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dc.contributor.authorBitz-Thorsen, Julie
dc.contributor.authorGotfredsen, Anne Birgitte
dc.date.accessioned2019-09-16T09:35:17Z
dc.date.available2019-09-16T09:35:17Z
dc.date.issued2018-12-03
dc.description.abstractThe earliest finds of domestic cat in Denmark date back to the Roman Iron Age (c. 1–375 AD). Initially, cats occurred sparsely and only from the Viking Age (c. 850–1050 AD) did they become more frequent in numbers, though primarily in urban contexts and in connection with fur production. In medieval times, cats became beasts of pest control in rural settlements, manorial estates as well as in the expanding towns, where large and numerous refuse heaps attracted various rodents. To investigate size trends over time of the domestic cat (Felis catus) in Denmark, bone measurements and statistical analyses were performed on archaeological and modern material. Domestic cats were found to increase significantly in size over time since the Viking Age. Limb bones and mandibles exhibited the most significant change in increase (up to 16%), as compared to modern female cats, and tooth size the least (c. 5.5%). The most plausible explanations for such a size increase were improved living conditions caused by increased food availability and a possible shift in human usage of the cats, from a rat and mice captor to a well-fed and well-cared pet. Despite the observed increase in size, domestic cats have kept many osteological features indistinguishable from their wild progenitor.en_US
dc.descriptionThis is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in the <i>Danish Journal of Archaeology</i> on 3 December 2018, available online: <a href=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21662282.2018.1546420>https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21662282.2018.1546420</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.citationBitz-Thorsen, J. & Gotfredsen, A.B. (2018). Domestic cats (<i>Felis catus</i>) in Denmark have increased significantly in size since the Viking Age. <i>Danish Journal of Archaeology, 7</i>(2), 241-254. https://doi.org/10.1080/21662282.2018.1546420en_US
dc.identifier.cristinIDFRIDAID 1670652
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/21662282.2018.1546420
dc.identifier.issn2166-2282
dc.identifier.issn2166-2290
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10037/16200
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen_US
dc.relation.journalDanish Journal of Archaeology
dc.rights.accessRightsopenAccessen_US
dc.subjectVDP::Humanities: 000::Archeology: 090::Nordic archeology: 091en_US
dc.subjectVDP::Humaniora: 000::Arkeologi: 090::Nordisk arkeologi: 091en_US
dc.subjectFelis catusen_US
dc.subjectdomestic caten_US
dc.subjectsize increaseen_US
dc.subjectMiddle Ageen_US
dc.subjectViking Ageen_US
dc.titleDomestic cats (Felis catus) in Denmark have increased significantly in size since the Viking Ageen_US
dc.typeJournal articleen_US
dc.typeTidsskriftartikkelen_US
dc.typePeer revieweden_US


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