Prehistorical and early historical distribution of Roe deer Capreolus capreolus (L.) in Norway

Abstract

Bone materials from more than 800 Norwegian pre- and early historical archaeological sites have been analysed. A total of four Roe deer bones are identified from three sites. This indicates that a Roe deer population was present in south-western Norway 6600 - 5300 BP and south‑eastern Norway 7900 - 6700 BP. The lack of Roe deer bones in the other sites indicates that the species never had a wide distribution in the past. The present wide distribution of Roe deer in Norway is of recent date and probably caused by other factors than climate and vegetation alone.

Keywords

• Mammalia
• Artiodactyla
• distribution
• Holocene period
• Norway