ENTHESEAL AND PATHOLOGICAL PECULIARITIES BETWEEN ECOTYPES OF RANGIFER TARANDUS
Channel: European Association of Archaeologists
Date: 2020-11-01

Rangifer tarandus, both wild and domestic, are a keystone species to the circumpolar world. Northern peoples have hunted, herded, milked, and ridden Rangifer tarandus, and have cast them in roles as diverse as prey and companion. While the exact number and delineation of subspecies is still a subject of debate, most experts agree that Rangifer tarandus can be divided into three broad ecotypes; large forest types, mid-sized tundra types, and small-bodied arctic types. Studies of modern reindeer and of archaeological materials reveal that, to date, only tundra reindeer are known to have been domesticated. Forest reindeer and tundra reindeer overlap in size and are difficult to distinguish in the archaeological record. The behavioral patterns and community dynamics of each of these groups may give additional clues to why tundra reindeer were more receptive to human involvement. By using traditional methods of osteology and identifying patterns of habitual activity, behavioral proclivity, and rates of specific injury and pathology among subspecies of Rangifer tarandus, we may both more accurately identify an archaeological individual’s ecotype and add additional nuance to theories of reindeer domestication. This allows niche adaptations and landscapes themselves to be considered as additional agents in domestication. By considering the animals holistically, as individuals within communities who are adapted to and shaped by unique environments, we can more accurately identify and explore the differences between ecotypes in the archaeological record.


Author(s): Hull, Emily (University of Alberta)