Detecting the medieval cod trade: a new method and first results

TY - JOUR

T1 - Detecting the medieval cod trade

T2 - a new method and first results

AU - Barrett, James

AU - Johnstone, Cluny

AU - Harland, Jennifer

AU - Van Neer, Wim

AU - Ervynck, Anton

AU - Makowiecki, Daniel

AU - Heinrich, Dirk

AU - Hufthammer, Anne Karin

AU - Enghoff, Inge Bodker

AU - Amundsen, Colin

AU - Christiansen, Jorgen Schou

AU - Jones, Andrew K. G.

AU - Locker, Alison

AU - Hamilton-Dyer, Sheila

AU - Jonsson, Leif

AU - Lougas, Lembi

AU - Roberts, Callum

AU - Richards, Michael

PY - 2008/4

Y1 - 2008/4

N2 - This paper explores the potential of stable isotope analysis to identify the approximate region of catch of cod by analysing bones from medieval settlements in northern and western Europe. It measures the delta C-13 and delta N-15 values of cod bone collagen from medieval control samples collected from sites around Arctic Norway, the North Sea, the Kattegat and the Baltic Sea. These data were considered likely to differ by region due to, for example, variation in the length of the food chain, water temperature and salinity. We find that geographical structuring is indeed evident, making it possible to identify bones from cod caught in distant waters. These results provide a new methodology for studying the growth of long-range trade in dried cod and the related expansion of fishing effort-important aspects of the development of commercialisation in medieval Europe. As a first test of the method, we analyse three collections of cod bones tentatively interpreted as imported dried fish based on a priori zooarchaeological criteria. The results tentatively suggest that cod were being transported or traded over very long distances since the end of the first millennium AD. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AB - This paper explores the potential of stable isotope analysis to identify the approximate region of catch of cod by analysing bones from medieval settlements in northern and western Europe. It measures the delta C-13 and delta N-15 values of cod bone collagen from medieval control samples collected from sites around Arctic Norway, the North Sea, the Kattegat and the Baltic Sea. These data were considered likely to differ by region due to, for example, variation in the length of the food chain, water temperature and salinity. We find that geographical structuring is indeed evident, making it possible to identify bones from cod caught in distant waters. These results provide a new methodology for studying the growth of long-range trade in dried cod and the related expansion of fishing effort-important aspects of the development of commercialisation in medieval Europe. As a first test of the method, we analyse three collections of cod bones tentatively interpreted as imported dried fish based on a priori zooarchaeological criteria. The results tentatively suggest that cod were being transported or traded over very long distances since the end of the first millennium AD. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KW - fish trade

KW - cod

KW - middle ages

KW - Europe

KW - stable isotopes

KW - zooarchaeology

KW - provenance

KW - STABLE-ISOTOPE RATIOS

KW - GADUS-MORHUA

KW - ATLANTIC COD

KW - NORTH-SEA

KW - FOOD-WEB

KW - BONE-COLLAGEN

KW - BODY-SIZE

KW - I LOCUS

KW - FISH

KW - MARINE

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=38949209134&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jas.2007.06.004

DO - 10.1016/j.jas.2007.06.004

M3 - Article

SN - 0305-4403

VL - 35

SP - 850

EP - 861

JO - Journal of archaeological science

JF - Journal of archaeological science

IS - 4

ER -