This paper deals with flat iron fragments from the Viking Age hall situated in Birkas Garrison, Adelsö parish in Uppland. The aim of the study was to identify which objects these flat fragments were originally derived from. The aim was also to discuss the function of these objects and their presence in the hall. This would hopefully increase the knowledge about the hall and the warriors who lived and worked there. In some cases the fragments form and placement in the hall has not provided enough information to classify the object from which they derived. Where it has been possible, a majority of the fragments has been interpreted as parts of chest mounts or shield buckles. The result of the analysis shows the possibility of a large chest having once stood in the southwest corner of the hall.

This essay is focused on the questions of and responsibility for where, when, how and why communication and meetings through archaeology should take place. I have critically studied Swedish public archaeology through three diverse archaeological excava­tions, one took place in the end of the 1980s, and two others in 2012. I have asked for under what circum­stances and with which goals the public efforts become possible. I have inter­viewed leaders for the archaeological excavations and/or the public efforts and questi­o­ned how and why they reached out to the public. I also searched for results and effects in order to problematize and value the public activities. Through interpretation of the resear­ched material it becomes clear that economic issues as well as archaeo­logists interests and engagements are of vital importance for public archaeology. Co-operation in the local community and archaeological documentation is crucial for the deve­lopment of archaeology and its role in society. Keywords: Public archaeology, Community archaeology, Heritage, Communication, Manage­ment, Historic environment education, Time Travel, Living history / I denna uppsats ligger fokus på frågor som berör ansvaret för var, när, hur och varför kommunikation och möten genom arkeologin ska utföras. Med ett kritiskt förhållningssätt har jag studerat svensk publik arkeologi genom tre skilda arkeologiska utgrävningar, en utfördes i slutet på 1980-talet, och två andra år 2012. Jag har undersökt under vilka förutsättningar och med vilka mål de publika insatserna blivit möjliga. Jag har intervjuat ledare för de arkeologiska utgrävningarna och/eller publika insatserna och ställt frågor om hur och varför den publika arkeologin nått ut. Jag har även sökt efter resultat och effekter i syfte att problematisera och värdera den publika verksamheten. Genom min analys av det utforskade materialet står det klart att ekonomi så väl som arkeologers intresse och engagemang är avgörande för publik arkeologi. Samarbeten inom det lokala samhället och arkeologisk dokumentation är ytterst viktigt för utvecklingen av arkeologin och dess roll i samhället.

Is it relevant to treat bog bodies as its own category within the archaeological research? This paper examines how scholars and researchers, through their publications and depictions of the preserved prehistoric individuals, are helping to create such a category. What has changed in the way scholars look at and describe these astounding finds? Also examines the various theories researchers provide regarding bog bodies and how they are deposited.

<p>Is it relevant to treat bog bodies as its own category within the archaeological research? This paper examines how scholars and researchers, through their publications and depictions of the preserved prehistoric individuals, are helping to create such a category. What has changed in the way scholars look at and describe these astounding finds? Also examines the various theories researchers provide regarding bog bodies and how they are deposited.</p>

This study deals with the phenomenon of graves without any bone material combined with an application test of a portable X-Ray fluorescence detector (pXRF) instrument on simulated burial soils to see if we could get any closer understanding of this phenomenon. To test the instruments applicability on these types of conditions, an experiment was conducted with three different soil types. These were placed in separated, specifically pre prepared plastic tubes in groups of three per soil type and then prepared with circa 9 grams of cremated animal bones that was grinded down to a powder. The tubes were then subjected to eater flow equivalent to circa 50 years of rainfall. The tubes were thereafter disassembled and soil samples where gathered and analyzed with a pXRF. The results showed little movement of the bone powder and clear spikes of Ca and P could be seen at the place of disposal of the bone powder and some spreading sideways and down in the tube. The study also search for Mg as an indicator for bone material alongside Ca and P but no clear results could be reached due to excessive variation.   The method of using pXRF in the search for bone material in soils has, as seen in the results of this study, great potential even though more research is needed to reach a better understanding of the methods limitations.

This essay analyzes destruction of cultural heritage, and its impact on future archaeological research. A qualitative case study on four different events of destruction on cultural heritage to evaluate whether it can be positive or negative. It explores if this phenomenon is new or old. Hopefully, the essay also contributes to the knowledge gap that exists in today's analysis of systematic destruction of cultural heritage. First, the concept of cultural heritage and systematic destruction is analyzed. Thereafter, a variety of cases are considered to finally arrive at four different events to be analyzed. In these four different events, a case study is made that aims to contribute to a deeper understanding on destruction of culture heritage. If it contributes to something positive or negative to the people in that society, and a possible outcome on how we look back on history. The events that form the case study are the destruction of the Baalshamin Temple, the demolition of the southern state statues, the transplantation of the Abu simbel monuments from Egypt and the destruction of the Sami drums. The results found that systematic destruction of cultural heritage is a complex issue and does not have an absolute explanation. Destruction of cultural heritage usually affects archaeologists negatively as it prevents future research and results in a less nuanced image of history. Destruction of cultural heritage is usually considered negative, however, moving objects is considered to be more positive.

This essay deals with the use of archival excavations documents among archeologists, with the focus on the Swedish excavation in Labraunda, Turkey. The purpose with this study was to facili- tate the work at archival institutions with excavation documents, and to create more knowledge about the use of archival excavation documents. This study can also help the archival institutions to preserve and mediate this type of documentation. In addition, this study also adds more knowledge about what type of archival documentation the users prefer to use. Method that have been used are interviews, which six persons that have or are working with documentation from Labraunda. In addition with, document studies are used as a complement, where publications, based on archival document from Labraunda, written by the interviewed individuals have been studied. Con- cluding of this study is that the archeologists using archived excavation documentation needs to process the documents before any contemporary analysis can be made. Moreover, it seems that it is a patchwork between using their own and others documentation, to fill in the information gaps or find similarities. Furthermore, some of the most used document types is, according to this study, photographs and drawings of ceramics.

Early medieval burials in ditches surrounding grave mounds from the Vendel Period and Viking Age are analyzed through three case studies from Dalarna in Sweden. The historical context during the late Iron Age and early Medieval Period is discussed to create an understanding of these graves. By making use of the theories constructed by Catherine Bell about ritualization as a strategic mode of practice to produce relationships of power, the early medieval graves are interpreted as an archaistic social strategy to justify the farm as the superior social unit during a time of change in Dalarna.

Examensarbetet behandlar hydroarkeologi genom flera kartstudier av fornlämningar och deras förhållande till det förhistoriska landskapets hydrologi i ett utvalt undersökningsområde där en förhistorisk hydrologisk situation har återskapats. Arbetet fokuserar på fornlämningar som idag ligger över en kilometer från en vattenförekomst, men som har vatten inom en kilometer på historiska kartor.   Fornlämningar ligger i allmänhet relativt nära dagens vattenförekomster och bland de undersökta fornlämningarna dominerar typerna gravar och verktygslämningar. Majoriteten av fornlämningarna brukades under förhistorien och markanvändningen vid lämningarna har successivt övergått till en allt större andel öppen mark från 1700-talet till idag. Vattenförekomsterna har förändrats av såväl naturliga som antropogena orsaker och de mer omfattande antropogena förändringarna började omkring år 1800. Troligtvis har området ett helt annat hydrologiskt utseende idag jämfört med under förhistorien. / This bachelor thesis investigates hydroarchelogy through several studies of maps, ancient remains and their relationship to the hydrology of the prehistoric landscape in a selected area in Sweden where a prehistoric hydrological situation has been recreated. The focus of this thesis is remains which are located over 1 000 meters from a body of water today, but which have water within 1 000 meters on historical maps.   Ancient remains are generally situated relatively close to the present bodies of water and among the studied remains the dominating types are graves and tools. The majority of the remains date back to the prehistory and between the 18th century and today the land use surrounding the remains has consisted of an increasing part of open field. The water has changed both by natural and antropogen causes and the major antropogen changes started around 1800. The studied area probably has a totally different hydrological appearance today compared to during the prehistory.

This bachelor’s thesis is based on the charred archaeobotanical material from a settlement at Eikebakken, Norway dated to the end of Bronze Age. The study focuses on determining the potential use of weeds and the oil plant flax (Linum usitatissimum). The archaeobotanical samples contained large amounts of charred flax seeds, and to determine whether it was used for oil or textile production a morphometric study of the material was undertaken and compared to other morphometric studies from Northern Europe. An experiment on modern flax seeds, carbonised at different temperatures, was used to expand current knowledge about how flax seeds change through the carbonisation process and why flax seeds are so rarely preserved in prehistoric contexts. The experiment results compared to the carbonized flax seeds from Eikebakken are shown with different diagrams and visualisations. The morphometric analysis together with the experiment provides new knowledge about the flax seeds complications with preservation and that flax in Norway's earliest stages was most likely grown for textile fibres, a contradiction to earlier assumptions.