Bones from Anglo-Scandinavian Levels at 16-22 Coppergate (The Archaeology of York, Vol. 15: The Animal Bones)

Presents results of study of over 75 000 fragments of animal bones, hand-collected in thirty-three groups and dating from mid-9th to mid-11th century. Cattle were predominant, with smaller quantities of sheep and pig, and low frequencies of wild species (which included birds). A mixture of butchering activity and domestic refuse is deduced. There were more diverse wild birds and more pig bones in the later part of the period studied. Fish bones showed a heavy emphasis on eel and herring, with offshore catching increasing towards the end of the period. Frog was very common, black rat and house mouse consistently present. Comparison with other sites in N Europe showed no distinctively Scandinavian traits.