29Th ICM Abstracts
Artis Aboltins Military gear of the Scandinavian military elite during the Vendel period and 29th ICM possible ways of using it on the battlefield Much has been said about the weapon and armour finds in princely burials in Vendel and Valsgarde, but little has been published about the actual use of the University College Dublin 1st~3rd July 2015 weapons and armour in question. These include statements that they were intended strictly for ceremonial usage and not actual warfare. However, there is a body of evidence that suggests possible methods of use of those weapons and Abstracts armour for combat~both the archaeological finds themselves, as well as indirect evidence. Additionally, recreation of accurate replicas of the gear allows for experimentation with its actual usage, dispelling persistent myths about the equipment from this time period. Recent finds in Estonia, also, have offered valuable insights into this matter, as they represent burials of men, who, apparently, have fallen in battle. This research is an attempt to bring the various sources together and present the results in a condensed format. Elise Alonzi To sample the Salmon of Knowledge: historical and archaeological evidence for the impact of dietary practices on the biogeochemistry of medieval Irish populations Farming, fishing, cooking, and cuisine are just some of the cultural pathways that isotopes follow as they move from ecosystems to humans. To properly interpret diet and mobility through biogeochemical data, it is imperative to understand cultural provisioning practices and how isotopes arrive in the body. Historical, archaeological, and baseline isotopic evidence, including law tracts, saints' lives, and studies of archaeological flora and fauna, will be contextualized with information about chemical processes, such as fractionation and isotopic mixing, to understand how cultural practices impact biogeochemical values of medieval Irish populations.
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