The purpose of this project is to gather a large amount of osteometrical data from parts of the animal bone material found at the archaeological excavations of Birka in 1990-1995 that has not yet been analysed. This gathering of data will be made possible by means of measurements of bones according to internationally accepted methods. The results of these measurements can then be processed statistically and used in extensive analyses and comparative studies of the populations of domesticated animals mainly in Birka and its hinterland, but also from an international perspective and provide increased understanding of animal husbandry and systems of trading with foodstuff and domesticated animals. Earlier osteometrical analyses of Swedish bone materials have merely provided limited information as to Viking Age husbandry since the materials have lacked in size and degree of preservation. The bone material that was found at the archaeological excavation of Birka in 1990-1995 does, however, allow for such analyses since it consists of almost 6 tonnes well-preserved and well-dated animal bones, equal to contemporary analysed materials from Dorestad, Hedeby and York. During latter years, bone materials from Viking Age sites in Russia and Kaupang, Norway, have also been analysed, providing the possibility to place Birka in an even wider Viking Age context.