Species identification using ZooMS, with reference to the exploitation of animal resources in the medieval town of Odense

ABSTRACT

ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry) is increasingly being used as a method for species identification of archaeological and historical remains. The method identifies species from the peptide mass fingerprint of extracted collagen – the principal protein of bone, ivory, dentine, leather, and parchment. ZooMS has the advantages that it is a fast and simple method, that requires only small sample sizes or even non-destructive sampling. The taxonomic resolution of the method varies, but ZooMS is diagnostic for most domesticated animals and for the relatively depauperate Scandinavian fauna, although some groups (seals, martens) cannot be resolved, and it cannot discriminate some domesticates (dog, cattle) from their wild counterparts. In this article, we overview the method and demonstrate the value of ZooMS and illustrate our points via a case study of 20 samples from 12th to 14th century layers in the Danish medieval town of Odense. Four artefacts were tested by a non-destructive eraser technique because of their uniqueness, but only one could be identified. The remaining 16 were identified following destructive analysis of the sample, one sample could not be identified.

Through the identification of a gaming piece as walrus tusk the analysis demonstrated the long distance trade networks of Odense and the pursuit of some inhabitants for luxury products and high living standards. Conversely, the species identification of combs showed that the medieval comb maker would use the resources immediately available to him to create an affordable everyday object rather than rely on imported antler.

KEYWORDS:

• ZooMS
• species identification
• collagen
• middle age
• animal resources
• long distance trade
• zooarchaeology
• archaeology

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Luke Spindler at BioArCh, University of York for his help with ZooMS sample preparation, MS, and inputs to the ZooMS protocol. We also thank Susanne Østergaard for her extensive work on the animal bones from Odense and Sidsel Frisch for help with preparing the figures.

Notes

1. https://www.retsinformation.dk/Forms/R0710.aspx?id=162504 (visited 21.09.2017).

2. http://slks.dk/fortidsminder-diger/arkaeologi-paa-land/museernes-arkaeologiske-arbejde/vejledning-om-arkaeologiske-undersoegelser/kap-6-konservering-og-naturvidenskab/#c45926 (visited 21.09.2017).

3. Diplomatarium Danicum I, I nr. 343 s. 133–34. http://dendigitalebyport.byhistorie.dk/medieval/item.aspx?itemid=391 (accessed 09–04-2018) .

4. http://museum.odense.dk/forskning/projekter/odenses-opstaaen (accessed 21–09-2017).

5. A biological family of cloven-hoofed ruminant mammals including species such as bison, African buffalo, water buffalo, antelopes, sheep, goats, muskoxen, and domestic cattle.

6. A biological family of hoofed ruminant mammals including species such as elk, reindeer, fallow deer, and roe deer.

7. In theory also with horse, but this species can be eliminated by the peak 2131,1 (bovids/cervids) or 2145,1 (horse/zebra) which is often identified, but not shown in the displayed spectrum.

8. In Århus there was 2,7% horse bone in the 10th-12th century and 1,7% in the 13th −14th century. In Ribe there were 30 fragments of horse from the 8th-9th century.

9. https://slks.dk/fortidsminder-diger/arkaeologi-paa-land/museernes-arkaeologiske-arbejde/vejledning-om-arkaeologiske-undersoegelser/kap-6-konservering-og-naturvidenskab/.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Carlsberg Foundation under Grant CF15-0573 (Fur and skin trade in Viking and medieval Denmark – A biomolecular investigation of archaeological fur, skin, and leather from Denmark and its contribution to the understanding of the Viking and medieval fur and skin trade), the Danish National Research Foundation under the Grant DNRF119 (Centre of Excellence for Urban Network Evolutions) and Grant DNRF128; and The Velux Foundation under Grant Urban Encounters (Urbaniseringens Møder og Mennesker).