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Where are the wolves? Investigating the scarcity of European grey wolf ( Canis lupus lupus ) remains in medieval archaeological contexts and its implications
Author(s) -
Pluskowski A.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
international journal of osteoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1099-1212
pISSN - 1047-482X
DOI - 10.1002/oa.824
Subject(s) - canis , scarcity , gray wolf , archaeology , systemic lupus erythematosus , fragmentation (computing) , geography , history , ethnology , ecology , biology , medicine , disease , pathology , economics , microeconomics
The wolf is thought to have been abundant in many parts of medieval Europe, but its remains are rarely identified in archaeological contexts. One of the potential reasons for this is the problem of distinguishing between the skeletal elements of wolves and dogs, accentuated by poor preservation and fragmentation. This paper reviews the extent of this problem, exploring the morphological relationships between wolves and dogs, as well as the issue of hybridisation, and goes on to suggest how the scarcity of wolf remains may in fact reflect infrequent hunting. This is illustrated with a comparative regional case study of wolf hunting and commercial exploitation in medieval England and southern Scandinavia, synthesising archaeological and written sources. The paper concludes with an optimistic appraisal of the value of wolf remains in medieval archaeological contexts for a broader understanding of relations between humans and wolves in the medieval period. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.