In this paper we describe how and why turkeys were introduced to Sweden during the 16th century, and how the bird spread to different social groups in the 17th century. We present data from unpublished financial records and provide a compilation of all archaeological findings of turkeys from the geographical area of present-day Sweden. The results show that turkeys, first imported by Duke Karl of Sweden in the 1580s, had spread to the Swedish nobility by the 1610s. During the first decades of turkey husbandry in Sweden, turkeys were items of conspicuous consumption, used to show off during elite dinners and as gifts to peers and subsequently also to subordinates. During the 17th century, the bird was adopted by the urban upper middle class. Early modern Swedish turkeys were small, and likely less affected by selective breeding when compared to modern heritage-breed turkeys. 

Preserved fish was one of the main traded commodities in medieval and early modern times, and herring and cod were the socioeconomically most important species. This paper brings together stable isotope ratio analysis of archaeological cod bones and documentary data from customs records originating from the early modern Swedish town of Nya Lödöse (1473–1624 CE), shedding new light on the import of stockfish (dried cod). The combined results show that the stockfish imported to Nya Lödöse was mainly produced in the Danish town of Skagen, and the importance of Bergenfish was negligible. The Skagen fisheries targeted large gadids, skates, and flatfish and have hitherto been bypassed in archaeological research on the medieval and early modern fish trade. The findings of this research highlight the intense connectivity between communities across the Skagerrak and give an example of the comprehensive regional fish trade that existed alongside the long-distance trade. Another important conclusion is that the isotopic values for cod caught in the Skagerrak must be used with caution since this sea basin is populated by several different cod stocks. The North Sea cod population inhabits a large part of the Skagerrak, and cod bones with isotopic values consistent with the North Sea might thus have been fished in the Skagerrak. 

We present the organic residue analysis of sherds of 50 cooking vessels from the 16th-century town of Nya Lödöse, Sweden. We confirm previous analyses showing that lipids are absorbed by glazed ceramic. By analyses of biomarkers and compound-specific stable carbon isotope analyses of fatty acids, we show that pipkins and pans were used for cooking ruminant carcass products, dairy, and plant foods. The dominance of ruminant fat and dairy reflects the importance of oxen and butter in the local food culture. The vessels included in the present study show some degree of specialized function. Pipkins had more traces of ruminant carcass fats compared to pans. Medium and large-sized pipkins contained a combination of animal fats and plant traces, possibly representing the preparation of stews. In contrast, the smallest pipkins showed no traces of plant foods and might have been used to melt animal fat. Pans had more traces of butter and had been exposed to higher temperatures, indicating frying. Flat pans were, to a higher degree, used for the frying of fish than the deep ones, but fish seem nonetheless to be underrepresented in the lipid residue data. According to zooarchaeological and historical data, fish, pork, and poultry were important parts of the diet, but as traces of these foodstuffs are scarce in the organic residue analysis, it may be inferred that they were prepared differently—boiled in metal cauldrons, roasted on metal spits over the open fire, or consumed in their dried, salted, or smoked state without further preparation.

This study employs an interdisciplinary approach to investigate diet at the Swedish town of Nya Lödöse (1473–1624 CE). The primary aim is to determine the proportions of aquatic and terrestrial foods consumed in the diet and to examine whether these proportions shifted after the Reformation in 1527. A secondary aim is to analyze variations in diet related to biological sex or social status. δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N stable isotope ratio analysis of bulk rib collagen from humans (n = 71) and fauna (n = 202) was conducted, and the results show the sampled individuals have similar isotopic compositions, with mean δ¹³C values of −19.9 ± 0.7‰ and δ¹⁵N values of 12.6 ± 1.0‰. These isotopic values suggest a diet rich in animal protein, mainly beef, with some consumption of aquatic resources. The Bayesian mixing model FRUITS was used to estimate the relative consumption of livestock, marine fish, and freshwater/pelagic fish. Modelling indicates an average aquatic protein intake of ∼ 15–16% for females and ∼ 20–24% for males. Comparing isotopic data from before and after the Reformation reveals no major changes in diet, although the post-Reformation period saw a small increase in fish intake in males and a diversification in diet in both sexes. The isotopic data suggest a slight but statistically significant difference in diet between males and females. Females had a less varied diet than males, with males having greater access to fish. After the Reformation, dietary differences between the sexes became marginally more pronounced.