This thesis addresses the rational properties of women’s gender identification and self-representation from political theorist Lois McNay’s generative logics, employing the Praedia of Julia Felix, Pompeii, as a case study. Previous debates rooted in semantics and representationalism have focused on non-elite stereotypes or negative gendered dichotomies fostered by comprehensive views on Roman women’s exclusion from public life. In contrast, this thesis adopts a new materialist approach, specifically drawing on feminist theorist Karen Barad’s agential realist method building on intra-activity in order to shed new light on the well-studied subject of how a non-elite woman was able to carve out an existence for herself in patriarchal ancient Roman society. Whereas past research has labelled non-elite Roman women as both passive and unproductive individuals, the present thesis proposes that agencies functioned as lived experiences which determined individuals’ abilities to actively connect with things and surroundings in different ways. Therefore, in order to analyze the interceding effects of agencies on gender identification and self-representation in connection to the Praedia of Julia Felix I argue that a broader view of performativity, embodying processes and materiality is needed. This view calls for a reconceptualization of relational entanglements in which material and social worlds are seen as mutually interconnected rather than separate entities isolated from the bodies responsible for creating these settings. Presenting the results based on a combined analysis of generative and new materialist models, I suggest that the Praedia of Julia Felix demonstrates a non-elite woman’s active participation in creating personal sustainability. This dynamic interplay between Julia Felix and her social surroundings in worth understanding in detail.

This thesis addresses radiocarbon (C-14) dating of bioarcheological finds from Sandby borg, an iron-age ring fort on the east coast of the Baltic Sea island of Öland, Sweden. Archaeological evidence suggests that Sandby borg was used during the European migration period and that its main period of usage was terminated by an isolated incidence of inter-personal violence where the inhabitants were killed or abducted. Radiocarbon dating of individual archaeological finds from this period becomes imprecise due to fluctuations of C-14 ratios in the atmosphere during the period 420-530 AD. In the work presented here, Bayesian modelling, whereby multiple finds as well as chronological information from typology and stratigraphy are combined into a statistical model is deployed, together with an estimate of the percentage of maritime products in the diet of individuals subjected to C-14 dating. The outcome of this analysis suggests that the usage ranges from 410-537 AD (95.4% probability) and that the lethal attack took place between the years 532 and 558 AD (95.4% probability). This latter dating interval is about 40-60 years later than what has been suggested from previous studies. The reliability of the modified chronology and its consequences for our understanding of the Sandby borg site is discussed, and some future directions of research are proposed.

This thesis is based and developed on the ambiguous and open conception, iconic species, which reveals the relationship between human society and non-human species that goes be- yond its biological status. From the case of the giant panda, I attempt to deconstruct the shap- ing process of an iconic species from multiple perspectives, which includes how a specific cultural context, or a specific historical period contributes to the shaping process and how the government and the public diverge or even clash around the shaping process. Then, I introduce my fieldwork where I through observing both giant pandas and red pandas in the exhibition centres called panda bases to analyse the encountering an iconic species in reality and their different influences on public awareness of the wildlife conservation. I also attempt to explore the various representative forms of an iconic species such as the Tibetan antelope ranging from the mascot to the film and follow the changes of its symbolic meanings in different forms. In conclusion, the thesis is aimed to reflect the hybrid features of the iconic species and pro- vide in-depth interpretation of the endless interactions between the human beings and other species.

For the better part of the 20th century, Swedish hillforts were seen strictly as an iron age phenomenon, and it was not until the mid-1980’s that we had reliable evidence that hillforts were already constructed during the Bronze Age. At the same time, archaeologists were moving away from the old militaristic studies to make way for studies based on the symbolical aspects of these monumental structures. Unfortunately, as we reached the end of the millennium, the general archaeological interest for hillforts dramatically dropped, causing hillfort research to miss out on the digital revolution as the new GIS technology cemented itself as a powerful tool in archaeological research. Today, nine hillforts have received a Bronze Age dating, why it is now possible to preform high quality research on the material without having to include structures from other time periods. However, the lack of GIS-based hillfort research leads us to seek inspiration from British hillfort research where the incorporation of GIS-methodology has proven successful in analyzing the relationship between hillforts and their landscapes. The purpose of this paper is therefore to continue investigating the symbolical aspects of the Swedish Bronze Age hillforts by investigating how GIS can help us locate and understand visual relationship between hillfort morphology and the surrounding landscape.       The analysis is based on a viewshed-method developed by Jessica Murray in her attempts to analyze if hillforts were constructed to visually relate to certain features of the landscape or the local topography. The resulting viewshed rasters are interpreted from a phenomenological theoretical standpoint since phenomenological aspects give us the possibility to bridge the gap between digital and analogue sensory analysis. The results show that viewshed-based analyses can be successfully complimented by phenomenological theory and that the method has successfully replicated previously observed landscape relationships while also exposing previously unknown visual relationships.

The subject of this study is the exploitation of marrow in European elk (Alces alces), at two Stone Age settlements in northern Sweden. The bone material presented in this study originate from Bellsås in Jämtland county, and Bastuloken in Västernorrland county. Only bones containing white marrow have been analysed: the mandibula, the long bones, and the first and second phalanges. This study aims to understand if, and how the extraction and use of bone marrow varied between the two sites. Is there a difference in which elements that were chosen for exploitation between the two sites? What can differences in the choice of elements for marrow extraction tell us about changes in local preferences and alterations in practises over time? Can the stone material from the two sites in combination with the bones give any clue to how the localities were used? The results of this study shows that the difference in marrow exploitation between the two sites lies mainly in the choice to exploit phalanges as a source for marrow at Bastuloken but not at Bellsås. The reasons for this are discussed and the conclusion is that cultural choices or preferences, rather than nutritional stress, are the cause for the choice to use these elements as a source for marrow. The bone and stone material in combination show that the two localities have been used in different ways.

The purpose of this essay is to make a study of archaeogenetic studies, its role and relevance to humanities research in archaeology. An analysis will thus be made of how genetic research deals with archaeological issues and interpretations of societal changes (e.g. neolithization) and relates to concepts that are central to archaeology (e.g. the concept of culture). With only the remains of human activity to study, archaeological research has developed theoretical frameworks when trying to interpret and understand the remains from ancient societies. Thus, this thesis will investigate how or if the knowledge from humanities research is included in the archaeogenetic research. The question is not only how, but also whether archaeogenetic research contributes new knowledge that archaeology research has not already presented?

This essay has analyzed and compared measurements of at least 41 dogs from seven different locations on Gotland ranging periods from Stone Age to Iron Age. This essay’s focus was on studying what kind of different types of dogs there are in the different time periods on Gotland, but also what their usage may have been. Type is not to be confused with breed as it is a modern concept and would give a faulty image, type indicate usage such as primed for i.e. hunting. The thesis also explores if the result differs from the mainland or preference of dogs compared to the island. Earlier studies have stated that during the Stone- and Bronze Age there are spitz type dogs, which usually varies between 30-60 cm. While during the Iron age more variety of different type of dogs were found such a greyhound type. Even larger dogs appear in the material with a height of 60-70 cm.   The Gotlandic dogs that were examined came from the locations Simunde, Lilla Vikers, Stora Källstäde, Hemmor, Gullrum, Ire, Vallhagar and Broa in Halla. Their sizes differed between 25-73 cm in height. The types of dogs that have been read out in the material are spitz, terrier, molosser types. The spitz and the terrier types indicate a usage as a farm dog raging to hunting, herding, guarding and as a companion. The molosser type and the other long-legged dogs in Broa in Halla show more specified hunting, high status and even hunting with horse. Nothing shows a different preference of type or size between the mainland and Gotland with the exception that the Gotlandic Stone age dogs were a little on the larger side than normal. The dogs were important in Gotland society and lived a good life with man as well as having the same diet which was proven by carbon-13 value analyzes from Ajvide. The dogs showed very few injuries and those that did showed instead that they had been taken care of in form of food and shelter so that those injuries fully have healed properly. Which shows that man has taken care of the dogs and wanted them well in health, that the dog is indeed important to humans and is our best friend.

The purpose of this thesis is to broaden and deepen the understanding of the urban regeneration and demolition processes taking place in Swedish cities between the 1940s and 1960s. Special attention is placed on how past and present layers of the city were used, conceptualized and legitimized by influential actors within the framework of urban governance. This is done by studying the function of the open air museum Old Linköping, formed in the 1940s aiming to preserve old houses through relocation, and the role of its administrative organ the Valla Board. The study departs from theories of urban spatio-temporal identity production, urban regime analysis and actor influence, employs the method of qualitative thematical content analysis, and covers the timespan 1944–1967. The research questions concern how Old Linköping’s function is described, legitimized and related to Linköping’s urban identity and urban regime; how processes of preservation, demolition and modernization are related to this function; the role of the Valla Board and its key actors within Linköping’s urban regime; and how the function of Old Linköping and Linköping’s urban regime changed during the studied time in relation to the national development of urban planning. The study shows that Old Linköping was assigned a broad societal function which became a positive identity-marker for Linköping, and a desirable incentive for the urban regime as it brought together several agendas. The objective of preservation became a legitimate part of this function through a focus on practical use and future value of the houses, and adherence to the consensus of modernization. The role of the Valla Board and its central actors, the initiator Lennart Sjöberg in particular, emerges as crucial for this process, and to the stability of the regime. Despite external contestation in the 1960s, the function of Old Linköping and the urban regime remained stable during the studied period. Its function, contestation and surrounding urban regime aligns with, but also nuances the general development.

The aim of this essay is to get a wider perspective on the early production and usage of textiles in Northern Sweden during the Iron Age and Middle Ages (up until the 17th century). The work consists of collecting digital data of finds, their location and approximate date, and then place them in l'chaîne opératiore, and group the finds accordingly. The groups of the production chain is presented on distribution maps. The lack of finds in large areas shows that, from this study, everyone using textiles were not necessarily creating them from their own raw material.

Historical maps have been utilized diligently in various circumstances by archaeologists and antiquarians alike with the ambition to expose past landscapes and recreate features of the past. However, there is a shortage of information regarding the usage of historical maps relating to the climate change adaption. This study examines whether information about climate risks in Swedish historical maps can be revealed and subsequently used as an aid in climate change adaptation. To answer this question a literature review pertaining to historical maps, GIS-adaptations and current climate data was conducted in combination with a GIS-analysis integrating rectified historical maps and modern climate data. The results show that the maps exhibit some potential regarding the climate adaption mainly in relation to inundations and erosion. However, with future examination of the reliability of individual maps and vectorization in conjunction with added accessibility of map contents more valuable knowledge can be quantified and retrieved. / Historiska kartor har använts under olika omständigheter av arkeologer samt antikvarier i syfte att avslöja tidigare landskap och återskapa dåtida landskap. I detta sammanhang finns emellertid en brist på information om användningen av historiska kartor för klimatanpassningsarbetet. Denna studie avser att svara på om information om klimatrisker i svenska historiska kartor kan avslöjas och användas som ett hjälpmedel i klimatanpassningsarbetet med särskilt fokus på fornlämningar och övriga kulturhistoriska lämningar. För att besvara denna fråga genomfördes en litteraturöversikt avseende historiska kartor, GIS-anpassningar och aktuella klimatdata i kombination med en GIS-analys som integrerade rektifierade historiska kartor samt moderna klimatdata. Resultaten visar att kartorna uppvisar en viss potential när det gäller klimatanpassningen främst i förhållande till översvämningar och erosion. Med en framtida undersökning vad gäller tillförlitligheten av enskilda kartor samt en vektorisering och ökad tillgänglighet av kartornas innehåll kan en större mängd kvantifieras och upptäckas.