Fur-bearing species and Scottish islands

Eva H. Fairnell; J.H. Barrett

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2006.09.005

Fur-bearing species and Scottish islands

Eva H. Fairnell, J.H. Barrett

Archaeology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Analysis of a database comprising archaeological records of fur-bearing species in Scotland has highlighted the pesence of foxes, badgers and other mustelids in areas outside their modern-day geographic range. Of particular interest is the apparent presence of foxes on Orkney for a number of centuries, from perhaps the last few centuries BC to the mid to late first millennium AD, pine marten on Orkney in the Neolithic, and badgers on the Outer Hebrides in the Early Bronze Age and 6e7th centuries AD. While zooarchaeological analysis of the data suggests the evidence from the Outer Hebrides is indicative of imported products of fur-bearing species, such as skins or ‘trophies’, the evidence from Orkney suggests populations of fur-bearing species may have been purposefully introduced by humans. This raises interesting questions regarding human perception and use of the different species in prehistoric North Atlantic Scotland.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	463-484
Number of pages	21
Journal	Journal of archaeological science
Volume	34
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2006.09.005
Publication status	Published - Mar 2007

Keywords

Badger
Biogeography
Fox
Fur-bearing species
Mustelids
Scottish islands
Zooarchaeology

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jas.2006.09.005

Cite this

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title = "Fur-bearing species and Scottish islands",

abstract = "Analysis of a database comprising archaeological records of fur-bearing species in Scotland has highlighted the pesence of foxes, badgers and other mustelids in areas outside their modern-day geographic range. Of particular interest is the apparent presence of foxes on Orkney for a number of centuries, from perhaps the last few centuries BC to the mid to late first millennium AD, pine marten on Orkney in the Neolithic, and badgers on the Outer Hebrides in the Early Bronze Age and 6e7th centuries AD. While zooarchaeological analysis of the data suggests the evidence from the Outer Hebrides is indicative of imported products of fur-bearing species, such as skins or {\textquoteleft}trophies{\textquoteright}, the evidence from Orkney suggests populations of fur-bearing species may have been purposefully introduced by humans. This raises interesting questions regarding human perception and use of the different species in prehistoric North Atlantic Scotland.",

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author = "Fairnell, {Eva H.} and J.H. Barrett",

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AU - Fairnell, Eva H.

AU - Barrett, J.H.

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AB - Analysis of a database comprising archaeological records of fur-bearing species in Scotland has highlighted the pesence of foxes, badgers and other mustelids in areas outside their modern-day geographic range. Of particular interest is the apparent presence of foxes on Orkney for a number of centuries, from perhaps the last few centuries BC to the mid to late first millennium AD, pine marten on Orkney in the Neolithic, and badgers on the Outer Hebrides in the Early Bronze Age and 6e7th centuries AD. While zooarchaeological analysis of the data suggests the evidence from the Outer Hebrides is indicative of imported products of fur-bearing species, such as skins or ‘trophies’, the evidence from Orkney suggests populations of fur-bearing species may have been purposefully introduced by humans. This raises interesting questions regarding human perception and use of the different species in prehistoric North Atlantic Scotland.

KW - Badger

KW - Biogeography

KW - Fox

KW - Fur-bearing species

KW - Mustelids

KW - Scottish islands

KW - Zooarchaeology

U2 - 10.1016/j.jas.2006.09.005

DO - 10.1016/j.jas.2006.09.005

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