The aim of this thesis is to investigate which criteria that can be used to locate execution sites on the island of Gotland, Sweden. The execution sites, which are used to test the criteria against, range in date from early medieval period to 1876 when the last public execution in Sweden took place. Why these criteria can be used will be discussed along with attempts to explain why they have been used frequently or not so frequent. The results show that the execution sites are most commonly located in clear view, near roads, on heights and on unfertile soil. Other criteria that appears less frequent, but that still can be used in the process of locating execution sites, are graves, crossroads and boarders.

This study analyses and interprets the location of the 18 historical execution sites in the Swedish province of Västergötland. The purpose of the study is to analyse eventual patterns in the sites’ locations which could help future research and protection of the sites as well as locating additional sites. The main question is how the placement of execution sites in the landscape relates to previously discussed theories on the selection of the execution sites. The study will be a GIS-based analysis of geographical data, historical maps, and relevant literature in the hope of finding patterns and reasons for the execution sites’ location. The study will use and compare earlier theories regarding the location of execution sites such as being located on heights, near roads and crossroads, boundaries, water, bogs, on unfertile soil and on prehistoric gravesites as well as the locations’ connection to ideas of accessibility and visibility. The results show that execution sites are often located on heights in the landscape, near roads and crossroads, on unfertile soil and near water and bogs. The other criteria, being near boundaries and being located on prehistoric gravesites appear to be less significant for the selection of execution sites of Västergötland.