Living in liminality : an osteoarchaeological investigation into the use of avian resources in North Atlantic Island environments
This thesis explores the use of avian resources within the Scottish and wider North Atlantic Island environment via archaeological bone and eggshell. Birds can provide a range of products including meat, eggs and feathers, however their archaeological investigation has frequently been both overlooked, and limited in its extent and application. By collating pre-existing avian data and combining it with new, in-depth analyses this thesis investigates bird use though time and space; firstly in the Scottish Islands (the primary area of study), and then contextualises this within the wider tradition of fowling archaeologically and historically in Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Mesolithic to Norse Scottish Island bird bone is used to develop our understanding of diet, wild resource exploitation, seasonal fowling activities, habitat use, and movement around the landscape. South Uist in the Outer Hebrides forms a major case study incorporating substantial primary bone analyses from Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age Cladh Hallan, Norse Bornais and Norse Cille Pheadair. The full Scottish Island dataset is used to consider trends in bird use by period and location. Species presence, juveniles, medullary bone and SEM
Best, Julia
CC Archaeology
Living in liminality : an osteoarchaeological investigation into the use of avian resources in North Atlantic Island environments. This thesis explores the use of avian resources within the Scottish and wider North Atlantic Island environment via archaeological bone and eggshell. Birds can provide a range of products including meat, eggs and feathers, however their archaeological investigation has frequently been both overlooked, and limited in its extent and application. By collating pre-existing avian data and combining it with new, in-depth analyses this thesis investigates bird use though time and space; firstly in the Scottish Islands (the primary area of study), and then contextualises this within the wider tradition of fowling archaeologically and historically in Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Mesolithic to Norse Scottish Island bird bone is used to develop our understanding of diet, wild resource exploitation, seasonal fowling activities, habitat use, and movement around the landscape. South Uist in the Outer Hebrides forms a major case study incorporating substantial primary bone analyses from Late Bronze Age to Early Iron Age Cladh Hallan, Norse Bornais and Norse Cille Pheadair. The full Scottish Island dataset is used to consider trends in bird use by period and location. Species presence, juveniles, medullary bone and SEM
living osteoarchaeological investigation use resource north atlantic island environment explores use resource within scottish wider north atlantic island environment via archaeological_bone eggshell provide range product include meat however archaeological_investigation frequently overlook limited extent application collate pre_existing data combine_new depth_analysis investigate bird use though time_space firstly scottish islands primary area study contextualises within_wide tradition archaeologically historically iceland islands mesolithic norse scottish island bird bone use develop diet wild resource_exploitation seasonal activity habitat use movement around landscape south outer hebrides form major case_study incorporate substantial primary bone analyse late_bronze age_early iron_age norse norse full scottish island dataset use consider trend bird use period location species presence juvenile bone sem