The value of stallions and mares during the Early Medieval time in upper class Svealand. Molecular sex identifications on horse remains from Vendel and Eketorp

Abstract

The importance of horses in the pre-Christian cult in central Svealand is well known and has generated some interest. However, the sex of the horses involved has rarely been discussed. Here I present a new method for sexing archaeological horse remains and briefly discuss the importance the sex of the horse may have had in Early Medieval central Svealand.