Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2005, Page 29

Archaeological Excavations at Vatnsfjorður 2003-04
Vatnsfjord 2003-4 Archaeofauna
Taxon total NISP%
DOMESTIC MAMMALS
Cattle 22 15.49
Horse 1 0.70
Pig 3 2.11
Goat 1 0.70
Sheep 8 5.63
Caprine 49 34.51
SEA MAMMALS
Seal sp 8 5.63
Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina L.) 3 2.11
Whaie sp 2 1.41
Large whale 1 0.70
BIRDS
Murre or Guiilemot 4 2.82
Puffin 1 4.93
White tailed sea eagle 1 0.70
Swan sp 2 1.41
Goose sp (possibly domestic) 1 0.70
Bird sp 8 5.63
FISH
Cod 3 2.11
Haddock 1 0.70
Gadid 3 2.11
Fish sp. 12 8.45
SHELLFISH ___________
Clamsp ___________2_ 1.41
NISP TOTAL 142
Large Terrestrial Mammal 19
Medium Terrestrial Mammal 36
Unidentified fragments 117
TNFTOTAL 314
Table 1. The Vatnsfjörður archaeofauna
ularly well preserved fínd that indicates a
fairly small, long snouted animal compa-
rable to other Viking Age pigs recovered
from other parts of Iceland. Cattle bones
are also present, including the bones of
newbom (neonatal) animals indicating a
dairying economy - again a pattem com-
mon to most periods in Iceland. Sheep
and caprine (either sheep or goat) bones
include both juveniles and old adults.
Wild mammals are mainly seal,
with a few elements that could be posi-
tively identified as harbor (common) seal
(Phoca vitulina L.). Harbor seals are the
most common in-shore seal species in
Iceland, and also appear in other archaeo-
fauna from Vestfirðir (Edvardsson et al.
2004). Whale bones are from large
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