Sedimentary DNA and molecular evidence for early human occupation of the Faroe Islands

Lorelei Curtin; William J.  D'Andrea; Nicholas L. Balascio; Sabina Shirazi; Beth  Shapiro; de Wet Gregory A.; Raymond S. Bradley; Jostein Bakke

Sedimentary DNA and molecular evidence for early human occupation of the Faroe Islands

Lorelei Curtin
, William J. D'Andrea
, Nicholas L. Balascio
, Sabina Shirazi
, Beth Shapiro
, de Wet Gregory A.
, Raymond S. Bradley
, Jostein Bakke

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Faroe Islands, a North Atlantic archipelago between Norway and Iceland, were settled by
Viking explorers in the mid-9th century CE. However, several indirect lines of evidence
suggest earlier occupation of the Faroes by people from the British Isles. Here, we present
sedimentary ancient DNA and molecular fecal biomarker evidence from a lake sediment core
proximal to a prominent archaeological site in the Faroe Islands to establish the earliest date
for the arrival of people in the watershed. Our results reveal an increase in fecal biomarker
concentrations and the first appearance of sheep DNA at 500 CE (95% confidence interval
370-610 CE), pre-dating Norse settlements by 300 years. Sedimentary plant DNA indicates
an increase in grasses and the disappearance of woody plants, likely due to livestock grazing.
This provides unequivocal evidence for human arrival and livestock disturbance in the Faroe
Islands centuries before Viking settlement in the 9th century.

Original language	English
Number of pages	7
Journal	Communications Earth & Environment
Volume	2
Issue number	253
Publication status	Published - 2021
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Sedimentary DNA
early human occupation
Faroe Islands

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title = "Sedimentary DNA and molecular evidence for early human occupation of the Faroe Islands",

abstract = "The Faroe Islands, a North Atlantic archipelago between Norway and Iceland, were settled by Viking explorers in the mid-9th century CE. However, several indirect lines of evidence suggest earlier occupation of the Faroes by people from the British Isles. Here, we present sedimentary ancient DNA and molecular fecal biomarker evidence from a lake sediment core proximal to a prominent archaeological site in the Faroe Islands to establish the earliest date for the arrival of people in the watershed. Our results reveal an increase in fecal biomarker concentrations and the first appearance of sheep DNA at 500 CE (95\% confidence interval 370-610 CE), pre-dating Norse settlements by 300 years. Sedimentary plant DNA indicates an increase in grasses and the disappearance of woody plants, likely due to livestock grazing. This provides unequivocal evidence for human arrival and livestock disturbance in the Faroe Islands centuries before Viking settlement in the 9th century.",

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author = "Lorelei Curtin and D'Andrea, \{William J.\} and Balascio, \{Nicholas L.\} and Sabina Shirazi and Beth Shapiro and \{Gregory A.\}, \{de Wet\} and Bradley, \{Raymond S.\} and Jostein Bakke",

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language = "English",

volume = "2",

journal = "Communications Earth \& Environment",

issn = "2662-4435",

publisher = "Springer Nature Limited",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Sedimentary DNA and molecular evidence for early human occupation of the Faroe Islands

AU - Curtin, Lorelei

AU - D'Andrea, William J.

AU - Balascio, Nicholas L.

AU - Shirazi, Sabina

AU - Shapiro, Beth

AU - Gregory A., de Wet

AU - Bradley, Raymond S.

AU - Bakke, Jostein

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - The Faroe Islands, a North Atlantic archipelago between Norway and Iceland, were settled by Viking explorers in the mid-9th century CE. However, several indirect lines of evidence suggest earlier occupation of the Faroes by people from the British Isles. Here, we present sedimentary ancient DNA and molecular fecal biomarker evidence from a lake sediment core proximal to a prominent archaeological site in the Faroe Islands to establish the earliest date for the arrival of people in the watershed. Our results reveal an increase in fecal biomarker concentrations and the first appearance of sheep DNA at 500 CE (95% confidence interval 370-610 CE), pre-dating Norse settlements by 300 years. Sedimentary plant DNA indicates an increase in grasses and the disappearance of woody plants, likely due to livestock grazing. This provides unequivocal evidence for human arrival and livestock disturbance in the Faroe Islands centuries before Viking settlement in the 9th century.

AB - The Faroe Islands, a North Atlantic archipelago between Norway and Iceland, were settled by Viking explorers in the mid-9th century CE. However, several indirect lines of evidence suggest earlier occupation of the Faroes by people from the British Isles. Here, we present sedimentary ancient DNA and molecular fecal biomarker evidence from a lake sediment core proximal to a prominent archaeological site in the Faroe Islands to establish the earliest date for the arrival of people in the watershed. Our results reveal an increase in fecal biomarker concentrations and the first appearance of sheep DNA at 500 CE (95% confidence interval 370-610 CE), pre-dating Norse settlements by 300 years. Sedimentary plant DNA indicates an increase in grasses and the disappearance of woody plants, likely due to livestock grazing. This provides unequivocal evidence for human arrival and livestock disturbance in the Faroe Islands centuries before Viking settlement in the 9th century.

KW - Sedimentary DNA

KW - early human occupation

KW - Faroe Islands

M3 - Article

SN - 2662-4435

VL - 2

JO - Communications Earth & Environment

JF - Communications Earth & Environment

IS - 253

ER -

Sedimentary DNA and molecular evidence for early human occupation of the Faroe Islands

Abstract

Keywords

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