Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2013, Page 49

EXPLOITATION OF WILD BIRDS IN ICELAND FROM THE SETTLEMENT
PERIOD TO THE 19TH CENTURY AND ITS REFLECTION IN ARCHAEOLOGY
could have been removed entirely without
some of it being trampled into the floors.
According to Ólafsson (pers. comm.,
2012) a small part of the falcon house
foundation was excavated in the 1990s but
results ffom that part of the site are being
processed. If rejected falcons were
sometimes killed, it is not unreasonable to
expect that somewhere in Bessastaðir, and
other places where falcon buyers
evaluated the birds, a midden containing
bone remains could be found. Scant
remains of only two falcons were found at
the medieval trading site of Gásir (c. 14th
century) in Eyjafjörður (Harrison et al.
2008, 112). Their presence could possibly
suggest falcon trade, rather than deliberate
killing (unless falcons were taking a swipe
at their lapdogs; Harrison 2007, 28), as it
seems unlikely that seasonal guests were
worried about bird colonies in the area and
falcons are an unlikely food source. One
bone of a Gyrfalcon has also been found at
the fishing farm Gjögur (13th-15th c.
contexts) in Northwest Iceland (table 2)
but no ideas about its origins were
discussed (Krivogorskaya et al. 2006,
384-385).
Figure 5 - Map of the Bessastaðir housing in
1751, falcon house far right marked E
(courtesy of the Icelandic State Archives (ÞI.
Drawing collection. Cabinet 6, nr. 4)).
Discussion
Many wild bird species have been
exploited in Iceland one way or another
since the settlement period; if not for
meat, then for their colourful feathers
and/or innate talent for killing as was the
case with falcons. Birds such as swans,
geese, ptarmigans, gulls and auks were
robbed of their eggs and hunted with dogs,
snares and/or nets for their meat and
feathers. Fulmar was also exploited for
meat and eggs but his down and feathers
however, were only exchanged for
necessities or used as bedding at home due
to persistent oil smell. The Eider duck was
largely exploited for eggs to eat and
eiderdown for export. Hunting Eiders was
not forbidden for a long time but was
condemned by owners of Eider colonies
who had much to lose if the birds were
killed or decided to move house, as
eiderdown was a luxury commodity and
their egg production was considerable.
Eiderdown has been exported since the
early 18th century at least. Feathers and
down from other species were mostly used
for bedding while primary flight feathers
of swans, geese and ravens (and maybe
even eagles) were used as quills. Swan
feathers were being exported in large
quantities as early as the late 18th century
and unclassified feathers and down have
been shipped out at least since the early
17th century. Bird meat, however, was
usually only exchanged domestically or
stored for home consumption, except the
ptarmigan, which in the 19th and early
20th century at least, was exported in large
quantities. Gyrfalcons had an entirely
different purpose altogether. They were
exported on wing for and by the social
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