Abstract: Previous research on the Viking Age trade centre of Birka has suggested the parallel use of two harmonising standard weight units, differing in mass by five percent. As an explanation to this phenomenon, this paper puts forward a hypothesis of a trading fee, embedded in the weights. This is corroborated through a hypothetical deductive study; including a reassertion of earlier results by means of a new method for archaeometrological analysis, using a 3D scanner and Computer-Aided Design. Further, the role of silver, as a preferred unit of payment in Birka, is supported through a spatial analysis of the distribution of Islamic coins and Oriental beads in the provinces of Middle Sweden. Plausible manufacturing sites for the cylindrical lead weights, adhering to the Birka mitqal, are discussed as a possible way of falsifying the hypothesis. The results suggest that a trading fee was extracted, using the Birka mitqal for imports and the Islamic mitqal for exports. The metrological analysis was also expanded to weights from Sigtuna, which proved the Birka mitqal, as well the dual metrics system, continued to be in use there until, at least, the first half of the 11th century. Finally, a short study on the origins of the Scandinavian/Islamic weight system suggests that the direct influence for the system primarily can be attributed the Volga-Bulgarians.

In the fall of 1999, human skeletal remains and historic artifacts were discovered on private farmland approximately two kilometres south of the Town of Battleford, Saskatchewan. Document searches and a ground-penetrating radar survey of the property resulted in the discovery that the land was once used as a cemetery for the Catholic Church of St. Vital during the years of 1879 to 1885. Numerous interest groups were brought together in the process of handling this sensitive situation, including the landowners, the Heritage Resource Branch of the Department of Saskatchewan Culture, Youth and Recreation, the Rural Municipality of Battle River, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Prince Albert, and the Battleford Tribal Council. A decision was made to relocate the burials to the current town cemetery. In the meantime, permission was granted for the University of Saskatchewan to play the lead role in the excavation and analysis process. The partial and complete skeletal remains of thirty individuals were recovered, and in addition to a basic osteological analysis of the individuals that included sex determination, age at death and population affinity, a detailed assessment of the pathological conditions was also undertaken. The document and artifact analyses will be the subject of a separate thesis by Colette Hopkins.

The archaeological record indicates that there are differences in Viejo period (A.D. 700 or 900-1200/1250) and Medio period (A.D. 1200/1250-1400s) agricultural strategies and settlement distribution between the Casas Grandes River basin in northern Chihuahua and the Babícora Basin and upper Santa María River basin area in west central Chihuahua. During the Viejo period in the Casas Grandes region temporal, rainfed, agriculture is proposed and only a few settlements are associated with this system. In the Medio period irrigation and trincheras (stone terraces) were implemented increasing the land’s ability to support large populations and numerous settlements were aggregated around fields associated with these methods. For the latter two regions temporal agriculture is posited for both the Viejo and Medio periods. While populations thrived, the numerous settlements in each area are not aggregated but rather are dispersed across the landscape and on various topographic features. The objectives of this thesis were to investigate environmental and cultural influences as explanatory factors for the regional differences. Current environmental data indicate that the combinations of annual precipitation, soil types, and hydrology determine whether temporal or irrigation agriculture is possible. Temporal agriculture is not a viable option for the Casas Grandes region but irrigation is. The conditions in the Babícora Basin and the upper Santa María River basin are conducive to temporal farming while water for irrigation is not easily attainable. In that paleoenvironmental data demonstrate the antiquity of current environments then the agricultural options would have been similar in the past. Together, the archaeological and ethnographic data demonstrate the longevity of temporal agriculture in these areas. How temporal agriculture can be achieved and sustained is demonstrated in the tradition-based practices of modern farmers. The agency of modern farmers can be used as an analogy for agency in the past. When tested against the archaeological record the postulated temporal system and associated settlement patterns are indicative of a domesticated landscape structured for planting flexibility.

In the fall of 1999, human skeletal remains and historic artifacts were discovered on private farmland approximately two kilometres south of the Town of Battleford, Saskatchewan. Document searches and a ground-penetrating radar survey of the property resulted in the discovery that the land was once used as a cemetery for the Catholic Church of St. Vital during the years of 1879 to 1885. Numerous interest groups were brought together in the process of handling this sensitive situation, including the landowners, the Heritage Resource Branch of the Department of Saskatchewan Culture, Youth and Recreation, the Rural Municipality of Battle River, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Prince Albert, and the Battleford Tribal Council. A decision was made to relocate the burials to the current town cemetery. In the meantime, permission was granted for the University of Saskatchewan to play the lead role in the excavation and analysis process. The partial and complete skeletal remains of thirty individuals were recovered, and in addition to a basic osteological analysis of the individuals that included sex determination, age at death and population affinity, a detailed assessment of the pathological conditions was also undertaken. The document and artifact analyses will be the subject of a separate thesis by Colette Hopkins.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed January 12, 2010). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 680-736).

In today’s archaeology there’s a growing need for non-invasive prospection methods. However there’s a methodological gap and what’s missing is a method for locating human bones. In this study a specially trained German shepherd is put through scientific tests determining how good the dog is at telling the different between the scent of human and animal bones. The dog is also tested in an outdoor environment to simulate an actual archaeological site. The tests in this study show that the dog can distinguish between the smell of human and animal bones with an accuracy of 94,2 % and that he can detect human bones in the field. Further tests need to be conducted to calibrate the method.

Hedeby Hochburg, borgen i Hedeby, har fått förhållandevis lite uppmärksamhet, jämfört med själva samhället i Hedeby. Utgrävningen från 2012 har dock väckt ett intresse, med ett antal frågor som behöver besvaras. I denna uppsats analyseras jordprover som samlats under utgrävningen, för att se om de kan visa något om den kronologiska relationen mellan borgvallen och gravarna i borgen. Tre metoder användes, FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), röntgendiffraktion (XRD) och röntgenfluorescens (XRF). Resultaten från XRF och XRD visar på en rumslig relation mellan minst en av vallens konstruktionsfaser och nedsänkningen i ett lager innanför vallen. Relationen med gravarna är inte tydlig än, och analysen gav inga kronologiska ledtrådar. Resultatet kan användas som hypotes för vidare prövning i framti

Not available / text

The archaeological record indicates that there are differences in Viejo period (A.D. 700 or 900-1200/1250) and Medio period (A.D. 1200/1250-1400s) agricultural strategies and settlement distribution between the Casas Grandes River basin in northern Chihuahua and the Babícora Basin and upper Santa María River basin area in west central Chihuahua. During the Viejo period in the Casas Grandes region temporal, rainfed, agriculture is proposed and only a few settlements are associated with this system. In the Medio period irrigation and trincheras (stone terraces) were implemented increasing the land’s ability to support large populations and numerous settlements were aggregated around fields associated with these methods. For the latter two regions temporal agriculture is posited for both the Viejo and Medio periods. While populations thrived, the numerous settlements in each area are not aggregated but rather are dispersed across the landscape and on various topographic features. The objectives of this thesis were to investigate environmental and cultural influences as explanatory factors for the regional differences. Current environmental data indicate that the combinations of annual precipitation, soil types, and hydrology determine whether temporal or irrigation agriculture is possible. Temporal agriculture is not a viable option for the Casas Grandes region but irrigation is. The conditions in the Babícora Basin and the upper Santa María River basin are conducive to temporal farming while water for irrigation is not easily attainable. In that paleoenvironmental data demonstrate the antiquity of current environments then the agricultural options would have been similar in the past. Together, the archaeological and ethnographic data demonstrate the longevity of temporal agriculture in these areas. How temporal agriculture can be achieved and sustained is demonstrated in the tradition-based practices of modern farmers. The agency of modern farmers can be used as an analogy for agency in the past. When tested against the archaeological record the postulated temporal system and associated settlement patterns are indicative of a domesticated landscape structured for planting flexibility.

This paper deals with knives excavated in the Birka Garrison between 1997 and 2004, in a selection of 100 knives out of approximately 400. The aim is to measure and analyze the material to find out if certain elements in design points to a specific craft. Two groups of knifeblades can be seen, one with a convex bevel and one with a flat bevel of the blade. Considering osteological evidence, historical sources, and the main suitabillity of the knives, it is concluded that some of the flat beveled knives may have been used for crafting leather and fur, whereas the convex beveled knives are of an allround type.