Archaeofauna from Skriðuklaustur, East-Iceland

The archaeofauna was recovered during the first year of the research excavation at the late medieval monastery at Skriðuklaustur East-Iceland directed by Dr. Steinunn Kristjánsdóttir. The collection derives from contexts within the monastery’s buildings mostly postdating the Veiðivötn 1477 tephra and was carefully hand collected. The bone preservation at Skriðuklaustur is very good which makes a zooarchaeological analysis very feasible.

The archaeofauna indicates that caprines (sheep and goat) were the most important for the economy of the site but that the monastery had good connections to the sea side as is displayed in the wide variety marine species present. Cattle meat was imported to the site after butchery and the monastery seems to have been given the best cuts of meat.

The importance and status of the monastery is displayed in the consumption of fresh fish, its being provisioned with the best cuts of meat and the presence of small dogs.

Archaeofauna Iceland monastery Skriðuklaustur zooarchaeology

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