Walking on Eggshells: A Study of Egg Use in Anglo-Scandinavian York Based on Eggshell Identification Using ZooMS

John R M Stewart; Richard B. Allen; Andrew K G Jones; T. Kendall; Kirsty E H Penkman; Beatrice Demarchi; Terry P. O'Connor; Matthew J. Collins

doi:10.1002/oa.2362

Walking on Eggshells: A Study of Egg Use in Anglo-Scandinavian York Based on Eggshell Identification Using ZooMS

John R M Stewart, Richard B. Allen, Andrew K G Jones, T. Kendall, Kirsty E H Penkman, Beatrice Demarchi, Terry P. O'Connor, Matthew J. Collins

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

Abstract

Eggshell is a potentially common archaeological resource, but it tends to be ignored. The recent development of ZooMS (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) as a rapid and robust system for taxonomic identification of preserved eggshell fragments has facilitated new insights into patterns of egg use in the past. This paper presents a case study of egg use at two sites in Anglo-Scandinavian York (Hungate and Coppergate). The results described below suggest that the relative prevalence of goose eggshell may become a useful indicator of status, consistent with other characteristics of the two sites, and also demonstrate an apparent lack of exploitation of eggs of wild birds in York during the Anglo-Scandinavian period. These results highlight the interpretative potential of eggshell, which can now begin to be more fully explored.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	247-255
Journal	International Journal of Osteoarchaeology
Volume	24
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2362
Publication status	Published - May 2014

Keywords

Bioarchaeology
Eggshell
Zooarchaeology
ZooMS

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10.1002/oa.2362

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title = "Walking on Eggshells: A Study of Egg Use in Anglo-Scandinavian York Based on Eggshell Identification Using ZooMS",

abstract = "Eggshell is a potentially common archaeological resource, but it tends to be ignored. The recent development of ZooMS (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) as a rapid and robust system for taxonomic identification of preserved eggshell fragments has facilitated new insights into patterns of egg use in the past. This paper presents a case study of egg use at two sites in Anglo-Scandinavian York (Hungate and Coppergate). The results described below suggest that the relative prevalence of goose eggshell may become a useful indicator of status, consistent with other characteristics of the two sites, and also demonstrate an apparent lack of exploitation of eggs of wild birds in York during the Anglo-Scandinavian period. These results highlight the interpretative potential of eggshell, which can now begin to be more fully explored.",

keywords = "Bioarchaeology, Eggshell, Zooarchaeology, ZooMS",

author = "Stewart, {John R M} and Allen, {Richard B.} and Jones, {Andrew K G} and T. Kendall and Penkman, {Kirsty E H} and Beatrice Demarchi and O'Connor, {Terry P.} and Collins, {Matthew J.}",

year = "2014",

month = may,

doi = "10.1002/oa.2362",

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AU - Stewart, John R M

AU - Allen, Richard B.

AU - Jones, Andrew K G

AU - Kendall, T.

AU - Penkman, Kirsty E H

AU - Demarchi, Beatrice

AU - O'Connor, Terry P.

AU - Collins, Matthew J.

PY - 2014/5

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N2 - Eggshell is a potentially common archaeological resource, but it tends to be ignored. The recent development of ZooMS (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) as a rapid and robust system for taxonomic identification of preserved eggshell fragments has facilitated new insights into patterns of egg use in the past. This paper presents a case study of egg use at two sites in Anglo-Scandinavian York (Hungate and Coppergate). The results described below suggest that the relative prevalence of goose eggshell may become a useful indicator of status, consistent with other characteristics of the two sites, and also demonstrate an apparent lack of exploitation of eggs of wild birds in York during the Anglo-Scandinavian period. These results highlight the interpretative potential of eggshell, which can now begin to be more fully explored.

AB - Eggshell is a potentially common archaeological resource, but it tends to be ignored. The recent development of ZooMS (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) as a rapid and robust system for taxonomic identification of preserved eggshell fragments has facilitated new insights into patterns of egg use in the past. This paper presents a case study of egg use at two sites in Anglo-Scandinavian York (Hungate and Coppergate). The results described below suggest that the relative prevalence of goose eggshell may become a useful indicator of status, consistent with other characteristics of the two sites, and also demonstrate an apparent lack of exploitation of eggs of wild birds in York during the Anglo-Scandinavian period. These results highlight the interpretative potential of eggshell, which can now begin to be more fully explored.

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Walking on Eggshells: A Study of Egg Use in Anglo-Scandinavian York Based on Eggshell Identification Using ZooMS

Abstract

Keywords

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