Data from: Ancient DNA reveals the Arctic origin of Viking Age cod from Haithabu, Germany

Knowledge of the range and chronology of historic trade and long-distance
transport of natural resources is essential for determining the impacts of
past human activities on marine environments. However, the specific
biological sources of imported fauna are often difficult to identify, in
particular if species have a wide spatial distribution and lack clear
osteological or isotopic differentiation between populations. Here, we
report that ancient fish-bone remains, despite being porous, brittle, and
light, provide an excellent source of endogenous DNA (15–46%) of
sufficient quality for whole-genome reconstruction. By comparing ancient
sequence data to that of modern specimens, we determine the biological
origin of 15 Viking Age (800–1066 CE) and subsequent medieval (1066–1280
CE) Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) specimens from excavation sites in
Germany, Norway, and the United Kingdom. Archaeological context indicates
that one of these sites was a fishing settlement for the procurement of
local catches, whereas the other localities were centers of trade. Fish
from the trade sites show a mixed ancestry and are statistically
differentiated from local fish populations. Moreover, Viking Age samples
from Haithabu, Germany, are traced back to the North East Arctic Atlantic
cod population that has supported the Lofoten fisheries of Norway for
centuries. Our results resolve a long-standing controversial hypothesis
and indicate that the marine resources of the North Atlantic Ocean were
used to sustain an international demand for protein as far back as the
Viking Age.