From the pre-Roman and Roman Iron Age, a number of different fossil agrarian landscapes can be found in southern Sweden - clearance cairn areas, celtic fields, stone-wall complexes and geometrically laid-out strip fields. With two different comparative analyses, this paper tries to explain some of the differences between clearance cairn systems and the other fossil field systems The shape of the early Iron Age agrarian landscape varies between different provinces of southern Sweden. At Gotland, celtic field systems were laid-out before 500 BC. In Småland at the same time, areas with clearance cairns were created. How can the difference be explained? The different physical appearance of clearance cairn areas and celtic fields can be explained by the different ways to handle the ard in till and in sandy soil. In sandy soils, and other fine soils, the ard will at each turn deposit small amounts of roots, soil and debris at the edge of the field, which over the years will build up the walls of the celtic fields. But in boulder-rich soil the ard will constantly have to be lifted and tilted, which means that the material will be released before the ard reaches the edge of the field. Since crops, vegetation, houses, field system areas, etc. are identical or at least similar in both landscape types, they most likely represent the same farming system with hay-meadow – stabling – manure – intensely cultivated fields In most provinces in southern Sweden, the pre-roman celtic fields and clearance cairn areas were replaced by geometrically laid-out strip fields or different kinds of stone-wall complexes enclosing the fields and farms, around AD 200, but not in Småland. There, the clearance cairn areas were used and extended throughout the Iron Age. How can this regional variation be explained? A comparison between the different landscape types reveals no significant differences in tools, crops, houses, etc. that would support that the difference is explained by a shift in farming systems. A more likely hypothesis is that the difference is due to regional pre-state or early-state political structures with an ambition to control land-use. This is based on the observations that 1) within each region the physical appearance of the fossil landscape is very coherent; 2) between the different regions there are significant differences, and; 3) the different systems were introduced approximately simultaneously in the regions Gotland, Öland, Östergötland, Uppland and Västergötland. This hypothesis implies that Småland either had a separate political structure which chose to keep the old clearance cairn land-use system, or lacked a corresponding regional structure.

This thesis analyses the carbonised remains of the great hall building in Gamla (old) Uppsala, Sweden, which burnt down sometime between 7th to 8th century AD. It is easily assumed that the people of Gamla Uppsala, who lived in one of the most important central places in Iron Age Scandinavia, had both the economy and power to build a most spectacular hall. Previous research on halls has focused on architectural changes as well as the power and rituals such buildings might have represented. However, no previous Swedish archaeological studies have discussed the quality of construction wood as an indication of a well-built hall building. Wood can rarely be analysed in-depth as it is most often decomposed, or only a few charred pieces remain from the constructions. The hall in Gamla Uppsala provides an unusually large amount of charcoal remains. Therefore, an anthracological analysis is used in this thesis to discuss the quality of the hall construction based on the choice of timber. The purpose of this thesis was to identify what kind of wood the builders used to construct the great hall, how much timber and time it would take to build the 50 m long hall building and if the required timber could be found in the area surrounding the hall. The purpose was also to try to identify whether the construction wood was of good quality. The results show that the large timbers were of scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), and the wattle walls were made of juniper branches (Juniperus sp.). The great hall required at least 6250 scots pine trees, which is 4–5 hectares of clear-cut logging. As the landscape at Gamla Uppsala mainly consisted of large open fields, there were not enough trees that would grow locally to get this amount of timber for the hall. Junipers would, however, grow in the open landscape, and the builders would have gathered a minimum of 3600–5300 branches for the wattle walls. It would have taken around four months or less to build the hall, not including the time it would take to prepare the building material. The identified construction materials suggest that the timber was carefully chosen for the great hall building in Gamla Uppsala. / I denna uppsats har förkolnat virke analyserats från hallbyggnaden på kungsgården i Gamla Uppsala, som brann ner någon gång mellan 600- och 700-talet e.Kr. Det är lätt att anta att människorna i Gamla Uppsala, som då bodde i en av järnålderns viktigaste centralplatser, hade en tillräckligt stor social och ekonomisk makt för att bygga en spektakulär hallbyggnad. Tidigare forskning om hallbyggnader har fokuserats på arkitektoniska förändringar samt på den sociala makt och de rituella ceremonier som hallbyggnader ofta är förknippade med. Det finns däremot inga arkeologiska studier i Sverige som har fokuserats på virkeskvalitet från byggnader med sådan dignitet som hallbyggnaden i Gamla Uppsala. Möjligheten att utföra djupare analyser på arkeologiskt trä är sällsynt då det ofta hunnit förmultna, eller endast utgörs av några få förkolnade bitar av ursprungsvirket. Hallen i Gamla Uppsala har efter branden en ovanligt stor mängd förkolnat virke som bevarats i gott skick. Genom vedartsanalyser på de arkeologiska trälämningarna kan kvaliteten på hallbyggnaden diskuteras baserat på val av virke. Syftet med denna uppsats var att identifiera vilka vedarter som användes för att konstruera hallen, hur mycket virke som krävdes, hur lång tid det skulle ta att bygga den 50 m långa hallbyggnaden och om virket kunde hämtas i närområdet kring hallen. Syftet var också att försöka identifiera om konstruktionsvirket var av god kvalitet. Resultaten av analysen visar att majoriteten av virket var av furu (Pinus sylvestris), medan flätverksväggarna var gjorda av ene grenar (Juniperus sp.). För att bygga hallen krävdes minst 6250 tallar, vilket skulle motsvara 4–5 hektar avverkad skog. Eftersom landskapet vid Gamla Uppsala huvudsakligen bestod av stora öppna fält kunde det inte ha funnits tillräckligt med träd som växte i närområdet för att samla in den mängd virke som krävdes för konstruktionen av hallen. Ene var tillgängligt i närområdet i det öppna landskapet, och byggarna behövde minst 3600–5300 grenar till flätverksväggarna. Det skulle ha tagit cirka fyra månader eller mindre att bygga hallen, frånsett den tid det skulle ta att förbereda byggmaterialet. Virket verkar ha valts ut noggrant för hallen på kungsgården i Gamla Uppsala.

This thesis presents a micro-archaeological analysis of the osteological material from theunmarked communal grave L1977:6727, in Sigsarve, Gotland. The grave was found during the ploughing of a field and excavated in 1911. Documentation of the grave was poor; hencethe aim of this thesis was to investigate who the individuals in this grave were through their skeletal remains. The number of individuals, their age, and sex was determined, andpathological or activity-related changes were examined. A discussion on who these individuals were, whether their health could imply anything about their life, and how the grave might have been used, was based on these osteological results. The grave was likely a family grave used by a farming group. The elements displayed a fair amount of physical strain, particularly in a few individuals. The osteological material from the same grave waspreviously examined in 1912 by Carl M. Fürst. To examine the relevance of re-analysing osteological material analysed during the earlier 20th century a comparative analysis of Fürst’s and the new results was made. Although there were similarities, the older analysis provided very limited information in comparison to this analysis. / Denna avhandling är en mikroarkeologisk analys av det osteologiska materialet från flatmarksgraven L1977:6727, i Sigsarve, Gotland. Graven plogades upp och grävdes ut 1911. Då dokumentation om graven var minimal blev uppsatsens syfte att undersöka vilka individerna i graven kan ha varit genom det osteologiska materialet. Antalet individer, deras ålder och kön bedömdes, och eventuella patologiska eller aktivitetsrelaterade förändringar undersöktes. Utifrån resultaten diskuterades individernas liv, hälsa samt gravens bruk. Det kunde konstateras att graven troligen var en familjegrav som brukats av bönder snarare än jägare/samlare. Benen påvisade fysisk påfrestning, i synnerhet hos ett fåtal individer. Det osteologiska materialet undersöktes tidigare år 1912 av Carl M. Fürst. För att utreda relevansen av att åter-analysera osteologiskt material som analyserats under det tidigare 1900-talet gjordes en jämförande analys av Fürsts och de nya resultaten. Medan det fanns likheter i resultaten gav den äldre analysen mycket begränsad information i jämförelse med denna analys. / Gotland in the 3rd ML BCE

Uppsatsen problematiserar 1850-årsgränsen i den svenska kulturmiljölagen (1988:950) och dess konsekvens för bevarande av fasta lämningar daterade efter årtalet som inte får lagskydd. Texten analyserar möjligheten för arkeologiska undersökningar av kontexten kring de fasta lämningarna från nyare tid. Det teoretiska perspektivet betonar värdet kring dessa lämningar. Metoden i uppsatsen är en komparativ analys mellan denna situation i Sverige och Norge. Eftersom det senare landet har ett kapitel i motsvarande kulturminneslag som har möjligheten att skydda lämningar oavsett tidsperiod. Resultatet visar på att 1850-årsgränsen generellt har en påverkan på fasta lämningar nyligen förfluten tid, men bevarandet och möjligheten till arkeologiska undersökningar påverkas även av övriga föreskrifter i lagen och andra faktorer. / The thesis problematizes the 1850 dating provision in the Swedish Historic Environment Act (1988:950) and its consequences for conservation of remains with no law protection, dated later than the year. The text analyzes the possibilities for archaeological research of the context of remains from recent time periods. The theoretical perspective aims to recognize the value of these recent remains. The method in the thesis is a comparative analysis between the situation in Sweden and Norway, because of the latter's chapter in the country's Act concerning the cultural heritage with the possibility to protect remains from every time period. The result is that the 1850 provision has an effect on recent remains, but the conservation and possibilities for archaeological investigation depend on other provisions in the law and other factors as well.

In several medieval written sources an area called Ragundaskogen (Eng: Ragunda Forest) is documented in eastern Jämtland. The references in the sources are general and lack specific information about location, meaning and the extent of this area. This thesis uses a theoretical framework based on niche construction and a method employing written sources, place names and archaeological remains to better understand the medieval concept of the Ragunda Forest. The study will reconstruct and discuss the area’s geography, but also provide insight into the people who lived there, their relationships with each other and places in the landscape, as well as their relationship to the church in Uppsala and the monarchy in Norway. The Ragunda Forest was a niche in a border area and during certain periods seems to have had a certain form of independence. The Middle Ages are a period characterised by a series of crises due to climate change and diseases such as the plague. The Ragunda Forest will be used as a background to discuss how the medieval population and landscapes were affected. The thesis suggests that interdisciplinary studies of delimited and local landscape spaces are an effective method for better understanding historical human-environment relations. / I flera skriftliga källor från medeltiden omnämns Ragundaskogen i östra Jämtland. Hänvisningarna i källorna är generella så det är svårt att avgöra Ragundaskogens exakta betydelse, läge och utbredning. Denna uppsats använder ett teoretiskt ramverk som bygger på nischkonstruktion och en metod som omfattar skriftliga källor, platsnamn och arkeologiska lämningar för att bättre förstå det medeltida begreppet Ragundaskogen. Studien kommer att rekonstruera och diskutera områdets geografi, men också ge insikt till människorna som levde där, till deras relationer sinsemellan och till platser i landskapet, samt till deras förhållanden till kyrkan i Uppsala och kungamakten i Norge. Ragundaskogen var en nisch i ett gränsområde och verkar under vissa perioder också haft en viss form av självständighet. Medeltiden är en tidsperiod som kännetecknas av en rad kriser till följd av klimatförändring och sjukdomar som pesten. Ragundaskogen kommer att användas som en bakgrund för att diskutera hur medeltidens människor och landskap påverkades. Uppsatsen föreslår att tvärvetenskapliga studier av avgränsade och lokala landskapsrum är en effektiv metod för att bättre förstå historiska människa-miljö relationer.

The final voyages of H.M.S Erebus and H.M.S Terror marked a pivotal chapter in the tapestry of international relations with the Arctic frontier. The aim of this study is to analyze how these wrecks impact territorial disputes and the geopolitical dynamics between coastal states and international actors. By adopting an interdisciplinary perspective, where archaeology is supplemented by law and geopolitical theory, it has been possible to gain increased knowledge of how actors such as Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Inuit of Nunavut perceive and utilize the wrecks for their respective territorial interests. With the intention of further deepening the understanding of the complex conditions that shape the wreckages legal status and management in the modern world, an analysis of the legal frameworks regulating the Northwest Passage is also conducted. The study exposes contemporary jurisdictional gaps and emphasizes the necessity of including Inuit perspectives into Arctic Management. / Den sista expeditionen med H.M.S Erebus och H.M.S Terror har kommit att få central betydelse för de komplexa internationella relationerna med Arktis. Syftet med den här studien är att analysera hur dessa vrak påverkar de territoriella tvisterna och det geopolitiska samspelet mellan kuststater och internationella aktörer. Genom att anlägga ett tvärvetenskapligt perspektiv, där arkeologi kompletteras med juridik och geopolitisk teori har det varit möjligt att nå ökad kunskap om hur aktörer som Kanada, Storbritannien, USA och Inuiterna i Nunavut uppfattar och använder vraken för sina respektive territoriella intressen. Med avsikt att ytterligare fördjupa förståelsen av de komplexa förhållanden som formar vrakens juridiska status och hantering i den moderna världen, genomförs också en analys av de rättsliga ramverk som reglerar Nordvästpassagen. Studien avslöjar bristerna i nuvarande lagstiftning och framhäver vikten av att inkludera Inuiternas perspektiv i diskussioner om förvaltning.

Denna uppsats syftar att utröna om indikationer på produktion av animalprodukter kan observeras i det osteologiska materialet från fastigheten Snauvalds 1:2, Västergarn, Gotland. Dessa produktioner kan vara kött-, mejeri- eller ullproduktion. Undersökningen ämnar även ge en inblick i den dåtida ekonomin genom handeln med animalprodukter. I den osteologiska analysen används ålders- och könsbedömningar samt artidentifiering för att skapa en bild av fördelningen i materialet. Resultaten från analysen har sedan tolkats ur ett ekonomiskt perspektiv för att dra slutsatser kring handeln med och betydelsen av animalprodukter. Resultaten visade att nötkreaturen sannolikt har använts för både mejeri- och köttproduktion. Fåren har troligtvis främst använts för produktion av ull, men även kött. Svinen har enbart fötts upp för sitt kött. Utöver detta dras slutsatsen att varupengar sannolikt varit en viktig del av ekonomin på platsen. Slutligen konstateras det att denna typ av undersökningar ger en unik inblick i det dåtida vardagslivet genom kosthållning och sysselsättning. / This thesis aims to deduce whether indications of the production of animal products can be observed in the osteological material from the property Snauvalds 1:2, Västergarn, Gotland. These productions can consist of meat-, dairy- or wool production. It also aims to provide an insight into ancient economy through the trade in animal products. In the osteological analysis age and sex assessment as well as species identification are used to establish a pattern of distribution. The results from the analysis have then been interpreted from an economic perspective to draw conclusions about the trade in and importance of animal products. The results showed that the cattle have likely been used for both dairy and meat production. The sheep were probably mainly used to produce wool, but also meat. The pigs were raised solely for their meat. In addition to this, it’s concluded that commodity money likely was an important part of the economy at the site. Lastly, it’s stated that this type of research provides a unique insight into everyday life through dietary choices and occupation.

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.

<p>This is a study of martial material culture in the context of the Viking Age warrior of Birka, Sweden. The aim is to establish the role, function and affiliation of the Birka warrior and thereby place Birka on the power-political map of the 10th century. The study is based on the excavations of the fortified structures, particularly the Garrison, at the trading post of Birka as well as the extensive remains of material culture deriving from these investigations. A starting hypothesis is that an analysis of material culture constitutes a way of mapping social structures and that style and iconography reflect cultural groups, contacts and loyalties.</p><p>Based on the case studies of six papers, the synthesis deals with questions of the work and world view of the warriors, as too their relation to their contemporary counterparts in eastern and western Europe. Questions are raised concerning the value and function of symbols in a martial context where material culture reflects rank, status and office. In defining the Birka warrior’s particular stylistic expression, a tool is created and used in the search for contacts and affiliations reflected through the distribution patterns. The results show close contacts with the eastern trading posts located on the rivers Volga and Dnjepr in Ancient Russia.</p><p>It is stated that these Rus’ trading posts, essentially inhabited by Northmen, shared a common cultural expression that was maintained throughout a vast area by exceptionally close contacts. It is suggested that a particular stylistic expression developed in these Rus’ trading places containing elements of mainly Scandinavian, Steppe nomadic and Byzantine origin.</p><p>In conclusion, the results of this thesis show that the warriors from Birka’s Garrison had a share in the martial development of contemporary Europe but with their own particular traits. Close relations with the eastern trade route and contact with the powerful Byzantine Empire were enjoyed. As a pointer for future research, it is wondered what organisational form the close-knit structure of the Rus’ trading posts actually took, keeping the subsequent guilds of medieval Europe in mind. The fall of the Garrison, as of Birka, corresponds with the establishment of Christianity in the region. Such changes were not limited to Central Sweden but part of a greater process where a new political structure was developing, better anchored in local concerns.</p>

<p>One of the most discussed archaeological subjects is the neolitisation, and the start of a neolithic lifestyle which is characterized by several significant events. The traditional view has been that settled people were cultivating and breeding, but this picture has been questioned and changed in later years. The development is principally based on two models; that already neolithic people immigrated and took over, or that the new lifestyle gradually developed out of the existing cultures. Southern Scandinavia was characterized by a settlement pattern with permanent settlements which were complemented by temporary special settlements, but in time more domestic settlements originated. On the British Isles the settlements didn´t consist of permanent agricultural settlements but instead did the people here move freely between several short term settlements.</p><p> </p><p> </p>