Ebook: The Archaeology of Wings: Birds and People in the Baltic Sea Region During the Stone Age

In this doctoral dissertation bird bone material from various Stone Age sites in the Baltic Sea region is investigated. The study period is approximately 7000–3400 BP, comprising mainly Neolithic cultures. The settlement material comes from Finland, Åland, Gotland, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. Osteological materials were used for studying the economic and cultural importance of birds, fowling methods and principal fowling seasons. Birds in burials at two large cemeteries, Ajvide on Gotland and Zvejnieki in northern Latvia were investigated in order to study the roles of birds in burial practices. Despite usually low numbers of bird bones in osteological materials from prehistoric sites, it could be shown that waterbirds and several grouse species were economically important in the Stone Age cultures of the study area. The breeding period was the main fowling period in the Baltic Sea area during the Stone Age. Fowling has been most important in coastal areas. Th e burial fi nds indicate that some common ideas about waterbirds (perhaps as messengers or spirit helpers) might have existed in the northern European Stone Age.