Feeding the crusades: archaeobotany, animal husbandry and livestock alimentation on the Baltic frontier

Banerjea, R. Y. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1786-357X, Badura, M., Brown, A., Morandi, L. F., Marcinkowski, M., Valk, H., Ismail-Meyer, K. and Pluskowski, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4494-7664 (2020) Feeding the crusades: archaeobotany, animal husbandry and livestock alimentation on the Baltic frontier. Environmental Archaeology: the Journal of Human Palaeoecology, 25 (2). pp. 135-150. ISSN 1461-4103 doi: 10.1080/14614103.2019.1589924

Abstract/Summary

The integrated results of micromorphology, plant macrofossil, pollen, phytolith, and non-pollen palynomorph analyses represent an important study of two thirteenth-century Teutonic Order castles at Karksi (Livonia), and Elbląg (Prussia). The research examines deposits that formed during the period of active crusading. At Karksi, the investigation of a midden and of the organic-rich sediment beneath allows the diachronic use of this area to be understood. Freshwater aquatic indicators are consistent with the occurrence of shallow stagnant water, as also suggested by a waterlaid pond sediment identified in thin-section. Coprophilous spore taxa suggest the use of the pond as a watering hole. Plant macrofossils from the midden represent a range of habitats, mostly from wet/damp areas, as well as pastures and meadows, and also woodlands. Fragments of millet are embedded within herbivore dung in thin-section showing the use of this grain as fodder. At Elbląg, parasite ova may derive from animal feces as they also occur in the dung observed in thin-section, and a range of coprophilous fungal spore taxa were extracted. The results reveal information about the range of livestock that the Teutonic Knights kept, whereabouts within the castles the animals were stabled, and what fodder was used.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/82876
Identification Number/DOI	10.1080/14614103.2019.1589924
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Human Environments Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Scientific Archaeology Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Department of Archaeology
Publisher	Maney Publishing
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