Sedimentary DNA and molecular evidence for early human occupation of the Faroe Islands

Nature ^ | 16 December 2021 | (see below)

[SunkenCiv]

The Faroe Islands, a North Atlantic archipelago between Norway and Iceland, were settled by Viking explorers in the mid-9th century CE. However, several indirect lines of evidence suggest earlier occupation of the Faroes by people from the British Isles. Here, we present sedimentary ancient DNA and molecular fecal biomarker evidence from a lake sediment core proximal to a prominent archaeological site in the Faroe Islands to establish the earliest date for the arrival of people in the watershed. Our results reveal an increase in fecal biomarker concentrations and the first appearance of sheep DNA at 500 CE (95% confidence interval 370-610 CE), pre-dating Norse settlements by 300 years. Sedimentary plant DNA indicates an increase in grasses and the disappearance of woody plants, likely due to livestock grazing. This provides unequivocal evidence for human arrival and livestock disturbance in the Faroe Islands centuries before Viking settlement in the 9th century.

[SunkenCiv]

authors: Lorelei Curtin, William J. D’Andrea, Nicholas L. Balascio, Sabrina Shirazi, Beth Shapiro, Gregory A. de Wet, Raymond S. Bradley & Jostein Bakke

a Map of North Atlantic region, with the Faroe Islands in red box. b Map of the Faroe Islands, with the Eiði region in red box. c Eiðisvatn, with blue fill showing the approximate extent of the lake before the emplacement of the hydroelectric dam, green star showing the approximate location of Argisbrekka. Blue dashed line indicates Eiðisvatn watershed boundary. Satellite imagery from Google Earth, Image ©2021 Maxar Technologies, Landsat/Copernicus.

Fig. 1: Maps of the North Atlantic, Faroe Islands, and study location.

[SunkenCiv]

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[poinq]

Not sure what sheep have to do with it. We did not herd sheep that far back. We killed whatever animals we could catch. But there were animals on the Feroe Islands. And they walked there. Within the past 20,000 years there was a land bridge from Iceland to France. It may have been ice in parts. But for the most part it was land. We have found hippo and hyena remains in England. People were there as well, or at least neanderthals were there. But I don’t believe that herding sheep goes back that far. Farming and herding is somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 years old. And it was certainly after the last ice age.

[Afterguard]

Might want to review it again. The article says (around) 500 CE which is Common Era. The liberal godless equivalent of AD.

[Republican Wildcat]

“CE”

Oh stop.

[Theophilous Meatyard III]

I still prefer “Christian era” because it’s more descriptive, meaning so many years since the life of Christ.

[Openurmind]

This is actually pretty significant.

[Red Badger]

Well, when there’s an Ice Sheet across the North Atlantic, people just walked across, looking for Polar Bears stuck on icebergs...............................

[Red Badger]

I still prefer “Christian era” because it’s more descriptive, meaning so many years since the life of Christ.

That and it tends to piss liberals off, bigly....................