Archaeologia Islandica - 01.01.2013, Qupperneq 61

PROBLEMS AND POSSIBILITIES WHEN USING BEETLE REMAINS (COLEOPTERA) FOR INTERPRETATION OF
POST-MEDIEVAL SETTLEMENTS IN THE INTERDISCIPLINARY HÓLAR PROJECT, ICELAND
Context (layer) Arch. Sample nr. Sample Remains of true flies Remains of
Archaeological Sample insect analysis volyme (1) (Diptera) mites
registration nr. nr. (Acaria)
Floor och infilling in
room
2133 2217 1 5.0 ++ +
Stable room
229 839 2 5.2
Corridor in house
225 1385 3 4.0 +
Floor or infilling in
room
1065 1381 4 6.0 +
Kitchen with two
stoves
228 1126 5 42.0 ++ +
228 822 6 5.2 + +
226 665 7 6.2
228 1130 8 13.6
Small room or storage 3773 Floor or infilling in room 3821 9 4.0 + +
1084 1377 10 6.4 +
Floor in printhouse, by tiled stove 3580 Floor in storing 3817 11 5.0 ++ +
room
5228 5270 12 4.0 ++ ++ |
5228 5274 13 8.0 + ++
Corridor in house 5152 5278 14 4.0 ++ ++
5152 5282 15 4.0 + ++ i
Table 1
magnification; other macroscopic remains
such as metal, wool and wood were
removed. The zoological literature of
insects (primarily beetles) and prepared
modern specimens from reference
collections in museum collections were
used to identify insect remains.
Samples from 2002 and 2003
Sampling for insect analysis during 2002
was primarily a first test to determine the
degree of soil preservation and whether
sub-fossil insect remains were present,
together with the condition of insect body
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