New research has shed light on the origin of the Danish glass beads dating to the BronzeAge and the increase in long-distance exchange during this period. This has provided newknowledge about glass beads during the Bronze Age, which unlocked the question of whatit looks like in the rest of Scandinavia. To get a broader perspective I have chosen to studythe first evidence of early craft sites where glass beads were made in Scandinavia. Then acomparison is made between the Bronze and Iron Ages from a broader perspective, whichincludes both the use of glass beads and the glass productions sites. I have therefore chosento study glass beads from a long-term perspective, from the introduction of the first glassbeads in Scandinavia during the Early Bronze Age until the Vendel period when the firstglass beads were manufactured in Scandinavia. By studying glass beads from a long-termperspective, we can learn more about the significance of glass beads in society.

Bronsåldern är en period med många praktfulla fynd, långhus, storhögar och kremationsgravar. Nu under senare år har flera hällkistor med skelettgravar 14C daterats till bronsåldern, vilket öppnar upp för ny forskning inom tidsperioden när det gäller bland annat hälsoaspekter. Med hjälp av en kvalitativ humanosteologisk studie av två gravanläggningar i Nyplings 1:8, Lokrume socken på Gotland syftar uppsatsen till att påbörja forskningen inom bronsålderns folkhälsa samt motivera till fortsatta framtida forskning inom området. Totalt analyserades 2 598 benfragment med en totalvikt på 6 586 gram. Ett flertal osteologiska metoder användes för ålders- och könsbedömningar samt kvantifiering. Gravarna innehöll tolv individer där två beräknas vara barn och resterande i vuxen ålder. Endast tre individer har kunnat könsbedömmas varav en är av manligt kön och två av kvinnligt kön. Individerna har inte kunnat kroppslängds beräknas i brist på mätbara ben. Analysen av individerna i gravanläggningarna visade att flertalet skeletala förändringar drabbade individerna däribland ledförändringar, fraktur, skärskada och aktivitetsspår. En del av skeletten har uppvisat överlevnad av trauma, vilket är en indikation på en god grundhälsa. Men då majoriteten av individerna inte påvisar skeletala sjukdomar och dött vid en ung ålder har de enligt den osteologiska paradoxen överlag en dålig grundhälsa. De förändringar som har påträffats visar att individerna utsatts för en del smärta, obehag, stelhet och belastning under deras liv. Men trots allt har individerna levt ett relativt långt liv med bättre hälsa än andra individer både från Gotland och Skåne under Bronsåldern. / The Bronze Age is a period with many magnificent finds, naves, large mounds and cremation graves. Now in recent years, several stone cists with skeletal graves have been 14C dated to the Bronze Age, which opens up new research within the time period regarding, among other things, health aspects. With the help of a qualitative human osteological study of two burial sites in Nyplings 1:8, Lokrume parish on Gotland, the essay aims to begin research in Bronze Age public health and to motivate future research in the area. A total of 2 598 bone fragments with a total weight of 6 586 grams were analyzed. A number of osteological methods were used for age and gender assessments and quantification. The graves contained twelve individuals, two of whom are estimated to be children and the rest adults. Only three individuals have been able to be gender assessed, of which one is male and two are female. The individuals’ length was not possible to calculate due to lack of bones measurable bones. The analysis of the individuals in the burials showed that multiple skeletal changes affected the individuals such as joint changes, fracture, cut damage and traces of activity. Some of the skeletons have shown survival of trauma, which is an indication of good basic health. But since the majority of individuals do not show any skeletal diseases and died at a young age, according to the osteological paradox, they generally had poor basic health. The skeletal changes that have been found show that the individuals were exposed to some pain, discomfort, stiffness, and strain during their lives. But despite everything, the individuals lived a relatively long life with better health than other individuals both from Gotland and Skåne during the Bronze Age.

The Bronze Age in Middle Sweden is characterized by several key sites and monuments which have been interpreted by previous research to play an overarching role in the elite ruling system in the Mälar Valley region. King Björn’s mound (a.k.a. the Håga mound) and the hillfort Predikstolen represent one of these complexes and has been referred to as a central hub for trading between the south and east as well as a central meeting point for alliance networks throughout the Mälar Valley region. The ritual importance of the site has been particularly relevant to discussions around the mound and accompanying cult house, Hågakyrkan, since the excavation of the mound in 1902-3 by Oscar Almgren. The investigation of the mound’s central cairn dated the monument to the Bronze Age Period IV, and resulted in the discovery of one of the most spectacular burials in Sweden, including gold and bronze artefacts indicative of connections with south Scandinavia, particularly Denmark, and a ritual role typified by Kristian Kristiansen’s institutional divisions of elites based on artefact assemblages. To understand how Håga and other Bronze Age sites have attained the label of ‘ritual’ places in the landscape, a discussion is included on previous research which has defined the parameters of sacred versus profane activity utilizing theories on identity as demonstrated through material expression explored by Kristian Kristiansen (1987, 2011) and Susanne Thedéen (2004). This thesis also utilizes the ritual practice theory defined by Catherine Bell (2009) to identify the repetitive traditions which define cultic practice during the Bronze Age in Middle Sweden in order to understand the unique phenomenon of Håga as compared to other sites in the Mälar Valley region: two sites with established cultic complexes (Broby and Skeke), and two sites characterized by industrial bronze production (Apalle and Hallunda). These sites were additionally chosen based on their position along a north-south inlet system which directly connected Lake Mälaren from the eastern Baltic sea to south Scandinavia and north-western Europe. A comparative analysis of the relevant features and finds of each site as well as a brief overview of the evidence of conflict in southern Scandinavia and Europe are used to contextualize the role Håga served leading up to and following construction of the Håga mound. The delimitations and potential uses of the results are included in the discussion / Bronsåldern i Mellansverige kännetecknas av några nyckelplatser och monument vilka tidigare har tolkats av forskare att ha spelat en övergripande roll för hövdingadömet i Mälardalsområdet. Kung Björns hög (s.k. Hågahögen) och fornborgen Predikstolen utgör ett av dessa komplex och har kallats ett regionalt nav för handel mellan söder och öster, samt en central mötesplats för alliansnätverk i hela Mälardalen. Den rituella vikten har också påpekats som relevant till diskussionen kring Hågahögen och närliggande kulthuset Hågakyrkan sedan undersökningen ledd av Oscar Almgren år 1902-3. Undersökningen av högens centralrösen har daterat monumenten till bronsåldern Period IV och resulterade i upptäckande av en av de mest spektakulära begravningarna i Sverige, vilket inkluderade guld och bronsartefakter som ger indikationer på kopplingar till Sydskandinavien, speciellt Danmark, och den rituella rollen representerat av Kristian Kristiansens institutionella uppdelningar av eliter baserad på artefaktgrupper. För att förstå hur Håga och andra bronsåldersfornlämningar har märkts som ‘rituella’ platser i landskapet, diskuteras tidigare forskning som har definierat begränsningarna av sakral jämfört profan aktivitet med hjälp av teorier om identitet baserad på materiella uttryck utforskat av Kristian Kristiansen (1987, 2011) och Susanne Thedéen (2004). Uppsatsen använder sig också av rituellpraktiksteori eller s.k. ‘ritual practice theory’ definierad av Catherine Bell (2009) för att identifiera återkommande traditionerna som exemplifierar kultpraxis under bronsåldern i Mellansverige, för att kunna förstå den unika karaktär Håga har jämfört andra fornlämningar i Mälardalen: två fornlämningar med etablerade kultkomplex (Broby och Skeke) och två kännetecknade av industriell bronsproduktion (Apalle och Hallunda). De fornlämningar som har valts ut för jämförelse har också baserats på deras position längst det nord-sydliga vattenledssystemet som direkt kopplar Mälaren från Östersjön till Sydskandinavien och nordvästra Europa. En jämförande analys av relevanta anläggningar och fynd från varje fornlämning plus en kort översikt av bevisen för konflikt i Sydskandinavien och Europa används för att kontextualisera Hågas roll innan och efter byggandet av Hågahögen. Begränsningar och potentiella användingsområden av resultaten inkluderas i diskussionen.

For a long time, the human bones that were found outside the classical graves/grave context during the late Bronze Age were severely overlooked in research. It was first during the 1990’s that research took place and archaeologist like Anders Kaliff och Joanna Brück started studying this severely overlooked phenomena. This paper aims at analyzing and discussing why human bones were used outside the classical graves/grave context. As well as what the human bones were used for and how the human bones were treated. In this study the grave concept will be discussed to understand the late Bronze Age human’s definition of grave and burial rites more fully. The distinction between what is sacred and what is profane in the handling and using of the human bones in non-classical graves/grave contexts will also be overseen. The study in this paper is focused on the East part of central Sweden and will be analyzed and supplemented by both national and international archaeological sites of similar character. The primal sites for the study are Broby in Börje parish, Apalle in Övergran parish, Ryssgärdet in Tensta parish and Ringeby in Kvillinge parish. The study is set in the late Bronze Age in Sweden (1100–500 BC). This paper is meant as an analytical research where former research and archaeologist interpretations will be compared and work as a discussion with the writer’s own interpretations of the late Bronze Age human’s use of human bones. With the writer’s own interpretation and with the help of former research, the human bones found in non-classical graves/grave contexts have been assessed with both sacred and profane contexts. The result shows that the distinction between the sacred and the profane are better left outside the context of handling and using human bones.