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First confirmed finds of baleen whale from Iron Age Scania, Sweden, and their archaeological implications

Macheridis, Stella LU orcid ; Rosengren, Erika LU orcid ; Greeves, Samantha ; Eklöv Pettersson, Paul LU and Rundgren, Mats LU (2026) In Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 71(May 2026).
Abstract
This paper presents hitherto unknown finds of baleen whale from Iron Age Scania. Through the peptide-based technique Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS), we provide the first identifications of remains of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeaenglia) and fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) in Scania and we present the first identification of North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) or bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus). These findings can potentially be used to further the knowledge of the historical presence of these whale species in northern Europe. However, active trade took place during the late Iron Age through well-developed resource networks throughout southern Scandinavia. Consequently, the risk of them having an... (More)
This paper presents hitherto unknown finds of baleen whale from Iron Age Scania. Through the peptide-based technique Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS), we provide the first identifications of remains of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeaenglia) and fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) in Scania and we present the first identification of North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) or bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus). These findings can potentially be used to further the knowledge of the historical presence of these whale species in northern Europe. However, active trade took place during the late Iron Age through well-developed resource networks throughout southern Scandinavia. Consequently, the risk of them having an extra-local origin through long-distance trade diminishes their utility for biogeographical reconstructions. Therefore, these finds first and foremost provide information about the archaeological contexts in which they were found and contribute new knowledge about the possible circulation of whale bones as raw material for bone crafts. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
zooarchaeology, Baleen whale, Iron Age Scandinavia, Scania
in
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
volume
71
issue
May 2026
article number
105720
pages
10 pages
publisher
Elsevier
ISSN
2352-409X
DOI
10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105720
project
Scandinavian Iron Age Research Group
Baleen whale in Västra Karaby
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
86fdff54-22b9-4953-bbad-8c72bab9fbec
date added to LUP
2026-03-31 10:52:09
date last changed
2026-04-09 16:12:06
@article{86fdff54-22b9-4953-bbad-8c72bab9fbec,
  abstract     = {{This paper presents hitherto unknown finds of baleen whale from Iron Age Scania. Through the peptide-based technique Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS), we provide the first identifications of remains of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeaenglia) and fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) in Scania and we present the first identification of North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) or bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus). These findings can potentially be used to further the knowledge of the historical presence of these whale species in northern Europe. However, active trade took place during the late Iron Age through well-developed resource networks throughout southern Scandinavia. Consequently, the risk of them having an extra-local origin through long-distance trade diminishes their utility for biogeographical reconstructions. Therefore, these finds first and foremost provide information about the archaeological contexts in which they were found and contribute new knowledge about the possible circulation of whale bones as raw material for bone crafts.}},
  author       = {{Macheridis, Stella and Rosengren, Erika and Greeves, Samantha and Eklöv Pettersson, Paul and Rundgren, Mats}},
  issn         = {{2352-409X}},
  keywords     = {{zooarchaeology; Baleen whale; Iron Age Scandinavia; Scania}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{May 2026}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports}},
  title        = {{First confirmed finds of baleen whale from Iron Age Scania, Sweden, and their archaeological implications}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105720}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105720}},
  volume       = {{71}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}