This thesis deals with individuals buried at Smörkullen, Västra Tollstad parish, Östergötland, Sweden. The aim is to reconstruct the diet of the individuals through stable isotope analyses and then try to identify if social hierarchy correlates with the diet. To do this, 35 individuals were divided into different groups (males, females, high status graves, low status graves, young adults, adults, seniors and trepanned individuals) and then subjected to stable isotope analyses of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur. The results show that all individuals lived mainly on freshwater fish with a few exceptions that had a more mixed diet of terrestrial protein and freshwater fish. The sulphur analyses showed that one female (possibly two) has moved to the area sometime after the age of seven. Because of the homogenous diet of freshwater fish no social hierarchy based on diet could be established.

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

This master thesis deals with the subject of mass graves as a result of war and violence; how, where and why they are created, what they represent and how they are used throughout the Scandinavian Iron Age and Middle Ages. To analyze and discuss these questions, I have used nine case studies as well as several literary sources such as Beowulf, Tacitus and Jordanes. To further increase the depth of this discussion and to help us understand the mass graves themselves, I have also included subject of warfare in the form of a walkthrough of violence and social psychology. Together, these pieces have helped me form the basis for an analysis and discussion of the three acts I have created: The Ingroup act of deposition, The Outgroup act of deposition and the Triumph act of deposition.

The Iron age settlement of Buttle Änge is located on the island of Gotland (Sweden), in the inland south of the medieval town Visby. The Stonehouse foundations on the site have been the focus for the University of Uppsala Campus Gotland archeological excavation since 2013. This paper aims to present a study of the pottery found in the Stonehouse foundations and the spaces between the houses from the excavations 2014-2016. The intention is to map and comprehend the Buttle ceramics. In order to accomplish the intended purpose and questions, I have defined and categorized the ceramics in different ceramic types based on color and minerals alterations in the clay, as well as other defining features to investigate the craft and the archaeological structures. The ceramic ware is evaluated by certain restrictions intended for obtaining a relative dating for the houses, which can provide an increased insight into the locations relationships to other Stonehouse foundations. The houses display many similarities with both foundations and construction, the difficulty has been to establish a chronology.   The focus has been on ceramics rather than on the Stonehouse foundations, which has resulted in 21 different ceramic types, based on color and minerals variations in the clay. In the documentation of the material, both archaeological and handicraft markers have been considered. This is where the pottery is both a source of information for the archaeologists, but also a craft that possesses information. By trying to put the ceramics into its context, it becomes possible to get an understanding of how it has changed and developed. The pottery has then been compared with Vallhagar (Fröjel, Gotland), to see if the material from Buttle is of the same style and shape. Different markers have since been compared with the Vallhagar material, which has given deeper understanding for a chronology, but also that there are similarities that indicate that there has been a know-how to produce the ceramic. Although there are minor details that have changed in the vessel's markers, it may be crucial for the chronology. The change may have been for practical reasons, but also for social reasons, and we need to know the significance of the change before we can see the chronological value. The study of pottery can hopefully give a wide-ranging understanding of the Stonehouse foundations timelines and the iron age people’s daily life.

Uppåkra is a centralplace in Scania, southern Sweden, where religion and cult have been of great importance. The cult has been important in the Iron Age society for rulers but also for blacksmiths and the general population. Just like Borg, Gudme and Järrestad, Uppåkra has probably emerged with the development of agriculture. When agriculture developed trade grew and eventually power. Hence could centralplaces finally form. Centralplaces have probably also affected its hinterland positive, as they could take part of the centralplaces financial position.

The inland of northern Scandinavia has received more attention in archaeological research in recent years than before. This has among other things resulted in a better understanding of the trading systems within Iron Age Scandinavia and highlighted the importance of raw materials produced in the boreal regions. A significant part of the iron, antler and furs used in central agricultural areas like the Mälaren Valley during the Iron Age originated in northern Sweden. This indicates that central places to the south were dependent on products from the forested areas of the north, and that the two probably would have developed differently without this relation. The aim of this study is to perform a spatial analysis of swords found in northern Sweden to better understand the contacts and trading systems within the region during the middle and late Iron Age. This is based on the hypothesis that the swords indicate places with important functions, and that they are especially prominent in areas which controlled the trade of products like iron, antler, and furs. The results of the study show that swords are most frequent in agricultural areas by the coast connected to the largest rivers, where these raw materials were mainly transported. This pattern is apparent in all represented periods of the Iron Age except for the Vendel Period from which most swords have been found in outland locations far from the coast. This indicates that the Vendel Period differs clearly from other periods of the Iron Age in northern Sweden, concerning how the inter-regional trade was performed.

Får- och byggnadskroppsdelar - Handlingar och spatiala relationer kring byggnadsdeponeringar av får på Öland. Sheep and building body parts - Actions and spatial relations regarding buildingdeposits of sheep on Öland. Abstract This essay studies ten Ölandic examples of sheep bodies or sheep body parts deposited in Iron Agebuildings. In addition to literary works, the source material examined in the essay also consists ofunpublished sources and two osteological examinations, which were carried out as a part of thework on the essay (appendix 1 & 2).The purpose of the essay is to study both the actions that become visible through the skeletalmaterial, and the possible presence of spatial patterns regarding the bone deposits. The work iscarried out using an action-theoretical approach. Furthermore, a comparative method is used toexamine the ten sites in relation to each other. The results from this are ambiguous. The thesis' mainconclusion is; 1) that the bodies of sheep was sometimes disintegrated on Öland during the IronAge, to be; 2) placed in a certain spatial proximity of the foundation of roof-supporting posts. Keywords: Öland, Iron Age, Ritual Deposits, Sheep, bodies, body parts, foundation, sacrifice, action-theory

This paper studies continuity and discontinuity in the eastern Mälaren valley during the transition between the middle and late periods of the Swedish Iron Age. Historically this period has been seen as a period of population decline and turbulence but newer research has questioned this premise. In the areas studied in this paper one showed signs of discontinuity whereas the other seemed to have expanded. The discontinuity could possibly be explained with tectonic uplift causing the waterways over time to become non-traversable. Furthermore I could show a potential link between high status settlements and control over important paths for communication over water.

I ett försök att utöka kunskapsläget kring den agrarhistoriska utvecklingen i nordöstra Skånes ris- och skogsbygd har en undersökning av Näsums socken gjorts. Näsum är beläget i Bromölla kommun, norr om Ivösjön. I undersökningsområdet finns ett gravfält vid namn Gudahagen. Enligt arkeologiska studier har gravfältet använts under järnålder och övergavs troligtvis i början av medeltiden. Intill gravfältet finns två byar belägna, Näsum och Västanå. Möjligtvis har dessa byar en lång historisk kontinuitet som boplats. Del av studien har undersökningar av exempelvis historiska kartor, geologi, topografi, fornlämningar och ort- och marknamn varit. För en djupare förståelse för en av de centrala byarna i Näsum har en historisk karta över Västanå rektifierats och digitaliserats i GIS, för att sedan analyseras i kombination med exempelvis terrängskuggningar och geologiska kartor. Undersökningarna har visat att det finns likheter mellan det historiska landskapet i Näsum och motsvarande landskap i det närbelägna Stoby. Dessutom kan vissa paralleller dras till halländska kulturlandskap. Det går även att utläsa samband mellan exempelvis markanvändning, geologi och topografi. Näsums bykärnor har varit begränsade till de flacka sandjordarna och har naturliga gränser mot den tuffare terrängen i det omgivande moränlandskapet. Sannolikt har även vattnet, både åarna och Ivösjön, spelat en avgörande roll för byarnas placering, försörjning och markanvändning. Ortnamn i socknen tyder på att bygden expanderat under medeltid och kanske även under vikingatid. Sannolikt har bygden expanderat från den större sandslätten i centrala Näsum där byarna Västanå och Näsum är belägna, ut mot socknens gränser. / In an attempt to broaden the state of knowledge regarding the agrarian historical development in north east of Scania, a study of the parish of Näsum has been made. Näsum is located in Bromölla, north of Ivösjön. Located in the central study area, there is a grave field called Gudahagen. According to archaeological studies, the grave field was used during the Iron Age, and was probably abandoned in the early Middle Ages. Two villages, Näsum and Västanå, are located adjacent to the grave field. These villages might have a long historical continuity. Historical maps, geology, topography, ancient remains and land names are examples of factors that has been studied. For a deeper understanding of one of the central villages in Näsum, a historical map of Västanå has been rectified and digitized in GIS, and later analyzed in combination with, for example, terrain shadows and geological maps. The studies have shown that there are similarities between historic landscapes in Näsum and in Stoby, a parish located nearby. Some parallels can also be drawn between the historic landscapes in Näsum och in Halland. In Näsum there are also connections between land use, geology and topography. Näsum's villages have been limited to the sandy plains and have natural boundaries towards the tougher terrain in the surrounding moraine landscape. It’s also likely that the water in Näsum, both Ivösjön and the streams, has played a big part when it comes to planning of land use. Place names in the parish indicate that a medieval expansion has taken place. Perhaps the expansion started as early as in the Viking Age. The villages have probably expanded from the larger sandy plains in the center of Näsum towards the parish boundaries.

In this paper, I discuss the presence of farm animals in longhouses during the Iron Age in Sweden with some examples from Europe. Longhouses are often described as multifunctional housing. Though housing animals indoors has been questioned in the past, it remains a generally accepted interpretation. This paper aims to investigate if and how animals were housed inside and how archeologists in the future should work with the issue.