Macrofossil finds of henbane ( Hyoscyamus niger) in the old settlement layers in southern Finland

Abstract

The macrofossil seed finds of henbane ( Hyoscyamus niger L.) from five settlement sites in southern Finland were analyzed. The sites were dated archaeologically from the Viking Age to the 19th century. The number of studied soils samples was 492. The seeds of henbane were quite common in the late medieval settlement layers of Turku, Kaarina, the bishop's castle of Kuusisto, and also in the layers of the 17th century of the fortress in Lappeenranta. Few seeds were found from the 18th century layers of Naantali, and one charred seed from the level of an ancient field in Rapola, Sääksmäki dated to the Viking Age. The associate species from all the sites were more or less common settlement weeds, such as Chenopodium album, C. glaucum, C. rubrum, C. suecicum, Ranunculus repens, Taraxacum officinale, Urtica dioica and U. urens. Most probably, the henbane was carried by man to the studied sites as a medicinal plant. The studied site of Turku was the location of a poorhouse and a hospital in the Middle Ages. The inhabitants of the castle of Kuusisto were in direct contact with the monks and nuns of the convent of Naantali where medicinal herbs were cultivated in the Middle Ages. The henbane was carried to Lappeenranta probably by soldiers or shopkeepers. The oldest find of henbane came from Rapola, Sääksmäki and dated to the Viking Age. It was found from the layer of an ancient field near an ancient castle hill. According to the present macrofossil finds, the henbane was carried to southern Finland at the same time as to Sweden.