This book addresses the problems of identifying human actions behind finds of bones in settlement archaeology, exemplified with the identification of ritual deposits. In order to formulate a methodological framework for approaching the identification of ritual deposits, different methods are tested on four Early Medieval case studysites: Dongjum and Leeuwarden, two artificial dwelling mounds situated in the then undiked salt marches of the Northern Netherlands, Midlaren, an inland settlement in Drenthe, also in the Northern Netherlands, and finally Uppåkra, a central place in the South of Sweden. The bone fragments from the four materials are studied in a five step process of definition, description, identification, interpretation and explanation. The deposits are discussed with the help of various archaeological, ethnographic and historical sources. The results of the analysis lead to a methodological framework for understanding individual deposits based on a holistic perspective where all information is regarded as potentially valuable, various methods are taken into consideration, and simplification is avoided.

 

1. Introduction 1

2. Archaeozoological methods 13

3. Identifying ritual deposits 27

4. Dongjum 53

5. Leeuwarden 64

6. Midlaren 85

7. Uppåkra 93

8. Interpretation and explanation of activity 116

9. Conclusions 141

Appendix I – Additional butchery marks 145

Appendix II - Aurochs atlas measurements 150

References 151

English summary 164

Dutch summary 172

Acknowledgements 181