A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
The 18th century sea fortress of Ruotsinsalmi, Kotkansaari in Finland : Archaeobotanical data of a log latrine
Authors: Lempiainen-Avci M, Kykyri M
Publisher: ESTONIAN ACADEMY PUBLISHERS
Publication year: 2017
Journal: Estonian Journal of Archaeology
Journal name in source: ESTONIAN JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY
Journal acronym: EST J ARCHAEOL
Volume: 21
Issue: 1
First page : 30
Last page: 51
Number of pages: 22
ISSN: 1406-2933
eISSN: 1736-7484
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3176/arch.2017.1.02
Abstract
In archaeobotany, plant remains from latrines have been used to derive information on historical food consumption. In this interdisciplinary paper, we present new archaeological and archaeobotanical data from the 1790s sea fortress of Ruotsinsalmi in Kotkansaari, Finland. Archaeological research revealed the remains of an infantry barracks and a well-preserved log latrine at the sea fortress. The contents of the latrine were excavated, and waterlogged human faeces were found. To reconstruct the food consumption of the soldiers at the sea fortress, we carried out archaeobotanical analyses on the faeces. The waterlogged human faeces consisted purely of plant remains and fish bone fragments. The analysis of the plant remains gave records of 77 different plant taxa, and common millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) and sage (Salvia officinalis L.) were identified for the first time from archaeological layers in Finland. The remarkable number of cultivated and exotic plants recorded from the faeces shows that imported as well as locally produced food was used.
In archaeobotany, plant remains from latrines have been used to derive information on historical food consumption. In this interdisciplinary paper, we present new archaeological and archaeobotanical data from the 1790s sea fortress of Ruotsinsalmi in Kotkansaari, Finland. Archaeological research revealed the remains of an infantry barracks and a well-preserved log latrine at the sea fortress. The contents of the latrine were excavated, and waterlogged human faeces were found. To reconstruct the food consumption of the soldiers at the sea fortress, we carried out archaeobotanical analyses on the faeces. The waterlogged human faeces consisted purely of plant remains and fish bone fragments. The analysis of the plant remains gave records of 77 different plant taxa, and common millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) and sage (Salvia officinalis L.) were identified for the first time from archaeological layers in Finland. The remarkable number of cultivated and exotic plants recorded from the faeces shows that imported as well as locally produced food was used.
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