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Sheep Ahoy : Exploring sheep management and its role in Viking Age economy through multiproxy analyses at Löddeköpinge, Sweden

Macheridis, Stella LU orcid ; Faillace, Katie ; Hood, Meredith ; Sayle, Kerry ; Inglis, Edward and Madgwick, Richard (2024) In International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 34(6).
Abstract
Sheep and their wool were paramount to Viking Age economies. The importance of wool cannot be underestimated, especially as the woollen sail was implemented on ships in general during this period. This paper investigates sheep management and landscape use in Viking Age Löddeköpinge in Scania, southern Sweden, through a multiproxy approach, integrating multi-isotope methods with zooarchaeological analysis. Using the marketplace at Löddeköpinge as a case study, eighteen sheep mandibles were analysed through zooarchaeological methods and isotope analyses of δ13C, δ15N, δ34S and 87Sr/86Sr. The results show that the sheep represent a composite deadflock, meaning they probably derive from different liveflocks. The 87Sr/86Sr values demonstrate... (More)
Sheep and their wool were paramount to Viking Age economies. The importance of wool cannot be underestimated, especially as the woollen sail was implemented on ships in general during this period. This paper investigates sheep management and landscape use in Viking Age Löddeköpinge in Scania, southern Sweden, through a multiproxy approach, integrating multi-isotope methods with zooarchaeological analysis. Using the marketplace at Löddeköpinge as a case study, eighteen sheep mandibles were analysed through zooarchaeological methods and isotope analyses of δ13C, δ15N, δ34S and 87Sr/86Sr. The results show that the sheep represent a composite deadflock, meaning they probably derive from different liveflocks. The 87Sr/86Sr values demonstrate likely origins north and east of Löddeköpinge. The δ13C and δ15N values indicate a terrestrial diet with variation in δ15N, meaning that some may have grazed on manured fields. The δ15N, in conjunction with δ34S, values show a possible limnic influence, implying grazing on pastures close to freshwater systems; however, this requires further investigation. The results illuminate the marketplace function of Löddeköpinge, as sheep bred north and east of the site were transported and exchanged there. This shows the degree and extent of control of the re-distributional system held by the local elite. This control may be instigated by the increased textile production, especially concerning sailcloth, at the site. If so, sheep management may have been specialised towards the production of optimal wool for sailcloth, besides other essential cloth. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Viking Age Scandinavia, Sheep management, Animal mobility, Multiproxy archaeology, Löddeköpinge, Multi-isotopic analysis, δ34S analysis, strontium isotope analysis, δ13C analysis, δ15N analysis
in
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology
volume
34
issue
6
pages
18 pages
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85205543214
ISSN
1099-1212
DOI
10.1002/oa.3355
project
Sheep O'Hoy: The zooarchaeology of sails production in Late Iron Age southern Scandinavia
Scandinavian Iron Age Research Group
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
dfdb809d-14f1-4a0f-983e-d202019c102c
date added to LUP
2024-01-09 09:53:29
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:03:31
@article{dfdb809d-14f1-4a0f-983e-d202019c102c,
  abstract     = {{Sheep and their wool were paramount to Viking Age economies. The importance of wool cannot be underestimated, especially as the woollen sail was implemented on ships in general during this period. This paper investigates sheep management and landscape use in Viking Age Löddeköpinge in Scania, southern Sweden, through a multiproxy approach, integrating multi-isotope methods with zooarchaeological analysis. Using the marketplace at Löddeköpinge as a case study, eighteen sheep mandibles were analysed through zooarchaeological methods and isotope analyses of δ13C, δ15N, δ34S and 87Sr/86Sr. The results show that the sheep represent a composite deadflock, meaning they probably derive from different liveflocks. The 87Sr/86Sr values demonstrate likely origins north and east of Löddeköpinge. The δ13C and δ15N values indicate a terrestrial diet with variation in δ15N, meaning that some may have grazed on manured fields. The δ15N, in conjunction with δ34S, values show a possible limnic influence, implying grazing on pastures close to freshwater systems; however, this requires further investigation. The results illuminate the marketplace function of Löddeköpinge, as sheep bred north and east of the site were transported and exchanged there. This shows the degree and extent of control of the re-distributional system held by the local elite. This control may be instigated by the increased textile production, especially concerning sailcloth, at the site. If so, sheep management may have been specialised towards the production of optimal wool for sailcloth, besides other essential cloth.}},
  author       = {{Macheridis, Stella and Faillace, Katie and Hood, Meredith and Sayle, Kerry and Inglis, Edward and Madgwick, Richard}},
  issn         = {{1099-1212}},
  keywords     = {{Viking Age Scandinavia; Sheep management; Animal mobility; Multiproxy archaeology; Löddeköpinge; Multi-isotopic analysis; δ34S analysis; strontium isotope analysis; δ13C analysis; δ15N analysis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  number       = {{6}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Osteoarchaeology}},
  title        = {{Sheep Ahoy : Exploring sheep management and its role in Viking Age economy through multiproxy analyses at Löddeköpinge, Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/oa.3355}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/oa.3355}},
  volume       = {{34}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}