Bräkanden från förr
att skilja får från getter utifrån kv. Apoteket 4-5 i Visby
SheepGoatSpecies differentiationOsteologyZederPilaarLaphamButcheryAnimal husbandryFårGetArtidentifieringOsteologiZederPilaarLaphamSlaktDjurhållningGotland
To differentiate between bones from sheep (Ovis aries) and bones from of goats (Capra hircus) is a long lasting challenge for zoologists, archaeozoologists and osteologists. Especially considering archaeological remains which are often found fractured and poorly preserved due to taphonomic processes. Zeder & Pilaar?s (2010) and Zeder & Lapham?s (2010) methods of species differentiation has shown promising results when used on bones from modern sheeps and goats. This paper aims to evaluate these methods by exerting them on excavated bones from kv. Apoteket 4-5, a late Viking Age and early Medieval quarter in central Visby. The results have shown that Zeder & Pilaar?s (2010) methods of identifying sheeps and goats with the mandibular teeths and mandibles are unreliable due to disturbances from wear, fragmentation and weak criterias. Results from Zeder & Laphams (2010) methods for post cranial bones shows mixed results considering a pilot study with the implementation of ancient DNA, which was executed att Gotland University during summer and fall 2011. More extensive studies in the future with the implementation of archaeogenetics are planned which can be used to further develop these methods and thus increase the reliabiltiy of the results.In this study 5,3kg of bones were osteologically species identified and analyzed. The results were used to recreate the use of sheep and goats including butchery techniques, animal husbandry and livestock health status with focus on the sheeps and goats in an early Medieval town quarter in Visby.