Seaweed is often overlooked in archaeology as food and as a resource for industry, crafting and in agriculture. However, charred seaweed remains have been found in flotation samples from Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age, Norse, and Medieval sites in Scotland, England, Ireland, and Scandinavia, among others. Due to the wide variety of uses for seaweed, its purpose on site often remains open to conjecture.

Historical evidence shows that seaweed was frequently part of sheep and cattle diets in coastal areas. As part of this PhD, research was undertaken to improve detection methods of seaweed consumption, using stable isotope ratio and trace element analysis of present-day and archaeological sheep teeth and bones from Scotland. Additionally, a field trial was undertaken to show the effects of fertilising cereals with seaweed on crop isotope ratios. This presentation gives an overview of past seaweed use and its identification based on historical and archaeological sources, with a focus on North Atlantic Europe.

Dr. Magdalena Blanz MSc ist Archäochemikerin am Vienna Institute of Archaeological Science (VIAS) der Universität Wien. Sie ist Trägerin des BAG Förderpreises 2021, Kategorie Dissertation.

Zoom-Link: https://oeaw-ac-at.zoom.us/j/93815658302?pwd=ZmdpSWR3cmlHRGZ3YytpZk0zZHYwQT09
(Meeting ID: 938 1565 8302, Passcode: JXhqD7)