Kaupang 2000, Environmental Archaeology
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1. Introduction
The Environmental Archaeology Lab was contracted in June 2000 to carry out palaeoenvironmental analyses on samples from the Kaupang excavation in Southern Norway. Excavation was carried out
during that summer, and Pat Wagner Sheffield University was employed by the excavators to supervise initial sampling and teach the sampling and field processing methods. The sampled
features included waterlogged deposits interpreted as wells and latrines, and deposits from pits of unknown function. Fossil preservation varied considerably, being both a function of modern
conditions and the hydrological history of the deposit, and one cannot guarantee that all materials are equally preserved.
A total of 15 soil samples were submitted to the lab, all of which were to undergo macrofossil analysis, and 6 of which were, in addition, to be analysed with respect to their fossil insect
assemblages. As a matter of routine all samples underwent rudimentary soil chemistry analyses. Table 1 summarises the samples and the analyses performed upon them. In addition to the soil
samples received, several jars of test material floated on site were included, these were cursorily examined as a control to the soil samples, i.e. their faunas were checked against the appropriate
sample to see whether any extra species were present in the jars. These samples are not listed in the results as the faunas were too small to be of real analytical value.
Kaupang 2000, Environmental Archaeology
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Sample Additional
data Sediment inclusions
Analyses
PM E
xc ava
tor s
int er
pr et
at ion
Pr of
ile Phot
o Phos
pha te
,
L O
I, M
S Ins
ec t
M ac
ro P
ol le
n AL12669A9422
12620 Latrine X X Bark, much organic
X X X
A1625, lag 3 12938
Well X X Teeth, wood, burnt bone, charcoal
X X X X
A1635, lag 3 13779
Well X X Teeth, bone, charcoal
X X X X
A9062 15893
Well X X
Teeth, wood, bone burnt unburnt, charcoal
X X
A17015 17207
Pit Clayey, wood, charcoal, bone
X X
AL24204A20082 24231 Well
Wood, bark, charcoal X
X A28480
28374 Latrine?
Wood, bark, charcoal, organics X
X X A5088, lag 2
1004280 Pit X X Clay-coarse sand, bone, charcoal
X X
A5088, lag 6 1004281 Pit
X X Clayey, fish bone, charcoal X
X A5107, lag 1
1004282 Pit X X
Clayey, wood, burnt bone, burnt clay, charcoal
X X
A5190, lag 1 1004283 Pit
X X Clayey, bone, charcoal X
X A15175
1004286 Pit X
Wood, bark, bone, organics X
X X AL11611A10135 1004288 Well
Wood, bark X
X A4129
1004290 Well X Clayey, charcoal
X X
A15175 1004291 Latrine
Wood, bone, charcoal X
X X Jar samples excluded, but were checked as a control
Organics is used to signify decayed vegetation remainsdungpeat, which can look similar.
LOI = Loss On Ignition MS = Magnetic
Susceptibility Table 1. Samples and performed analyses.
Kaupang 2000, Environmental Archaeology
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2. Methods 2.1 Soil Chemistry
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