In this essay, I aim to give an account on the ethical dilemmas that archaeologists may come across in their work. I will give an insight into controversies and cases over the last years and study the reason as to how they appeared and how they were ultimately solved, and the process between those situations. The main focus will be on artefacts and debates regarding the indigenous Sami population I Sweden and Norway. Even though human remains has been a hot topic for debate among scholars and activists over the last years, I will keep my focus on artifacts and man made objects. One of the aspects studied in this essay will be the guidelines, declarations and policies that may apply to such questions and what help they can offer archaeologist and decisionmakers when approached by demands of repatriation. Furthermore, I will give an insight into the very complex history between Swedish and Norwegian archaeologists and the Sami and how this has impacted the situation today, regarding repatriations and ethical problems. Since the focus is on Sami people and archaeologists in both Sweden and Norway, I aim to look further into the differences and similarities one can find in cases of repatriation of Sami artifacts in both countries.

<p>The survey takes its starting point in a critical evaluation of recent phenomenological approaches to rock art in landscape studies, foremost the works of Chris Tilley. The purpose is to present a phenomenological theory, based on the philosophy of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, which includes both motives, places and landscapes in a holistic interpretation. Bronze age rock art around Motala ström and the city of Norrköping is used to exemplify the theoretical discussion. When presenting the framework, emphasis is being laid on the bodily experience of rock art and place through the process of phenomenological intersubjectivity.</p>

The survey takes its starting point in a critical evaluation of recent phenomenological approaches to rock art in landscape studies, foremost the works of Chris Tilley. The purpose is to present a phenomenological theory, based on the philosophy of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, which includes both motives, places and landscapes in a holistic interpretation. Bronze age rock art around Motala ström and the city of Norrköping is used to exemplify the theoretical discussion. When presenting the framework, emphasis is being laid on the bodily experience of rock art and place through the process of phenomenological intersubjectivity.

This bachelor thesis brings up a discussion about museums availability and access to thearchaeological display objects towards blind and visually impaired visitors. The study phasewill take start in analyzing four museums in south Sweden, all which have exhibitions aboutthe prehistory.Visually impaired and blind visitors don’t have a lot to go on at the current exhibitions aboutprehistory. This is because of the lack of access and availability when it comes to their specialneed. To raise awareness to this problem I took out a survey for the museums to answer. I alsovisited two of the exhibitions to make my own opinion of the museums public areas; such asthe entrance, hallway and the exhibition area. Things I looked out for were Braille, audioguides and objects to touch.The sense to touch is of most importance for visually impaired and blind to create an image ofan object. Because of this I discuss the ability for an exhibition where most of the objects areexposed to all visitors to be touched. An exposure of archaeological object to benefit needsfor visually impaired is an important discussion towards the management of thearchaeological display objects, which leads the study towards replicas and experimentalarchaeology.The conclusion was that it is quite possible to design and customize an archaeologicalexhibition for the visually impaired by factors like; reconstructed objects, route marker fororientation, Braille and audio guides with well rendered image descriptions.

The methods of sex determination through skeletons or through objects in graves has been used on and off since the nineteenth century. Most of the osteological methods are however developed on intact bones, and the archaeological method assume that jewelry is female associated and weapons are male associated. A tendency to choose the archaeological sex determination above the osteological sex determination can be spotted as well. The study examines how the osteological sex determination methods could be used on fragmented skeletal remains, and question the archaeological sex determination method with a gender perspective. This will be achieved by analyzing thirteen graves from a burial ground in Lekarehed, Lärbro parish (socken), Gotland. The skeletal remains were excavated in 1878 and 1951 and is dated to late Bronze age–early Iron age and the Viking age. The aim with this study is to get a deeper understanding of how the methods can be used, and to shed light on the stereotypical view on femininity and masculinity that exists. The aim is also to emphasize that the most important and most interesting information comes from the discussion of the problems that exist in these methods, and that the most important thing is not to decide what is feminine or masculine, or to choose one method in front of the other. The analysis resulted in one certain, four uncertain and eight graves without sex determination regarding the osteological method, and two certain, one uncertain and ten graves without sex determination regarding the archaeological method. In the discussion, the problems with putting the woman and the man as pairs of opposition is brought up, because it excludes the graves that cannot be put in one of these two categories. The objects in the graves can represent something other than sex as well, for instance age or status. The cooperation between the osteologist and the archaeologist is important for the knowledge to evolve and to carry on. By looking at the material in a new way, new insights will perhaps come forth. / Denna uppsats handlar om hur det går att använda osteologiska och arkeologiska könsbedömningsmetoder på ett fragmenterat skelettmaterial. Metoderna som används för den osteologiska könsbedömningen är ofta, om inte alltid, utvecklade på intakta ben, och när det gäller fragmenterade ben blir könsbedömningen svårare att utföra. Den arkeologiska könsbedömningen är en könsbedömning gjord via föremålen i gravar och utgår kortfattat ifrån att vapen är manliga och smycken är kvinnliga. Den granskas här genom ett genusperspektiv som ifrågasätter synen på kvinnligt och manligt och hur de tankarna överförs till forntiden. Det finns också problematik i hur osteologin och arkeologin stämmer överens med varandra. För att undersöka problematiken har ett skelettmaterial på 13 gravar från ett gravfält i Lekarehed, Lärbro socken, Gotland analyserats. Resultatet för den osteologiska könsbedömningen blev en säker, fyra osäkra kön och åtta stycken utan könsbedömning. Resultatet för den arkeologiska könsbedömningen blev två säkra, en osäker och tio utan en könsbedömning. Slutsatserna i uppsatsen är att de osteologiska och arkeologiska könsbedömningsmetoderna blev problematiska. Den osteologiska på grund av de fragmenterade benen och svårigheter inom den morfologiska metoden. Den arkeologiska på grund av att det inte fanns könsindikerande föremål i många gravar och även på grund av vad vi sätter in i kvinnligt och manligt associerade föremål. Där både en osteologisk och en arkeologisk könsbedömning fanns, stämde de överens med varandra. Det betyder dock inte att de inte ska problematiseras, eftersom vi inte vet om forntidens människor tyckte att smycken var kvinnliga och vapen var manliga. Vi vet inte heller om föremålen representerar kön, eller vad föremålen hade för användningsområde. Det blir också svårt att dra slutsatser om hur individerna i Lekarehed såg på kvinnligt och manligt, eftersom resultaten av könsbedömningarna i många fall var bristfälliga, och för att gravfältet representerar olika tidsperioder. Ny kunskap kan uppkomma om vi slutar att sätta kvinnan och mannen som motsatspar, och är öppna för en annan syn på genus som inte representerar dagens (västerländska) samhälle, eftersom de gravarna som hamnar utanför de två kategorierna blir osynliga. Det är viktigt att osteologen och arkeologen samarbetar, och inte väljer den ena metoden framför den andra, eftersom den mest intressanta informationen och kunskapen kommer utifrån diskussionen av problematiken, och vilka nya aspekter som kan tillföras om vi inte förutsätter att forntidens människor såg på kvinnligt och manligt på det sättet som det finns en tendens till idag.

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.

I denna undersökning riktas intresset mot att förstå och belysa sätt att tänka kring utbildningsplanering, undervisningens organisering och utbildningens relevans och betydelse i samtiden och framtiden, och detta under en period från 1957 till 1975. Mer specifikt närmar sig undersökningen den satsning på undervisningsteknologi och utbildningsteknologi som görs inom utbildningssystemet under denna period. I detta närmande används en diskursiv textanalytisk metod, Michel Foucaults arkeologiska angreppssätt, för att söka belysa periodens utbildningsmässiga tänkande, såsom detta tar sig uttryck i relationen mellan utsagor producerade av politiska, fackliga och vetenskapliga aktörer engagerade i utbildning – och mer specifikt i grundskolans utveckling. Jag använder sedan en kritiskt diskursiv teoribildning, med huvudvikten lagd vid Foucaults genealogiska inriktning, för att skapa en förståelse för vad som i denna undersökning berörs som ett u-teknologiskt vetandeobjekt. Här intresserar jag mig för det specifika i ett u-teknologiskt vetande, men även dess plats i en utbildningsdiskursiv praktik där dimensioner som vetenskap, teknik och utveckling är centrala för en förståelse av detta vetande. En mer övergripande linje i denna undersökning är även en diskussion av sättet att tänka kring utbildning igår, idag och imorgon, och detta i perspektivet av det moderna samhällets föränderlighet eller tröghet.

There are a variety of archaeological questions, which are difficult to assess by traditional archaeological methods. Similarly, there are genetic and population genetic questions about human evolution and migration that are difficult to assess by studying modern day genetic variation. Archaeological genetics can directly study the archaeological remains, allowing human history to be explored by means of genetics, and genetics to be expanded into historical and pre-historical times. Examples of archaeological questions that can be resolved by genetics are determining biological sex on archaeological remains and exploring the kinship or groups buried in close proximity. Another example is one of the most important events in human prehistory – the transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to farming - was driven through the diffusion of ideas or with migrating farmers. Molecular genetics has the potential to contribute in answering all these questions as well as others of similar nature. However, it is essential that the pitfalls of ancient DNA, namely fragmentation, damage and contamination are handled during data collection and data analysis. Analyses of ancient DNA presented in this thesis are based on both mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA through the study of single nuclear polymorphisms (SNPs). I used pyrosequencing assays in order to identify the biological sex of archaeological remains as well as verifying if fragmented remains were human or from animal sources. I used a clonal assay approach in order to retrieve sequences for the HVRI of a small family-like burial constellation from the Viking age. By the use of low coverage shotgun sequencing I retrieved sequence data from 13 crew members from the 17th century Swedish man-of-war Kronan. This data was used to determine the ancestry of the crew, which in some cases was speculated to be of non-Scandinavian or non-European origin. However, I demonstrate that all individuals were of European ancestry. Finally, I retrieved sequence data from a Neolithic farmer from the Iberian Peninsula, which added one more facet of information in exploring the Neolithization process of Europe. The Neolithic Iberian individual was genetically similar to Scandinavian Neolithic farmers, indicating that the genetic variation of prehistoric Europe correlated with subsistence mode rather than with geography.

Archaeologists have employed a method to determine individuals’ sex through objects in grave contexts, this method is called archaeological sex determination. However, this method has proven to be misleading in interpretations in correlation with the concepts of gender and sex. This will be highlighted through a comparative study of two case studies: “Birkakrigaren” and “Barumskvinnan”. The concept of gender has grown stronger in the public debate concerning the difference between gender and sex, which has contributed to the concept’s amplification in the archaeological discipline, specifically gender theory. Gender theory will be used to explain and clarify the problems of archaeological sex determination, in addition how it could be used for criticism of a current case study, which is “Birkakrigaren” and why the criticism differed between two case studies: “Birkakrigaren” and “Barumskvinnan”. In order to reach the desired results, different articles and books will be examined, simultaneously with articles and blogs on the subject of the criticism.

This thesis aims to study the level and scale of literacy as it expanded in Viking towns during the 8th-12th century. In order to get an understanding of this spread, I have worked with two case-studies of Viking towns, as they were founded and prospered during and by the end of the Viking Age in Sweden; the town of Birka located in Björkö Island in Lake Mälaren, and the town of Sigtuna located in the province of Uppland, in central Sweden. Through the study of selected archaeological material, this paper aims to bring together scattered information and shed light on what we know about the level and spread of literacy in Viking society. The purpose of this endeavour, is to question not only the notion of an illiterate pagan society that the Viking Age Scandinavians are considered to have been, but also question both the methodology in which the scholarly archaeological community studies literacy, as well as the way literacy itself is defined in the study of the ancient world. The paper includes a bibliographic and a material-studying approach, as well as a section where digital archaeological research methods are used with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software in order to illustrate the level and scale of literary expansion in Viking Age Sweden. / <p>The proceedings of the Thesis defence were undertaken in the form of a web meeting via Zoom, in accordance to the local restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>