This paper deals with stable isotope analysis on the children of the early Christian cemetery in Varnhem, Västergötland. Human bone and tooth material from the cemetery has been analysed for stable carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotopes. The analysis showed that the diet had been homogeneous and that the children had been breastfed, with a possible exception of the child from grave 100.

Den här uppsatsen behandlar ett antal individer begravda mellan 800 e.Kr. och 1150 e.Kr i ett tidigt kristet gravfält kring ruinen av Varnhems gårdskyrka. Av speciellt intresse är den placeringen som gravarna har i förhållande till kyrkomurarna och vad dessa placeringar innebär statusmässigt. Analys av stabila isotoper har därför utförts på de manliga individerna  så att deras diet kan faställas och agera som en markör för vad som känneteckas som hög och lågstatus bland de begravda männen i Varnhem.

This essay concerns the Lausitz culture. It focuses is on grave culture and ceramics in addition to which connections they might have. Furthermore two cultures will be examined to better determine how the Lausitz culture uses their ceramic. Research on lipid residues will be conducted using twelve ceramic fragments from the Lausitz culture.

This paper deals with iron objects found in the 2015 excavation in Birkas Black Earth harbour on the Island of Björkö, in Adelsö parish. The purpose is to through EDTA -conservation and x-rays identify which objects they derived from, and how they can be linked to activities associated with a harbour environment.

In this paper, I discuss layer 23 from the 2015 excavation at the harbor in the black earth, Birka, through identification and conservation of a number of iron objects from this specific layer. These objects are in many cases broken and worn out, which indicates that they have been thrown away on purpose. Traces of bone and charcoal in the layer supports the idea that the harbor has been a place where people left their waste. Many of these excavated objects can be related to craftsmanship and/or the ships gear.

This study deals with the contribution of the genetic variant lactase persistence among Neolithic people from the Baltic Island Öland. Skeletal remains from twelve individuals went through DNA sequencing in order to find the mutation that allows adult individuals to digest milk sugar. The twelve individuals were chosen from two different Neolithic sites, where the archaeological and isotopic data suggest that the individuals from Köpingsvik were hunters and gatherers and the individuals from Resmo were early farmers. The individuals with the genetic variant lactase persistence can be described with selection and genetic flow.  Only five individuals produced results and the mutation was found in two of the subjects. All the individuals who were successfully sequenced came from Resmo, whereasno individuals from Köpingsvik yielded any results.

Den här uppsatsen behandlar gammal DNA från 32 människor från den prehistoriska byn Ekwen belägen in nordöst Asien. Proverna har blivit masskopierade med hjälp av PCR och sekvenserad med FLX pyrosekvensering. Autentiska sekvenser har blivit bedömt genom användningen av PhyloNet och c-statistik och senare anpassad och jämförd med en referens sekvens (CRS). Tydliga C-T, T-C och A-G skador har upptäckts vid nukleotidpositioner vilket visar sig vara utmärkande för just den här populationen.

This paper deals with isotope analyses of bones and teeth of two individuals from a medieval cemetery in Västerhus, Jämtland with the purpose to ascertain the diet and how much fish the people ate. The stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen have been analysed with isotope-ratio mass sepectrometry and the diet of the people in Västerhus has been studied. The results show that most of the people had a terrestrial diet and by comparing with Sigtuna, Uppland and Varnhem, Västergötland it was possible to conclude that they ate meat and vegetable feed.

Sigtuna’s trade and production has been the subject of an increasing amount of archaeological investigations during the last 30 years. However, most of the research has been conductedregarding the buildings, coin mints and precious metal objects. This thesis will instead research one of the basics of the production, namely the iron. By reviewing the iron objectsand currency bars from house X in the city block Humlegården 3. Through high precision studies with conservation and scanning electron microscope I will be able to come one step closer to identifying what sort of items were produced on the site and discerning what status and function the smithy had. I will also investigate the possibility to track the origin of the iron. / Sigtunas handel och produktion har varit föremål för ett ökande antal arkeologiska undersökningar de senaste 30 åren. De flesta av dessa undersökningar har handlat ombyggnader, mynthus och föremålsstudier. Den här uppsatsen kommer istället att undersöka ett av hantverken som krävs för att kunna utföra många andra hantverk, nämligen järnhantverk. Genom att undersöka järnfynden och ämnesjärnen från hus X i kvarteret Humlegården 3, via detaljerade studier som inkluderar konservering och Svepelektronmikroskop, kommer jag att komma ett steg närmare vilka föremål som producerats på platsen samt utröna vad för status och funktion smedjan hade. Jag kommer även undersöka om det är möjligt att säga någonting om järnets ursprung.

The aim of this paper was to study fourteen pottery sherds found at the site of Ayia Irini in northern Cyprus using Gas chromatography- Mass spectrometry. Ayia Irini has by the archaeologists of the Swedish Cyprus Expedition been interpreted as a sanctuary, with activity spanning from the Late Bronze Age throughout the Cypriot Iron Age. The results showed traces of vegetable lipids in almost all samples, and traces of lipids from terrestrial animals in all but two. One sample showed traces of resin. Several samples were contaminated by different components found in plastics, such as plasticizers. No obvious common denominators were found for samples of similar pottery type or similar dating. The analysis yielded results of differing quality in all samples. However, usable data was collected from all except one sample, which was too heavily contaminated to glean any clear traces of organic residue from the time of deposit.