Vikings brought horses and dogs to the British Isles from Scandinavia, a new study suggests.
A chemical analysis of bone fragments from a cemetery in England provides the first solid scientific evidence of animals traveling with Vikings across the North Sea, scientists report February 1 in PLOS ONE.
In the 1990s, researchers unearthed the cremated remains of a human adult and child as well as of a dog, horse and probable pig from a burial mound in a Viking cemetery in Derbyshire, England. In previous work, radiocarbon dating of femur, skull and rib fragments revealed that the inhabitants all died sometime between the eighth and 10th centuries. That date was narrowed down to the year 873, thanks to the ninth-century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which records that a Viking army wintered near the site that year.
Where the animals came from has been a mystery. Norse raiders are known to have stolen horses from people in England around the time. And researchers have generally thought that Viking boats at the time were too small to allow for much transport of animals from Scandinavia to the British Isles. One entry in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle describes Vikings moving from France to England along with their horses in the year 892, but no physical evidence of such activity had been found before.
In the new work, Tessi Löffelmann and colleagues turned to certain forms, or isotopes, of strontium to unravel the individuals’ provenance. The element accumulates in bones over time through diet, leaving a distinct signature of where an individual has lived (SN: 4/2/19).
2023-02-01 17:12:33
Original from www.sciencenews.org
In 873, Viking settlers from Scandinavia made an indelible contribution to the English landscape when they reportedly brought a variety of animals to the island of Britain. Some of these animals, such as cows, pigs, and sheep, eventually became an integral part of English society and were used for a variety of purposes, including food, clothing, and trade.
The Viking settlers made sure to bring animals on their journey to England in order to start their new settlements. Cattle and sheep were chosen for the journey due to their hardiness and the fact that they were useful both as a source of nutrition and as a trade commodity. Pigs were also brought to England, as these animals were seen as an invaluable source of food as well as being relatively easy to transport.
It is thought that the Vikings brought with them varieties of domesticated animals that already existed in Scandinavia at the time, such as cattle, sheep, pigs, and chickens. The impact of these animals upon England is evident in England’s appearance today, as some of the distinctions between rural and urban areas in the 870s still remain.
The Vikings left a lasting legacy in terms of animal husbandry in England, as their various contributions set a precedents for future generations. Domestic animals would remain a key part of English life for centuries to come due to the legacy of the Viking settlers.
Today, the impact of the Vikings upon Britain can still be seen in the variety of animals used in farms and trades across the country. This legacy was established by the Viking settlers in the 870s, and their arrival in England is an important part of the country’s history.