Revealing the invisible dead: integrated bio-geoarchaeological profiling exposes human and animal remains in a seemingly 'empty' Viking-Age burial

Recent investigations of an apparently ‘empty,’ partly disturbed Viking chamber grave in Denmark (Fregerslev II, dated around the mid-10th century CE) provided an opportunity to develop a novel multi-scalar and multi-method analysis of burial and post-burial processes. To overcome the limitations of...

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Autores: Sulas, Federica, Bagge, Merethe Schifter, Enevold, Renee, Harrault, Loïc, Munch Kristiansen, Søren, Ljungberg, Thomas, Milek, Karen B., Mikkelsen, Peter Hambro, Jensen, Peter Mose, Orfanou, Vana, Out, Welmoed A., Portillo, Marta, Sindbæk, Søren Michael
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2022
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/337730
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/337730
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2022.105589
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Equestrian grave
Viking burials
Archaeobotany
Palynology
Geoarchaeology
Faecal biomarkers
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spelling Revealing the invisible dead: integrated bio-geoarchaeological profiling exposes human and animal remains in a seemingly 'empty' Viking-Age burialSulas, FedericaBagge, Merethe SchifterEnevold, ReneeHarrault, LoïcMunch Kristiansen, SørenLjungberg, ThomasMilek, Karen B.Mikkelsen, Peter HambroJensen, Peter MoseOrfanou, VanaOut, Welmoed A.Portillo, MartaSindbæk, Søren MichaelEquestrian graveViking burialsArchaeobotanyPalynologyGeoarchaeologyFaecal biomarkersRecent investigations of an apparently ‘empty,’ partly disturbed Viking chamber grave in Denmark (Fregerslev II, dated around the mid-10th century CE) provided an opportunity to develop a novel multi-scalar and multi-method analysis of burial and post-burial processes. To overcome the limitations of poor preservation of artefacts and bones, and the lack of a clear macrostratigraphic sequence, we integrated multi-proxy analyses of organic and inorganic materials to study the spatial architecture, burial, and post-depositional processes, including soil chemistry (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry- ICPMS, portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer - pXRF), soil micromorphology, archaeobotany (wood, seeds, fruits, phytoliths), palynology (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs), and faecal lipid biomarkers. The results enabled the detailed characterisation, spatial analysis, and sequencing of burial deposits, and the identification of post-depositional factors responsible for the poor preservation of the burial. Soil, phytolith and pollen data indicated that the base of the grave was covered with a matting of plant material, and there was no wooden floor. Faecal biomarkers detected substantial amounts of faecal matter, most probably originating from horse faeces, suggesting that a horse died in situ, and trace amounts of pig faeces, which are more likely to have been trampled into the grave. Enriched phosphorus concentrations could be linked with the bodies in the northern and southern sector of the grave. Furthermore, enrichment in lead was found where metal objects were recovered. The findings from Fregerslev II show that integrating high-resolution approaches to the analysis of poorly preserved burial contexts can fundamentally transform archaeological interpretations.A. P. Møllerske Støttefond (Grant n. 11372), The Augustinus Foundation (Grant n. 16-2213), The Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces, and Skanderborg Municipality. At the time of analysis, F. Sulas and V. Orfanou were employed at the Centre for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet), Aarhus University, and wish to thank the centre and its leader, R. Raja (Danish National Research Foundation under the grant DNRF119 - Centre of Excellence for Urban Network Evolutions). We also thank: C. French and T. Rajkovaca, C. McBurney Laboratory for Geoarchaeology, University of Cambridge, for thin section processing; A. Philips, University of Amsterdam, for phytolith extraction. Lipid biomarker analysis was supported by the Leverhulme Trust (grant RPG-2019-258) as part of the Cohabiting with Vikings Project.Peer reviewedElsevier BVUniversity of AmsterdamUniversity of CambridgeSulas, Federica [0000-0003-1825-8133]Bagge, Merethe Schifter [0000-0002-4026-7514]Enevold, Renee [0000-0003-2603-8026]Harrault, Loïc [0000-0002-3513-1612]Ljungberg, Thomas [0000-0002-9221-8896]Milek, Karen B. [0000-0002-8083-6240]Mikkelsen, Peter Hambro [0000-0002-4954-6755]Orfanou, Vana [0000-0002-3337-2260]Out, Welmoed A. [0000-0001-7262-5358]Portillo, Marta [0000-0002-2703-031X]Sindbæk, Søren Michael [0000-0002-1254-1256]Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]202320232022info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501Publisher's versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://hdl.handle.net/10261/337730https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2022.105589reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSICinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)InglésSíinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:digital.csic.es:10261/3377302026-05-22T06:33:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Revealing the invisible dead: integrated bio-geoarchaeological profiling exposes human and animal remains in a seemingly 'empty' Viking-Age burial
title Revealing the invisible dead: integrated bio-geoarchaeological profiling exposes human and animal remains in a seemingly 'empty' Viking-Age burial
spellingShingle Revealing the invisible dead: integrated bio-geoarchaeological profiling exposes human and animal remains in a seemingly 'empty' Viking-Age burial
Sulas, Federica
Equestrian grave
Viking burials
Archaeobotany
Palynology
Geoarchaeology
Faecal biomarkers
title_short Revealing the invisible dead: integrated bio-geoarchaeological profiling exposes human and animal remains in a seemingly 'empty' Viking-Age burial
title_full Revealing the invisible dead: integrated bio-geoarchaeological profiling exposes human and animal remains in a seemingly 'empty' Viking-Age burial
title_fullStr Revealing the invisible dead: integrated bio-geoarchaeological profiling exposes human and animal remains in a seemingly 'empty' Viking-Age burial
title_full_unstemmed Revealing the invisible dead: integrated bio-geoarchaeological profiling exposes human and animal remains in a seemingly 'empty' Viking-Age burial
title_sort Revealing the invisible dead: integrated bio-geoarchaeological profiling exposes human and animal remains in a seemingly 'empty' Viking-Age burial
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Sulas, Federica
Bagge, Merethe Schifter
Enevold, Renee
Harrault, Loïc
Munch Kristiansen, Søren
Ljungberg, Thomas
Milek, Karen B.
Mikkelsen, Peter Hambro
Jensen, Peter Mose
Orfanou, Vana
Out, Welmoed A.
Portillo, Marta
Sindbæk, Søren Michael
author Sulas, Federica
author_facet Sulas, Federica
Bagge, Merethe Schifter
Enevold, Renee
Harrault, Loïc
Munch Kristiansen, Søren
Ljungberg, Thomas
Milek, Karen B.
Mikkelsen, Peter Hambro
Jensen, Peter Mose
Orfanou, Vana
Out, Welmoed A.
Portillo, Marta
Sindbæk, Søren Michael
author_role author
author2 Bagge, Merethe Schifter
Enevold, Renee
Harrault, Loïc
Munch Kristiansen, Søren
Ljungberg, Thomas
Milek, Karen B.
Mikkelsen, Peter Hambro
Jensen, Peter Mose
Orfanou, Vana
Out, Welmoed A.
Portillo, Marta
Sindbæk, Søren Michael
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv University of Amsterdam
University of Cambridge
Sulas, Federica [0000-0003-1825-8133]
Bagge, Merethe Schifter [0000-0002-4026-7514]
Enevold, Renee [0000-0003-2603-8026]
Harrault, Loïc [0000-0002-3513-1612]
Ljungberg, Thomas [0000-0002-9221-8896]
Milek, Karen B. [0000-0002-8083-6240]
Mikkelsen, Peter Hambro [0000-0002-4954-6755]
Orfanou, Vana [0000-0002-3337-2260]
Out, Welmoed A. [0000-0001-7262-5358]
Portillo, Marta [0000-0002-2703-031X]
Sindbæk, Søren Michael [0000-0002-1254-1256]
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Equestrian grave
Viking burials
Archaeobotany
Palynology
Geoarchaeology
Faecal biomarkers
topic Equestrian grave
Viking burials
Archaeobotany
Palynology
Geoarchaeology
Faecal biomarkers
description Recent investigations of an apparently ‘empty,’ partly disturbed Viking chamber grave in Denmark (Fregerslev II, dated around the mid-10th century CE) provided an opportunity to develop a novel multi-scalar and multi-method analysis of burial and post-burial processes. To overcome the limitations of poor preservation of artefacts and bones, and the lack of a clear macrostratigraphic sequence, we integrated multi-proxy analyses of organic and inorganic materials to study the spatial architecture, burial, and post-depositional processes, including soil chemistry (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry- ICPMS, portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer - pXRF), soil micromorphology, archaeobotany (wood, seeds, fruits, phytoliths), palynology (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs), and faecal lipid biomarkers. The results enabled the detailed characterisation, spatial analysis, and sequencing of burial deposits, and the identification of post-depositional factors responsible for the poor preservation of the burial. Soil, phytolith and pollen data indicated that the base of the grave was covered with a matting of plant material, and there was no wooden floor. Faecal biomarkers detected substantial amounts of faecal matter, most probably originating from horse faeces, suggesting that a horse died in situ, and trace amounts of pig faeces, which are more likely to have been trampled into the grave. Enriched phosphorus concentrations could be linked with the bodies in the northern and southern sector of the grave. Furthermore, enrichment in lead was found where metal objects were recovered. The findings from Fregerslev II show that integrating high-resolution approaches to the analysis of poorly preserved burial contexts can fundamentally transform archaeological interpretations.
publishDate 2022
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2022
2023
2023
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
Publisher's version
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/337730
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2022.105589
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/337730
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2022.105589
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Sí
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier BV
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier BV
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
collection DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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