Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1998, Page 236

242
LANDSCAPES AT LANDNÁM: PALYNOLOGICAL AND
PALAEOENTOMOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FROM TOFTANES; FAROEISLANDS
woodland had been present at the time of
landnám, it was quickly removed and any
surviving arboreal elements, such as birch
and juniper, must have been protected from
grazing animals or were inaccessible to
them.
The insect faunas are enigmatic in show-
ing a muted anthropogenic signature, yet
one which displays obvious signs of an-
thropochorous habitats. This is curious giv-
en the obvious existence of a farmstead and
any incongruity may be a result of sam-
pling bias. Three new species have been
added to the Faroese list.
Future palaeoecological work at Tofta-
nes will involve extensive additions to the
number of pollen and insect samples
analysed, their statistical analysis, and the
identification and interpretation of seed
samples. A major priority must be efforts to
reduce the taphonomic uncertainties asso-
ciated with the samples.
Acknowledgements
Thanks are extended to Føroya Fornminnissavn under
whose aegis excavation took place, and to Jóhannes
Jóhansen who collected the samples for pollen analysis.
Processing and identification of insect remains was
funded by a grant from NSF (USA) to NABO, the North
Atlantic Biocultural Organisation. Robert Buckland as-
sisted with sample processing.
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