Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) castration in Fennoscandia: Domestication theory, archaeological methods, and interpretive perspectives

The traditional practice of reindeer castration is an integral component of all known past and present reindeer herding cultures. It has likely played an essential role in the reindeer domestication process, making it relevant for understanding initial and subsequent human-reindeer interactions beyond hunter-prey relationships. This paper presents data on the Traditional Knowledge of reindeer castration among Sámi and Finnish reindeer herders in Finland and explores human-reindeer relations through this practice, providing a tentative interpretative framework and a multi-voiced perspective on current, historical and archaeological narratives of reindeer herding. Based on the effects of castration on bone and antler growth, it proposes osteological methods to detect castration in the archaeological record. Lastly, the paper integrates Traditional Knowledge of castration with domestication theory, arguing that castration is a key element in reindeer domestication. Firstly, castration seems indispensable for the keeping of reindeer for working purposes. Secondly, the keeping of working reindeer is fundamental to (the development of) reindeer pastoralism. Thirdly, this paper shows that castration is an essential feature of pastoralism beyond the use of working reindeer. It is discussed how castration can be seen as a form of holistic care through relations like domination, subjugation, mediation, growth, respect and partnership.