Zooarchaeological Implications for Prehistoric Distributions of Seabirds along the Norwegian Coast

Abstract

Investigation of the temporal and spatial distributions of zooarchaeological material can aid in understanding of the palaeoecology of nonhuman and human species. Northern gannets (Sula bassanas) and northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) were first documented to breed in Norway during the present century. Skeletal remains of gannets and fulmars uncovered at Norwegian archaeological sites have been dated from approximately 7000 to 800 B.P. and from about 30,000 to 400 B.P. respectively. The modal occurrence of gannets occurred in Norwegian waters earlier than did most fulmars. Recovered fulmar bones greatly outnumber those of gannets, a pattern consistent with relative abundances in Norwegian waters today, but one that might also reflect differential accessibility and/or prey preferences of previous coastal inhabitants. Proportionally more of the fulmar material was uncovered at proportionally more sites in North Norway, findings consistent with current species distributions and with speculation of similar oceanographic conditions in previous millenia.