Isotope Zooarchaeology in Viking Scotland: Previous Research, Possibilities and Future Directions

Abstract

This chapter summarises the current state of play of Norse isotope zooarchaeology in Scotland, with a focus on the Northern and Western Isles, where bone preservation and intensive excavation campaigns in recent years have allowed detailed isotopic investigations to be conducted. Key themes and research findings are outlined before exploring future directions and areas for research to further enhance understanding of Norse adaptions to the environments that they lived in. Huge advances in stable isotope archaeology that have allowed the exploration of bone assemblages on a biomolecular level, revolutionising understanding of animal management and wider economies in a way that was not possible using solely traditional zooarchaeological methods. Findings on changing land use strategies, control over the landscape, birth seasonality and the use of unusual fodder are all made possible and central to understanding Viking interactions with the contemporary landscape in Scotland.