Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2013, Page 51

EXPLOITATION OF WILD BIRDS IN ICELAND FROM THE SETTLEMENT
PERIOD TO THE 19TH CENTURY AND ITS REFLECTION IN ARCHAEOLOGY
not problematic and such remains have
been found in Aðalstræti, at Svalbarð and
Stóraborg (Hambrecht 2009, 20-22) on
the coast as well as Skútustaðir (Hicks
2009, 22) and Skriðuklaustur
(Hamilton-Dyer 2010, 4) inland (Gallus
gallus; see table 2). Geese and ducks are
more problematic however, as according
to Olgeirsson (2003, 20) separating the
bones of the domestic birds from the wild
ones is difficult. A considerable amount of
domestic geese (Anser anser domesticus)
was apparently found at Stóraborg
(Hambrecht 2009, 21; see also Amorosi
2004) but how that identifícation was
made is unclear. According to Hanson
(2011, 236-237) backyard flocks were
very common in continental Europe and
Britain. The quills trade was so large that
some regions in Poland and Russia bred
geese en masse expressly for that purpose.
Whether this was ever attempted in
Iceland to satisfy native demand is
unknown. But in spite of these
uncertainties one thing is clear. This
interesting part of the nation's past has
great potential and archaeologists have
barely scraped the surface of all the
information that still lies hidden.
Note
This article started its life as an essay in a seminar at
the University of Iceland called Trade and Exchange
in Medieval Iceland. I would like to give special
thanks to Dr. Orri Vésteinsson, professor at the
University of Iceland, and Dr. Ámi Einarsson,
biologist at the Mývatn Nature Research Centre,
whose encouragement and comments have been very
helpful and greatly improved this article. I would also
like to give special thanks to Steinunn Kristjánsdóttir,
Guðrún Harðardóttir, Guðmundur Ólafsson and Jón
Torfason at the National Museum of Iceland for their
help and permission to use some of the photos and the
map seen in this article, and to Ramona Harrison for a
few helpfol hints.
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