van den Hurk, Youri / Küchelmann, Hans Christian / Spindler, Luke (2024): Digging into a Biocultural Archive. The Potential and Urgency of Research on Historical Whale Bones Illustrated by Examples from Bremen. – Deutsches Schifffahrtsarchiv 41, 253-264
Abstract
Whales have been commercially exploited worldwide for centuries. Over the past four centuries, many northwestern European countries also engaged in whaling. These whalers frequently brought back whale bones from the animals they hunted. Such bones were used for a variety of purposes, including jaw-bone arches, fences, and cattle rubbing posts. However, it is often unknown to which species these bones belong. Moreover, many of these specimens have been exposed to the elements for decades or even centuries, leading to their gradual deterioration. Here, we applied the method of Zooarchaeology by Mass-Spectrometry (ZooMS) to two whale bones preserved in Bremen to identify their species. Both specimens were identified as »Balaenidae« and likely derived from the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), which was extensively hunted by German whalers in Arctic waters. This case study showcases the wealth of information that can be gained from analyzing whale bones preserved in cultural heritage settings. We argue that more specimens should be analyzed before erosion and weathering make research on this valuable biocultural archive impossible.
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van den Hurk, Youri / Küchelmann, Hans Christian / Spindler, Luke (2024): Digging into a Biocultural Archive. The Potential and Urgency of Research on Historical Whale Bones Illustrated by Examples from Bremen. – Deutsches Schifffahrtsarchiv 41, 253-264
Abstract
Whales have been commercially exploited worldwide for centuries. Over the past four centuries, many northwestern European countries also engaged in whaling. These whalers frequently brought back whale bones from the animals they hunted. Such bones were used for a variety of purposes, including jaw-bone arches, fences, and cattle rubbing posts. However, it is often unknown to which species these bones belong. Moreover, many of these specimens have been exposed to the elements for decades or even centuries, leading to their gradual deterioration. Here, we applied the method of Zooarchaeology by Mass-Spectrometry (ZooMS) to two whale bones preserved in Bremen to identify their species. Both specimens were identified as »Balaenidae« and likely derived from the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), which was extensively hunted by German whalers in Arctic waters. This case study showcases the wealth of information that can be gained from analyzing whale bones preserved in cultural heritage settings. We argue that more specimens should be analyzed before erosion and weathering make research on this valuable biocultural archive impossible.
Download (PDF 0,6 MB)