Typing Late Prehistoric Cows and Bulls—Osteology and Genetics of Cattle at the Eketorp Ringfort on the Öland Island in Sweden

Human management of livestock and the presence of different breeds have been discussed in archaeozoology and animal breeding. Traditionally osteometrics has been the main tool in addressing these questions. We combine osteometrics with molecular sex identifications of 104 of 340 morphometrically analysed bones in order to investigate the use of cattle at the Eketorp ringfort on the Öland island in Sweden. The fort is dated to 300–1220/50 A.D., revealing three different building phases. In order to investigate specific patterns and shifts through time in the use of cattle the genetic data is evaluated in relation to osteometric patterns and occurrence of pathologies on cattle metapodia. Males were genotyped for a Y-chromosomal SNP in UTY19 that separates the two major haplogroups, Y1 and Y2, in taurine cattle. A subset of the samples were also genotyped for one SNP involved in coat coloration (MC1R), one SNP putatively involved in resistance to cattle plague (TLR4), and one SNP in intron 5 of the IGF-1 gene that has been associated to size and reproduction

The origins of Odense – new aspects of early urbanisation in southern Scandinavia

The article presents an updated study of the centuries prior to Odense’s traditional ‘birth certificate’ of AD 988, resulting in a new model for the urbanisation of Odense. The conclusion reached is that there was activity of a permanent and possibly urban character in Odense from the end of the late eighth century until the late tenth century. The town’s development can be followed through three phases. Phases 1 and 2 cover the periods AD 700–900 and AD 900–100, respectively, while phase 3 covers the period AD 1000-1101. During phases 1 and 2, the proto-town develops through bottomup processes, such as network, crafts and possibly trade. After AD 1000, Odense develops into a town proper, under royal influence. The model from Odense provides the background for a fresh view of urbanisation in southern Scandinavia in general. A three-phase model is proposed. Phase 0 constitutes the emporia of the eighth–ninth century, which perhaps primarily is satellites in a trading network controlled from the south. Phase 1 takes the form of locally initiated and based incipient urbanisation extending from the end of the eighth century until the tenth century. Phase 2 comprises the royally established towns from around AD 1000 onwards