Avian signatures for identity and status in Anglo-Saxon England.

摘要

The presence and diversity of wild bird remains recovered from archaeologicaludsites can be used to explore questions beyond mere subsistence strategies and wildfowling techniques. A survey of 26 avian assemblages from English Anglo-Saxon vertebrate assemblagesud(broadly classified into settlement types) was undertaken in order to assess ifudinterpretable patterns of data, reflecting attributes linked to the broader nature and characterudof settlements and their inhabitants, could be recovered. A more limited range of speciesudwere noted from ecclesiastical rural and early trading emporia (wics) compared withudthe high status estate and urban centres. A case study (using data from the well stratifiedudassemblage from Flixborough, UK), supported broad conclusions drawn from the originaludsurvey by highlighting a possible ecclesiastical avian ‘signature’ at this site during the 9thudcentury, with elements associated with high status identified from the 8th and 10th centuries. Further, more detailed, consideration of individual avian species (particularly Gruidae,udArdeidae and raptors) also suggest their association with particular categories of sitesudand their significance in identifying high status pursuits such as falconry.