Cremated remains have long been regarded as a highly complex material that often provides unsatisfactory results. This essay discusses the problems that arise when methods commonly used on unburned bone material are used in a cremated skeletal material. The present essay discusses the results from osteological analysis of seven cremations from Pre-Roman Iron Age from a large cemetery in Alvastra, Smörkullen. Several methods were ultimately not applied in the present study as they were insufficient for application on the relevant material. Since the methods were inapplicable and fragments available for gender assessments too low, no sex assessments were made. All individuals were considered adults, a more detailed age assessment were not possible.  The combustion rate for four of the graves were assessed to Grade 2, three graves to Grade 2 with the transition to Grade of 3, and only one grave has been assessed at Grade 3. The combined average size of the fragments was about 2.7 cm. In four of the graves the bone content corresponded to a whole individual, i.e. the grave contained the remains of a whole body. The study raise the issue of explore and develop further methods on cremated remains, foremost for sex- and age assessments.

Osteological analysis was carried out on skeletons from nine graves from a medieval cemetery in Ny Varberg, Varberg, Halland. The graves originate from a monastery and a church, dating back to the fourteenth and fifteenth century. The main aim with this thesis has been to study health through the presence of pathologies and skeletal changes. Further aim was to compare the results from the present study with theresults from Torsten Sandbergs analysis of the same material from 1964. This comparison later showed coincidence. In this study the sex estimations showed the presence of six men and three women. The age distribution among the nine individuals was homogeneous, whit the majority being middle- aged individuals. They exhibit a stature that can be expected for this time period, however, one man stands out with his180-183 cm. The incidence of dental caries, calculus and ante mortal tooth loss has been frequent. Diseases and changes that are occurring in the course of my work are: meningitis, gingivitis, osteomyelitis, periostitis, osteoarthritis, osteoma, Schmorl’snodes, spondylolysis and hypercementosis, among others. A discussion concerning health and the impact of pain is also included in this thesis. Health among the individuals has been varying; some of them probably have not been affected significantly by their disease, while other diseases have had major negative impacts onthe individuals’ mobility and quality of life, and given rise to significant pain.

Osteological examinations were executed on nine mediaeval individuals from Västergarn, Gotland, with the main aim to increase the knowledge about the people who lived there during the Middle Ages. A further aim was to compare the results from this study with other populations from the same time period, which in this case was the "Bonegathering" from Västergarn as well as previous osteological results from Sigtuna and Västerhus. Archaeological excavations have been occurring in Västergarn since 1971 and are still occurring in an educational purpose, for students of Gotland University. The age distribution of the individuals showed ages from 2 years old up to 44 years, with five adults and four children. The gender distribution show approximately five women and one man. A significant observation was made from the presence of caries and calculus, which can be observed in that some had more calculus then caries. Examples of the skeletal changes that occurred during the examinations was Schmorl`s noder, cribra orbitalia and inflammations. The comparison between other populations showed no obvious difference.

The essay deals with the hill-fort on the mountain Halleberg, Sweden, its wall design, functionality, dating and its possible function as a central location and a place of worship of the ancestors. The Halleberg hill-fort consists of a 1500 meters long at times cohesive stonewalls which together blocked the mountain from its surroundings. Hallberg's natural vertical scree and cliffs along with the masonry blocked the whole mountain from the surroundings. The hill-forts, with few exceptions are largely not investigated archaeologically and its functionality and role in the ancient society is based on outdated research on the subject. The current archaeological interpretation is that hill-forts served as temporary defense in times of unrest or served as center of power for a social elite. The prevailing view in the archaeological sphere is that the hill-forts had a variety of functions and that its functionality and role in ancient society has varied. Halleberg´s strongest wall sections are at the mountain's south-eastern part where the natural driveway, Storgårdsklev is located. Along with the massive masonry of the walls in Bokedalen Storgårdsklev functioned as the hill-forts main entrance. At places along the walls are the remains of what could be interpreted as stacked rocks and possible fire cracked stone. These structural features indicate that the walls were built during the early Iron Age. Very likely has its function like other hill-forts have been varied and changed based on the community, organization and internal and external disturbances. The essay's main interpretation is that the hill-fort served as a defensive fortress. Moreover it is possible that walls of the hill-fort had a symbolic role as a border between two separate rooms in the landscape. The fencing of Halleberg turned the whole mountain to a closed landscape, separated from the surroundings. It may have been a place where people worshiped their ancestors, a place where life's events, life and death was the focus point.

This paper deals with the question of neolithisation of Southern Scandinavia. The main goal is to give an overview of three theories regarding how agriculture and livestock breeding was introduced to the Southern Scandinavia. These are as follows: the immigration theory, the socio-economic theory and the historical explanation theory. Furthermore it is investigated which theory has the most probably support in material culture. There are obvious difficulties in interpreting the archaeological material. Some solutions which could resolve these problems are presented by the author. And finally suggestions are made where future resources in research should be aimed, to get the discussion regarding the neolithisation of Southern Scandinavia, to move forward.

In this bachelor thesis an attempt is made to recreate the shoreline of Gotland during the Bronze Age. This has been done with the help of GIS to analyze remains dated to different periods of the Bronze Age that have been situated close to the coast. Case studies of three areas of the island have been made where dated remains together with typical Bronze Age remains like cairns and ship settings are analyzed with variables such as height over sea level and geological and topographical information. Contemporary datings from each case study have been compared to find a possible shoreline for both early and late Bronze Age. Two shorelines, one for the early Bronze Age and one for the late Bronze Age, have been created and tested on the three areas to see the placement of the remains in relation to these coastlines.

As to now, no study has been made of the mica tempered pottery found along side the asbestos tempered pottery in Norrland during the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. Its occurrence has previously only briefly been noted in a few published works and the dating and geographical distribution of mica tempered pottery in the north of Sweden has to a large extent been unknown. This paper aims to compile the available information about this type of pottery and the locations where it has been discovered in order to date and explain the occurrence of mica tempered pottery in Norrland. It's also suggested that the occurrence of mica tempered pottery is connected to the spread of the early metalwork from the east to areas that today makes up the north of Norrland.

I den här studien undersöks hur arkeologi framställs i svenska, tryckta nyhetsmedier. Arbetet har sina teoretiska utgångspunkter dels i att det arkeologiska fältet populariseras när det förekommer i nyheter, dels att allt meningsskapande sker utifrån institutionella diskursiva praktiker. Centralt är att relationen mellan nuet och det förflutna får effekter för synen på samhället och att arkeologi och kulturarv har stor betydelse för identitetsskapande. Med hjälp av kritisk diskursanalys som teoretisk fond och metod analyseras ett urval av artiklar som förekommit i storstädernas dagspress under det gångna året. Båda institutionerna, tidningarna samt arkeologfältet, producerar en dominerande diskurs som har ett marknadsanpassat och liberalt perspektiv utom då hotet mot kulturarvet står i fokus då tongångarna blir mer inriktade på konservativa värden såsom bevarande och beskyddande. Både de liberala och konservativa diskurserna reproducerar en icke-problematiserande syn på det förflutna och dagens förhållanden och får därför ideologiska bäringar. Studien ser en avsaknad av alternativa förklaringar – motbilder – som istället för att legitimera ifrågasätter gängse uppfattningar om både det samtida och förhistoriska samhället.

In this essay I have chosen to write about graves, settlements and historical, important central places during the late Iron Age and the introduction of Christianity in the east of Blekinge. The reason why I have chosen to write about this is because the area has many ancient monuments and not much have been written about the area. The main question is who where the people who lived there and why did they choose to settle there.

The views on and the knowledge of the introduction of iron to Scandinavia have change by the history of archaeology. The results and discussions are put in the context of time and how that time is reflected in their work and texts. This limits that scholars put up to orientate themselves conceal the complex reality. The limits are changing all the time and is dependent of time and person.