Birds in Estonian zooarchaeological material: diversity, importance and the earliest appearance of domesticated species

Abstract

Linnud on inimeste elus läbi aegade olulist rolli mänginud. Üks viis lindude tähtsuse mõistmiseks minevikus on uurida arheoloogilisi linnuluid zooarheoloogia meetoditega. Väitekirja esimene eesmärk oli välja selgitada, milliseid linde leidub Eesti zooarheoloogilises materjalis ja milline oli nende lindude olulisus inimeste jaoks. Selleks kaasasin uurimistöösse tänapäevase Viljandi linna alalt leitud linnuluud, mis pärinevad hilisviikingiajast varauusajani ehk vahemikust 10.–18. sajand. Saadud tulemusi võrdlesin Klaipėda ordulinnuselt Leedus leitud luudega. Kuna enamik leide olid toidujäätmed, siis selgus, et toidulauale jõudis erinevaid linnuliike. Suurem osa luid kuulus kodukanadele, hanedele ja partidele, kuid leidus ka näiteks sookurgede, luikede ja metsiste luid. Viimased liigid olid seotud kõrgemas staatuses inimeste toidulauaga. Lindudel oli ka oma sümboolne tähendus, sest neid pandi kaasa hauapanusena kalmetesse või valmistati nende luudest ripatseid. Lisaks kasutati osa linde ka kukevõitlusel ja jahipidamisel. Töö teine eesmärk oli uurida, millal jõudsid kõige levinumad kodulinnud ehk kodukana ja -hani Eesti alale. Varaseim kodukana luu pärineb Rebala Lastekangrute I kalmest ning on rohkem kui kaks tuhat aastat vana. Alates ajast umbes tuhat aastat tagasi leidub kanaluid Eesti muististes juba rohkelt. Esimeste koduhanede otsimine osutus aga märksa keerulisemaks ülesandeks, kuna metsikud ja kodustatud vormid on omavahel väga sarnased. Siiski on võimalik, et hanesid hakati Eesti alal kasvatama juba rauaajal. Kalkunid jõudsid Eestisse kirjalike allikate põhjal 16. sajandil, kuid senised arheoloogilised leiud on hilisemad. See, millal kodupardid, -tuvid ja paabulinnud Eesti alale jõudsid, jääb edasiseks uurimisülesandeks.

Birds have been an important part of peoples’ lives through time. One way to understand the meaning of birds in the past is to study archaeological bird bones with zooarchaeological methods. The first aim of this dissertation was to discuss the diversity of birds in Estonian zooarchaeological material and their importance in past societies. For that purpose, bird bones from modern-day Viljandi, dated to 10th–18th centuries, were included in the study. The results were compared to the material from Klaipėda Castle, Lithuania. Most of the analysed bones were food waste and belonged mostly to chicken, goose and duck. Other species, for example the Eurasian crane, swan and western capercaillie were also present. The latter were related to the inhabitants of higher status. Additionally, birds held a symbolic meaning, as they were accompanied in burials and their bones were made into pendants. Some birds were also used for cockfighting and hawking. The second aim of the study was to clarify when were the main domestic birds – chicken and goose – brought to the area of present-day Estonia. The earliest evidence of chicken was found from Rebala stone grave and is more than two thousand years old. Since the time around a thousand years ago, chicken remains in Estonian archaeological sites are already abundant. The earliest evidence of the domestic goose, on the other hand, proved to be a difficult task, because its wild and domestic forms are very similar. However, it is possible that geese were bred here already in the Iron Age. Turkeys were brought to the area of present-day Estonia during the 16th century as suggested by the written sources, but the zooarchaeological evidence come from later periods. The first appearance of domestic ducks, pigeons and peafowl is yet to be clarified in the future.