An Interim Report of a Viking-Age & Medieval Archaeofauna from Undir Junkarinsfløtti, Sandoy, Faroe Islands

• Main Authors: McGovern, Thomas H., Amundsen, Colin, Perdikaris, Sophia, Harrison, Ramona, Krivogorskaya, Yekaterina
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 2004
• Subjects: Faroe Islands; Zooarchaeology; Viking settlement; Sea birds; Early fishing; Animal Studies; Anthropology; Biological and Physical Anthropology; Geography; International and Area Studies; Sandoy; Sandur
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/global/20; https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/global/article/1019/viewcontent/Norsec17UndirJunkarinsflotti.pdf

Cooperative international excavations at the site of Undir Junkarinsfløtti (27020) in the village of Sandur on the island of Sandoy, Faroe Islands in May 2003 recovered a stratified bone - rich midden deposit extending from the Viking Age to the early medieval period. The animal bone collection contains domestic mammals (cattle, sheep, dog, goat, and pig) and substantial amounts of fish (mainly cod), birds (mainly puffin and guillemot), and shellfish (mainly limpet). While the current collection has the archaeological limitations inherent in column samples, it suggests persistence of substantial pig keeping into the 13th c, and strongly indicates a sustainable exploitation of sea bird colonies as well as some preparation of preserved fish on site. The site has considerable potential for shedding light on early Faroese economy and the environmental impact of the local Viking age settlers.