomb (Pb) des ouvriers de la fonderie, des mineurs et de la population locale. À l’aide d’une analyse isotopique, δ13C, δ15N, δ34S, 87Sr/86Sr et de l’analyse des éléments, nous démontrons que les personnes de Silbojokk avaient un régime homogène, sauf deux d’entre elles. De plus, les gens de la région et d’ailleurs ont tous été exposés au Pb, ce qui aurait pu nuire à la santé de certains.&nbsp

Integrating isotopes and documentary evidence : dietary patterns in a late medieval and early modern mining community, Sweden

We would like to thank the Archaeological Research Laboratory, Stockholm University, Sweden and the Tandem Laboratory (Ångström Laboratory), Uppsala University, Sweden, for undertaking the analyses of stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes in both human and animal collagen samples. Also, thanks to Elin Ahlin Sundman for providing the δ13C and δ15N values for animal references from Västerås. This research (Bäckström’s PhD employment at Lund University, Sweden) was supported by the Berit Wallenberg Foundation (BWS 2010.0176) and Jakob and Johan Söderberg’s foundation. The ‘Sala project’ (excavations and analyses) has been funded by Riksens Clenodium, Jernkontoret, Birgit and Gad Rausing’s Foundation, SAU’s Research Foundation, the Royal Physiographic Society of Lund, Berit Wallenbergs Foundation, Åke Wibergs Foundation, Lars Hiertas Memory, Helge Ax:son Johnson’s Foundation and The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Glaciärarkeologisk inventering vid Ekman-, Låktatjåkko-, Kårsa-, Kåtotjåkko-, Gállanvárri- och Sálajiegnaglaciärerna i Norrbottens län, Lappland (8-15 augusti 2018)

Finansirärer för det här projektet:Göran Gustafssons stiftelse för natur och miljö i Lappland</p

Glaciärarkeologisk inventering vid Sálajiegna- och Stuorajiegnaglaciärerna i Norrbottens län, Lappland (23-26 augusti 2019)

Den 23 till den 26 augusti 2019 utfördes en arkeologisk inventering av två glaciärer samt ett antal snöfläckar i Norrbotten. Närvarande vid inventeringen var professor Per Holmlund och student Karin Angerbjörn från Institutionen för naturgeografi vid Stockholms universitet, samt professor Kerstin Lidén och doktorand Markus Fjellström från Arkeologiska forskningslaboratoriet. På grund av ogynnsamma väderförhållanden kunde inte alla dagar användas till fältinventering. Inga arkeologiska fynd eller fornlämningar registrerades, däremot togs ett stort antal djurben, skräp och ekofakter tillvara. Ett mindre antal djurben daterades till historisk tid. Utöver det utfördes även analyser av stabila isotoper på djurbenen för att studera den lokala faunans diet. Kombinationen av glaciologiska studier och årligen återkommande arkeologiska inventeringar av smältande glaciärer och snöfläckar har en stor potential i att öka kunskapen om landskapsutnyttjandet i högfjällsområden, men också i att studera klimat- och landskapsförändringar i stort. Det tredje årets inventeringar av smältande glaciärer och snöfläckar, med efterföljande analyser av både osteologisk material och föremål ger för handen vikten av att etablera regelbundna inventeringar.Finansiärer för projektet:- Stiftelsen Göran Gustafssons för natur och kultur i Lappland- Stiftelsen Lars Hiertas minneGlaciärarkeolog

Food Cultures in Sápmi : An interdisciplinary approach to the study of the heterogeneous cultural landscape of northern Fennoscandia AD 600–1900

The aim of this thesis is to highlight the heterogeneous cultural landscape in Sápmi through the study of food. By studying food and the choices of specific foodstuffs in Sápmi AD 600–1900, a greater understanding can be gained on the history of this area during the period. A number of well-known archaeological sites in Sápmi have been chosen as the focus, dating from the Late Iron Age in north-central Sweden to the late-19th century in northern Norway. By means of stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S and 87Sr/86Sr) and elemental analysis on human and animal skeletal remains, the diversity in food culture has been studied. The chronological range in this thesis is rather broad but has been determined by the available archaeological skeletal material from the area. The overarching questions are how cultural diversity is reflected in different food practices, how individual life history and studies of mobility contribute to the understanding of life in Sápmi, what role the reindeer had in the diet in Sápmi during the period studied, and finally, what impact mining activities had on the local population in Sillbajåhkå/Silbojokk in terms of lead poisoning? Through the different case studies, it has been demonstrated that food consumption was by no means uniform and static during the period, and that the differences in food consumption reflect a multicultural landscape. Individuals buried in Vivallen had a diet based on terrestrial and freshwater resources, in contrast to individuals from Guollesuolu/Gullholmen and Kirkegårdsøya, who had diets based predominantly on marine protein. However, the diet of individuals buried at Gullholmen was much more varied than at Kirkegårdsøya, indicating a multi-ethnic presence. The intra-individual analysis of diet and mobility provided information on a more complex society. Whether they were Sámi or non-Sámi is difficult to assess, but they were clearly a culturally heterogeneous group of people. The individuals that were buried in Rounala and Sillbajåhkå/Silbojokk in northern Sweden had a mixed diet, including foodstuffs from terrestrial, freshwater and/or marine environments. The sites overlap chronologically, with Rounala dating from the 14th to the 18th century, and Silbojokk from the 17th to the 18th century. While individuals buried in Rounala had a mixed diet, focused on freshwater fish, individuals buried in Silbojokk had a much more varied diet. Through the analysis of sulphur and strontium isotopes, it was possible to investigate intra-individual change in diet and mobility. Further, the results indicated that reindeer protein was not a major food source at the sites studied. The mining activities at Silbojokk can be seen as the result of colonial infraction on nature and people in Sápmi by the Swedish state, with an immense and negative impact on the environment and for people there. This thesis includes the analysis and handling of human skeletal remains, which always has ethical implications: even more so in areas subjected to colonialism, such as Sápmi. My aim has been to highlight the importance of discussing reburial and repatriation and offer some thoughts on how this may be handled in the future.At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Submitted. Paper 5: Manuscript. Paper 6: Accepted.</p

Stable isotope analysis and ethical issues surorunding a human skeleton material from Rounala in Karesuando parish

This thesis deals with a medieval material from Rounala in Karesuando parish, Norrbotten county, Lapland. The aim is to reconstruct the diet and mobility patterns. It is through carbon, nitrogen and sulphur stable isotopes and radiocarbon that both pastoralist traits and whether which part Christianity played in the burial traditions of these human remains is being studied. Another aim is to discuss the repatriation issue as these remains are subjected to. The results mainly show that all individuals had a mixed diet and no pastoral way of living has been established. Furthermore, individual 3 is suffering from pathological changes. With radiocarbon dates ranging from 1300 to 1720 AD, two groups can be distinguished as to whom had been buried before and after the construction of the church. And repatriation is being discussed as an issue to who have ownership over ancient remains

Fishing at Vivallen : stable isotope analysis of individuals from a South Saami burial ground

Vivallen is a Late Iron Age/Early Middle Ages South Saami site with a burialground as well as a large dwelling site in Härjedalen, Sweden, located in the borderland between Saami and Norse groups. As food can be used as an indicator of cultural affiliation, we investigated the relative importance of various foodstuffs at this site, performing δ13C and δ15N analysis of human and faunal skeletal remains. The site was located along the St Olaf pilgrimage route, implying that some of the buried individuals may not have been local to the site, and therefore we performed δ34S analysis to study mobility. We set out to investigate if there were any changes in diet and mobility over the lifespan of the people buried at Vivallen. The results showed that freshwater fish were an important part of the diet, whereas reindeer and big game do not seem to have been major proteinsources. We could not identify any substantial changes in diet in the individuals over time. Our results further demonstrated low mobility among the individuals,with one exception, a female who evidently grew up somewhere else