Antlers far and wide:Biomolecular identification of Scandinavian hair combs from Ribe, Denmark, 720–900 CE
We used biomolecular methods to identify the faunal species present in hair combs and associated workshop debris discovered at the site Posthustorvet in the trading town of Ribe, Denmark, in contexts dated 720–900 CE. The finds included four unusual combs that have an uncommon but geographically cha...
Published in: | Journal of Archaeological Science |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2023
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Online Access: | https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/antlers-far-and-wide(4d3f8072-7bc3-4967-b7bf-d687d564710a).html https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2023.105773 https://curis.ku.dk/ws/files/344802120/1_s2.0_S0305440323000511_main.pdf |
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ftcopenhagenunip:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/4d3f8072-7bc3-4967-b7bf-d687d564710a 2024-06-09T07:38:04+00:00 Antlers far and wide:Biomolecular identification of Scandinavian hair combs from Ribe, Denmark, 720–900 CE Rey-Iglesia, Alba de Jager, Deon Presslee, Samantha Qvistgaard, Sarah Skytte Sindbæk, Søren Michael Lorenzen, Eline D. 2023 application/pdf https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/antlers-far-and-wide(4d3f8072-7bc3-4967-b7bf-d687d564710a).html https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2023.105773 https://curis.ku.dk/ws/files/344802120/1_s2.0_S0305440323000511_main.pdf eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Rey-Iglesia , A , de Jager , D , Presslee , S , Qvistgaard , S S , Sindbæk , S M & Lorenzen , E D 2023 , ' Antlers far and wide : Biomolecular identification of Scandinavian hair combs from Ribe, Denmark, 720–900 CE ' , Journal of Archaeological Science , vol. 153 , 105773 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2023.105773 Ancient DNA Biogeography Hair combs Moose Reindeer Trade ZooMS article 2023 ftcopenhagenunip https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2023.105773 2024-05-16T11:29:29Z We used biomolecular methods to identify the faunal species present in hair combs and associated workshop debris discovered at the site Posthustorvet in the trading town of Ribe, Denmark, in contexts dated 720–900 CE. The finds included four unusual combs that have an uncommon but geographically characteristic ‘Scandinavian-type’ style, crafted from deer antler, and found in contexts 720–740 CE. They were identified as moose (Alces alces) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) using a combination of peptide mass fingerprinting (ZooMS) and ancient DNA analysis. Our study provides the first confirmed use of moose antler combs in Denmark in the Late Iron Age/Viking Age. Neither moose or reindeer occurred naturally at that time in Denmark, and their closest habitats in the eighth century were on the Scandinavian Peninsula. Based on mitochondrial DNA, the comb identified as moose belonged to the western European mitogenome group, which has been identified in contemporary samples from Scandinavia and Poland, and in one early Holocene sample from Germany. Comparison with other comb finds and extensive workshop debris from the Posthustorvet site reflect a range of different comb-types and raw materials. Our ZooMS and DNA findings, in the context of the absence of associated workshop debris of moose or reindeer during the early phases of the site, support that the four early ‘Scandinavian-type’ combs were brought to the site as finished items by travellers. Our results confirm that visitors from the Scandinavian Peninsula were present in Ribe, a place of trade at the southern edge of the North Sea, in the early eighth century, half a century before the maritime expansion of the Viking Age. Article in Journal/Newspaper Alces alces Rangifer tarandus University of Copenhagen: Research Combs ENVELOPE(-79.150,-79.150,-73.483,-73.483) Journal of Archaeological Science 153 105773 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Copenhagen: Research |
op_collection_id |
ftcopenhagenunip |
language |
English |
topic |
Ancient DNA Biogeography Hair combs Moose Reindeer Trade ZooMS |
spellingShingle |
Ancient DNA Biogeography Hair combs Moose Reindeer Trade ZooMS Rey-Iglesia, Alba de Jager, Deon Presslee, Samantha Qvistgaard, Sarah Skytte Sindbæk, Søren Michael Lorenzen, Eline D. Antlers far and wide:Biomolecular identification of Scandinavian hair combs from Ribe, Denmark, 720–900 CE |
topic_facet |
Ancient DNA Biogeography Hair combs Moose Reindeer Trade ZooMS |
description |
We used biomolecular methods to identify the faunal species present in hair combs and associated workshop debris discovered at the site Posthustorvet in the trading town of Ribe, Denmark, in contexts dated 720–900 CE. The finds included four unusual combs that have an uncommon but geographically characteristic ‘Scandinavian-type’ style, crafted from deer antler, and found in contexts 720–740 CE. They were identified as moose (Alces alces) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) using a combination of peptide mass fingerprinting (ZooMS) and ancient DNA analysis. Our study provides the first confirmed use of moose antler combs in Denmark in the Late Iron Age/Viking Age. Neither moose or reindeer occurred naturally at that time in Denmark, and their closest habitats in the eighth century were on the Scandinavian Peninsula. Based on mitochondrial DNA, the comb identified as moose belonged to the western European mitogenome group, which has been identified in contemporary samples from Scandinavia and Poland, and in one early Holocene sample from Germany. Comparison with other comb finds and extensive workshop debris from the Posthustorvet site reflect a range of different comb-types and raw materials. Our ZooMS and DNA findings, in the context of the absence of associated workshop debris of moose or reindeer during the early phases of the site, support that the four early ‘Scandinavian-type’ combs were brought to the site as finished items by travellers. Our results confirm that visitors from the Scandinavian Peninsula were present in Ribe, a place of trade at the southern edge of the North Sea, in the early eighth century, half a century before the maritime expansion of the Viking Age. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Rey-Iglesia, Alba de Jager, Deon Presslee, Samantha Qvistgaard, Sarah Skytte Sindbæk, Søren Michael Lorenzen, Eline D. |
author_facet |
Rey-Iglesia, Alba de Jager, Deon Presslee, Samantha Qvistgaard, Sarah Skytte Sindbæk, Søren Michael Lorenzen, Eline D. |
author_sort |
Rey-Iglesia, Alba |
title |
Antlers far and wide:Biomolecular identification of Scandinavian hair combs from Ribe, Denmark, 720–900 CE |
title_short |
Antlers far and wide:Biomolecular identification of Scandinavian hair combs from Ribe, Denmark, 720–900 CE |
title_full |
Antlers far and wide:Biomolecular identification of Scandinavian hair combs from Ribe, Denmark, 720–900 CE |
title_fullStr |
Antlers far and wide:Biomolecular identification of Scandinavian hair combs from Ribe, Denmark, 720–900 CE |
title_full_unstemmed |
Antlers far and wide:Biomolecular identification of Scandinavian hair combs from Ribe, Denmark, 720–900 CE |
title_sort |
antlers far and wide:biomolecular identification of scandinavian hair combs from ribe, denmark, 720–900 ce |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/antlers-far-and-wide(4d3f8072-7bc3-4967-b7bf-d687d564710a).html https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2023.105773 https://curis.ku.dk/ws/files/344802120/1_s2.0_S0305440323000511_main.pdf |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-79.150,-79.150,-73.483,-73.483) |
geographic |
Combs |
geographic_facet |
Combs |
genre |
Alces alces Rangifer tarandus |
genre_facet |
Alces alces Rangifer tarandus |
op_source |
Rey-Iglesia , A , de Jager , D , Presslee , S , Qvistgaard , S S , Sindbæk , S M & Lorenzen , E D 2023 , ' Antlers far and wide : Biomolecular identification of Scandinavian hair combs from Ribe, Denmark, 720–900 CE ' , Journal of Archaeological Science , vol. 153 , 105773 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2023.105773 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2023.105773 |
container_title |
Journal of Archaeological Science |
container_volume |
153 |
container_start_page |
105773 |
_version_ |
1801370200465997824 |