The subject of corpses from mass violence is surprisingly unexplored, even though the materiality of the corpse carries strong symbolic capital in conflicts. The aim of my PhD research is to create new knowledge about the implications of unburied corpses that stem from intergroup conflicts, and subsequently to add knowledge concerning how intergroup violence is organised to achieve desired social agendas. In the licentiate thesis presented here, I research the conditions for postmortem agency and how treatment of corpses can be studied in prehistory, specifically through the material remains of unburied corpses from the Sandby borg massacre. The Sandby borg case study is explored through a bioarchaeological perspective. Inside the Iron Age ringfort, the remains of at least 26 individuals have been recovered hitherto. Several of the dead display traces of lethal intergroup violence. By integrating osteology, archaeology, taphonomy and social theories, I show how bioarchaeological research can contribute to the understanding of past postmortem agency in relation to intergroup violence as a social process. The thesis is comprised of four articles.

Sandby borg, an Iron Age ringfort on Öland, Sweden has been and is still at the center of attention in media and archaeological research. The massacre uncovered at the site during recent years opens many doors for analyses on the Migration Period (c. 400-550 AD) Iron Age skeletal remains. Eighteen teeth (molars) from 12 individuals and three rodent teeth were chosen for strontium (87Sr/86Sr) analyses. This was done to establish whether these individuals were locals or non-locals to Öland. The analyses displayed a, for the most part, local 87Sr/86Sr ratio. Two non-locals were identified, as well as a pattern of higher 87Sr/86Sr peaks on numerous of the individuals during a certain age span, which could indicate a local weaning process with a special food. / Sandby borg

<p>This thesis is an explorative excursion into the concept of place creation and place construction. It departures from the way place is discussed within both relational theory and humanistic geography. In pace with changes in the local economy and re-structure of the agricultural sector, the Swedish island, Öland, has gone through changes which has given new perspectives on place and the distinctiveness of single places. These changes have assigned new roles for single places and the processes of place creation and place construction takes new paths in these changes.</p><p>The study focuses on three major research questions:</p><p>• How is place created?</p><p>• How are processes of place creation manifested on Öland?</p><p>• What role does the distinctiveness of particular places have for tourism and entrepreneurship on the island Öland?</p><p>The approach to these questions is explorative. Place is studied as a concept which both reflects and influences processes of change in relation to other places and different actors, people and organizations. In this study, place creation is analyzed in relation to changing economic, social and cultural aspects. People’s actions in a certain place or in different places affect place transformation and creation of place just as changes in the national and global economy do. The different images people have of a certain place and their actions in this place are affected by relations to other places and cultural values, identities, global trends and the overall economy. This plays a vital role for place creation and how distinct places are constructed. This study explores these processes on Öland through three different projects or case studies. Methodologically, I have a qualitative approach to my research questions and the case studies are based on interviews, observations and analyses of marketing material, information material, texts and pictures.</p>

This thesis is an explorative excursion into the concept of place creation and place construction. It departures from the way place is discussed within both relational theory and humanistic geography. In pace with changes in the local economy and re-structure of the agricultural sector, the Swedish island, Öland, has gone through changes which has given new perspectives on place and the distinctiveness of single places. These changes have assigned new roles for single places and the processes of place creation and place construction takes new paths in these changes. The study focuses on three major research questions: • How is place created? • How are processes of place creation manifested on Öland? • What role does the distinctiveness of particular places have for tourism and entrepreneurship on the island Öland? The approach to these questions is explorative. Place is studied as a concept which both reflects and influences processes of change in relation to other places and different actors, people and organizations. In this study, place creation is analyzed in relation to changing economic, social and cultural aspects. People’s actions in a certain place or in different places affect place transformation and creation of place just as changes in the national and global economy do. The different images people have of a certain place and their actions in this place are affected by relations to other places and cultural values, identities, global trends and the overall economy. This plays a vital role for place creation and how distinct places are constructed. This study explores these processes on Öland through three different projects or case studies. Methodologically, I have a qualitative approach to my research questions and the case studies are based on interviews, observations and analyses of marketing material, information material, texts and pictures.

This thesis examines the wetland sacrifices that were performed in Northern Europe in the Iron Age. Skedemosse on central Öland is the largest wetland sacrifice in Sweden and was the site of a cult which sacrificed animals and humans. Between the late second century and well into the fifth century the place was also used for large sacrifices of military equipment. New radiocarbon dates has shown that the place functioned as a ritual place from the Pre Roman Iron Age and into the Late Viking Age. Both in the Iron Age and later wetlands seem to have been both venerated and feared and the thesis discusses why this came to be, and how it can be seen in the archaeological material. A smaller part of the sacrificial site of Skedemosse was selected for a closer study and it was possible to establish several depositions which appear to have been treated slightly different from each other. The investigations of the animal sacrifices have focused on the horses as they are the most common animal. The horse was an important mythological animal in the Iron Age and they were equally important in the cult. The horses in Skedemosse were eaten in ritual meals, and it is possible that some of them took part in ritual races along the ridge east of the former lake.  Such races were called skeið and the name Skedemosse may be derived from this word. Skedemosse is also rare because the remains of ca 38 people have been found in it. Some of these people have suffered a violent death. They are compared to other bog bodies from northern Europe and the follow a similar pattern to those; In the Pre Roman Iron Age mainly women and children were sacrificed and after the first century AD mainly men ended up in the lake.

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Freshwater is essential for a functional society and the human well-being. However, it should not be taken for granted. Freshwater aquifers in coastal are subject to current and future risk of becoming saltwater contaminated – reaching a tipping point. Freshwater security on islands is vulnerable. The aim of this empirical study is to identify the effects of a 2-meter sea level rise and the current risk of well salinization at the Baltic Sea island of Öland, Sweden. A Geographical Information System (GIS) was used to conduct a quantitative risk assessment analysis. Natural and physical parameters affect the risk of intrusion into wells including hydrology, geomorphology, and climatology. Anthropogenic causes and climate change also add to the risk of salinization. However, they are not included in the quantitative study. The spatial distribution of the current risk is mapped in this study and can be used as a tool to identify wells at risk. Moreover, a future sea level rise has been visualized and show that 3% of all wells on the island will get directly inundated along with 5% of the total land area. Important land such as urban areas, nature reserves, and animal protection areas will get inundated including the loss of environmental and socio-economic values. A precautionary approach needs to be implemented in future planning since many wells are already at risk of salinization. The complexity of the problem is vast, and this study aims to fill the gaps in literature and previous research in a more multi-criterion way. Nevertheless, the political discussion urgently needs to address the topic and a mitigation and adaptation strategy must be on the agenda.

År 2016 upplevde Öland historiskt låga grundvattennivåer, vilket skapade svårigheter för både allmänheten och jordbruket att tillgodose färskvattenbehovet. Tankbilar med sötvatten kördes från Kalmar till Öland för att stödja vattenförsörjningen. Därefter anlades även en vattenledning över Kalmarsund för att förstärka resurserna ytterligare. Öns begränsade grundvattenresurser är en kombination av geologiska och meteorologiska förutsättningar. Ön har ett tunt jordlager och ett utbrett spricksystem i berggrunden, vilket medför att mycket utav den nederbörd som faller över Öland avdunstar eller rinner ned i dessa sprickor. Årsmedelnederbörden på ca 500 mm är låg jämfört med andra ställen i Sverige. I och med ökningen av permanenta boenden, turism och jordbruk har vattenresurserna blivit än mer ansträngda. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka om södra Ölands vattenbrist kan avhjälpas genom att på konstgjord väg infiltrera vatten från Kalmarsund till grundvattnet, efter att det avsaltats med hjälp av spillvärme från Cementas fabrik i Degerhamn. Syftet med konstgjord infiltration till grundvattnet är, förutom att använda marken som ett vattenmagasin, även en möjlighet att remineralisera vattnet, bidra till markstabilisering samt motverka saltvatteninträngning. Metoden var främst teoretisk i form av en litteraturstudie, beräkningar av spillenerginivåer samt modellering av grundvattenpåverkan vid infiltration. Inledningsvis genomfördes även ett platsbesök på Cementas fabrik på Öland för att överblicka deras process och kartlägga möjliga placeringsalternativ för spillvärmeuttag ur fabrikens processgaser. Resultaten från studien visade att spillvärmeuttaget bör ske antingen vid fabrikens kyltorn eller vid dess skorsten. Kyltornet erbjuder det maximala potentiella energiuttaget och därmed också högst produktionskapacitet av renat vatten, motsvarande 560 m3/dygn. Dock erbjuder skorstenen en billigare installation och underhåll av avsaltningsutrustningen tack vare mer utrymme och lägre partikelhalt i processgasen. Studien visade att det framställda destillatet skulle ha en positiv inverkan på Ölands grundvattennivåer, även de mängder som är mindre än 560 m3/dygn. Med en infiltration av det potentiellt maximala destillatet, som är möjligt att framställa med tillgänglig energi, skulle uttagen från de befintliga grundvattentäkterna kunna ökas med 200-230 % utan att influensområdet för grundvattennivåer förändras nämnvärt, förutsatt att fler uttagsbrunnar installeras.

This thesis addresses radiocarbon (C-14) dating of bioarcheological finds from Sandby borg, an iron-age ring fort on the east coast of the Baltic Sea island of Öland, Sweden. Archaeological evidence suggests that Sandby borg was used during the European migration period and that its main period of usage was terminated by an isolated incidence of inter-personal violence where the inhabitants were killed or abducted. Radiocarbon dating of individual archaeological finds from this period becomes imprecise due to fluctuations of C-14 ratios in the atmosphere during the period 420-530 AD. In the work presented here, Bayesian modelling, whereby multiple finds as well as chronological information from typology and stratigraphy are combined into a statistical model is deployed, together with an estimate of the percentage of maritime products in the diet of individuals subjected to C-14 dating. The outcome of this analysis suggests that the usage ranges from 410-537 AD (95.4% probability) and that the lethal attack took place between the years 532 and 558 AD (95.4% probability). This latter dating interval is about 40-60 years later than what has been suggested from previous studies. The reliability of the modified chronology and its consequences for our understanding of the Sandby borg site is discussed, and some future directions of research are proposed.

The purpose is to highlight emigrants' own experiences and perceptions of migration and return migration. By shedding light on emigrants' personal experiences of integration, it can foster greater understanding of certain aspects of migrants' situation today.  An overview of previous research has identified gaps and areas that require further investigation, especially regarding emigrants' own experiences and perceptions of migration and return migration. Based on the purpose, this paper intends to employ the theoretical concepts of gender, class, and hegemonic masculinity to explore, explain, and discuss this theme.  Key conclusions include that the decision to emigrate was strongly influenced by network migration, where social networks played a central role in the decision-making process. Swedes were prioritized over other ethnicities in certain sectors of the American job market. From the emigrants' own stories, it is evident that further advancement was unthinkable, leading Swedes to take low-status jobs that American citizens were uninterested in. Hegemonic gender structures highlight a hierarchy within the white group. While social stratification measurements mainly focused on men, the sources presented in the paper also depict descriptions of women improving their social status upon return.