Why is pollen analysis used? This thesis has critically reviewed and examined archaeologist’s view and usage of pollen analysis, or palynology. Two research questions have been used and they are both directed towards archaeology reports and wants, together with the purpose, study how archaeologist have been using pollen analysis. In this thesis nine archaeology reports have been studied and analysed, and they have been compared with what archaeology literature have to say about pollen analysists abilities and limitations. The results presented in this thesis show that archaeologists are aware of how pollen analysis function, as well as the analysis methods abilities and limitations. Exceptions exists, but for the most parts archaeologists use pollen analysis for similar purposes namely, to examine vegetation history or to landscaping prehistoric mapping. In the exceptions, pollen analysis has shown to be a difficult method. But indications occur that pollen analysis, as a study method, can be used in more research questions than only vegetation history and landscape mapping.

This study aims to gain an understanding on how researchers leave their mark on archaeological records and to discuss what this have meant for the production of archaeological knowledge. This was done by studying archival records from two archaeological excavations of boat graves in Valsgärde, which was held in 1936 and 1950. Starting with the relation between creator/researcher and records made the idea was to contribute with a study of the relationship between records and creator. The theories being used for analyzing this was intersectionality combined with Donna Haraways situated knowledges, where created interacting categories in the material was analyzed in relation to each researcher. Both researchers material where further discussed whis this in mind. The main method used was qualitative content analysis, wich were also combined with a quantitative method of the number of records created with the same content. Through these methods interacting categoriers was found in the archaeological documentation. The created interacting categories in one material consisted of documentation of archaeological remains in situ, documentation of single finds and documentation of archaeological stratigraphy. Further three interacting categories of documentation after excavation, of weapons and single finds was found in the same material. In comparision, the other records consisted of interacting categories of documentation of archaeological remains in situ, documentation of the contex of the findings and documentation of archaeological stratigraphy. This showed how the reseachers in the studied records have left their marks on the archaeological documentation of each boat grave. The researches had desicive impact on the produced knowledge that was based on their findings, since the records that were created were created were influenced by each researcher. This is a two years master’s thesis in Archive, Library and Museum studies.

Decades of archaeological projects at Gamla Lödöse have generated a wealth of finds which includes a large collection of textiles and artifacts related to textile crafts. This thesis illustrates how textile related finds have been presented in previous research, and suggests new approaches by which the artifacts can be further explored. Archaeological practices through archival records and published works are discussed, as these practices in themselves create and maintain the artifacts. Finally, this thesis discusses how the concepts of materiality and chaîne opératoire can be applied to gain a deeper understanding of the social aspects of textile related finds and medieval life in Gamla Lödöse.

Archaeologists excavate to find out more about our prehistory. The more artifacts we dig up and preserve the more the potential to extract knowledge about the past from them grows. But some people are starting to get worried how we are going to be able to keep all the things we excavate. The museums are already filled to the brim, but the stream of new objects does not stop.  We are, according to those people, in a curation crisis. This study aims to investigate how the laws and regulations of disposal of the archaeological artifacts in museums collections translate to practice. Through interviews and analyzing laws and guidelines I aim to study how those in charge of disposal navigate between the need of more archaeological material versus the need to make more room in the collections, and how the guidelines over disposal gets implemented in practice. The conclusions of this paper is that Swedish museums employees generally thinks that the guidelines are easy to work with, however they rarely dispose of archaeological artifacts, instead they rely on it being done in the field.

The museum life of archaeological artefacts - A biography of the Valsgärde-collection is a two years master ́s thesis in Archive, Library and Museum studies at Uppsala University in Sweden. It is an object biography of an archaeological collection housed in the university museum Museum Gustavianum in Uppsala. The collection is the result of excavations conducted by Uppsala University in the early 20th century in Valsgärde in Gamla Uppsala parish, Uppland. The aim of the study is to highlight the museum life of archaeological artefacts and relate this to the curation crisis within archaeology, as described in Anglo-American research. Archival material from the museum was examined, using a method inspired by ethnographic content analysis (ECA), in order to write a biography of the curatorial management and use of the collection. The resulting object biography revealed clear signs that the collection had been suffering from problems associated with the curation crisis during its museum life. The perspective offered by the biographical narrative also revealed some long-term issues that resulted in these problems. Both general problems described in research on the curation crisis and issues specific to the Valsgärde-collection is illustrated by this object biography. The study shows that a continuation of the biographies of archaeological artefacts beyond the mere excavation phase offers insights into issues within, as well as possible solutions to, the archaeological curation crisis. / Artefakternas museala liv - En biografi över Valsgärdesamlingen är en objektbiografisk studie över den arkeologiska samlingen från utgrävningarna i Valsgärde, Gamla Uppsala socken, Uppland. Studiens underlag har utgjorts av arkivhandlingar från föremålsarkivet Museum Gustavianum Samlingar (MGS) i Uppsala, där även samlingen förvaltas. Studiens syfte var att förlänga artefakters biografier för att inkludera deras museala liv kan se ut och förhålla det till forskning om samlingsförvaltningskrisen. Dess centrala problematik är att insamlingstakten av arkeologiskt material är för intensiv för att samlings- förvaltning ska hinna med. Resultatet blir att samlingar inte kan förvaltas på ett ansvarsfullt sätt i fråga om bevarande och användande. Studiens metod är inspirerad av etnografisk innehållsanalys (ECA), där datainsamlingen börjat med två huvudkategorier; förvaltning och användande. Inom dessa kategorier har arkivens sammansättning fått styra vilka teman som fått framträda under datainsamlingen. Objektbiografin faller inom forskningstraditionen Material culture studies, vars bärande princip är att materialitet är nödvändig för förståelse av sociala och kulturella skeenden. Objektbiografin erbjuder ett perspektiv som tillåter att kunskap om hur samlingen skapats, behandlats och använts, samt hur dess museala kontext sett ut och hur aktörer förhållit sig till den, kan användas för att förstå ett större fenomen, samlingsförvaltningskrisen. Studiens specifika frågeställningar gällde vad för bild arkiven på MGS kunde erbjuda av användande och förvaltning av samlingen samt hur detta förhåller sig till samlingsförvaltningskrisen. Samlingen har varit föremål för kontinuerligt intresse och användande, trots att den inte blivit fullständigt publicerad eller inventerad. Användandet har bestått av utställning såväl som forskning. Dock har brist på en tidig holistisk finansieringsplan gjort att den utsatts för undermåliga bevarandeförhållanden under sitt museala liv. Ansvariga har i regel varit måna om att ta hand om samlingen och upprepade försök gjordes att färdigställa samlingens bearbetning, men även här förelåg ekonomiska hinder. Arkivens bild av förvaltningen och användandet har tydligt visat att Valsgärde-artefakternas liv inte tog slut då de införlivades i en museisamling. Den övergripande slutsatsen som dragits från studien är att det fyller en funktion att förlänga arkeologiska artefakters biografier för att inkludera deras museala liv, speciellt om man vill komma till rätta med samlingsförvaltningskrisen.

This thesis applies contemporary approaches to the study of the submarine as archaeological material. Relevant national and international maritime law is examined. The study considers the methodology for distinguishing wrecks over time and the archaeological context of the submarine in a global setting. A case study of the Russian submarine Som, is used to illustrate and exemplify the issues proposed in the essay including archaeological evaluation. The archaeological evaluation in the case study is based partly on moving imagery, not primarily produced for archaeological purposes, to obtain data from an inaccessible contemporary site.

The archaeological communication process can be hard to grasp. There are laws to take into consideration, not to mention the Government structure for culture and arts. This essay explains and simplifies the Swedish organizational communication with focus on archaeology. This study is aiming to clarify all the steps archaeological research needs to pass before reaching the public. The essay will also explore why it is important to communicate archaeological results, and if it reaches out to the extent that is expected. If it is not, the study will present examples of solutions and actions that can be taken to improve the mediation. The essay only investigates the archaeology process in Sweden. There are several Government institutions that are affected by the laws that protect ancient monuments, this study will at first hand observe the ones that have a direct effect on the archaeology communication process. By a survey, interviews and literature studies, the purpose with this study has become clear. The results have been reached by positivism and empiricism as theoretical basis. The literature consisted largely of writings on the subject communication theory, Swedish law and Government structure. The conclusion is that in the archaeology process, there are many factors that effects the outcome of archaeological mediation. Laws, “cultural goals” and several Government institutions has a saying in how, why and where the archaeological research findings are distributed. The PR-model chosen by Government institutions is often “The Public Information model”, but in this case there is no specific common model used by all the institutions that have an influence on the distribution of archaeological results. There is no survey done to show how the public are receiving the results given by “The Public Information model”. According to a small survey done to complete this essay there would be much to gain for all parts if the results of archaeological investigations used another model, or if the stakeholders could agree on the issue of how archaeological results should be communicated to the population. A factor that complicates this kind of work is the attitude in the governing body that considers culture (including archaeology) a non-commercial subject. As a result, archaeology is not seen as a brand that could be marketed. A factor that can affect the popularity for the subject.

At the end of 1999, the Swedish government adopted two European Union conventions to protect ethnic minorities, and Roma people were recognized as a national ethnic minority of Sweden. Approaching the 20th year mark after the recognition, this research aims to develop an in-depth and inclusive database for Roma people’s heritage and archaeological resources management. Analyzation of the collected data is based on the number, nature, and responsible organizations for the events. As a result, 48 events were recorded in the database under such a framework. A significant increase in events happened in the second decade (2010 to 2019) of the research period. 14 out of 21 counties in Sweden have participated in the topic and three excavations have been done in the past 20 years. Former Roma people’s settlements have been discovered in the western and eastern counties of middle Sweden. Therefore, it can be suggested that counties such as Södermanland and Västmanland have the geographic advantage to further discover new traces that have yet to be recorded. This thesis analyses the Bohuslän Museum’s exhibition Möt Resandefolket! as a case study due to its uniqueness as the only permanent exhibition about Roma people in the country. It includes a spatial analysis under Moser’s framework (2010) and experience analysis using the thick descriptive approach suggested by Geertz (1973). The interview with the museum’s archaeologist Kristina Lindholm connects the perspective from the exhibition curators and heritage mediators, while 3D modelling is also developed and used as a tool to understand the spatial context and the effectiveness of idea communication in the exhibition. As a result, the case study identifies two challenges in communicating Roma people’s heritage and culture: the limited resources in the material culture and the alienness raised in the exhibition. The causes and possible confrontations of these matters are discussed, followed by suggestions on how to improve the excavation agenda, digital preservation for intangible heritage, and new representation and presentation methods. There is also potential in turning alienness into a positive motivation which enables the exhibition to further fulfil its curiosity- and self-education attainment purpose. This thesis suggests that these ways of interpretation are effective means to illustrate and emphasize the uniqueness of a culture and to further appreciate the values in the ethnic minorities. / I slutet av 1999 antog den svenska regeringen två EU-konventioner för att skydda etniska minoriteter och romerna erkändes som en av Sveriges nationella etniska minoriteter. Denna forskning fokuserar på de 20 år, 1999–2019, som gått sedan erkännandet, och syftar till att utveckla en djupgående och inkluderande databas för romers kulturarv och arkeologiska resurshantering. Analysen av insamlade data baseras på antal, typer och ansvarande organisation för genomförda romska evenemang. 48 sådana registrerades i databasen och en betydande ökning av evenemang inträffade under decenniet 2010 till 2019. Baserat på de 48 företeelserna hade 14 av 21 län i Sverige deltagit i olika aktiviteter och tre arkeologiska utgrävningar hade genomförts under perioden. Eftersom före detta romska bosättningar har upptäckts i såväl öst som väster om län som ligger i Sveriges södra mitt, föreslås att län som Södermanland och Västmanland skulle ha en geografisk fördel till att upptäcka ytterligare nya spår av romsk kulturarv, som ännu inte registrerats. Denna uppsats analyserar Bohusläns museums utställning Mot Resandefolket! som en fallstudie på grund av dess unikum som den enda permanenta utställningen om romer i landet. Den inkluderar en rumslig analys utifrån Mosers ramverk (2010) och gör även en erfarenhetsanalys med hjälp av den metod som kallas ”thick description” (från Geertz [1973]). Intervjun med museets arkeolog Kristina Lindholm kopplar samman perspektivet från utställningens kurator och förmedlare av kulturarv, medan en 3D-modellering också används som ett verktyg för att förstå det rumsliga sammanhanget och effektiviteten i idékommunikation i utställningen. Som ett resultat identifierade fallstudien två utmaningar när det gäller att kommunicera romers kulturarv: de begränsade resurserna i den materiella kulturen och den främmande komponenten, s k ”alienness”, som uppstod i utställningen. Orsakerna till och möjliga konfrontationer av dessa frågor diskuterades vidare, följt av förslag för att förbättra utgrävningsagendan, digital bevarande för immateriellt arv och nya representations- och presentationsmetoder. Det lyftes också fram att det finns en potential att vända det främmande, ”alienness”, till något positivt, som en motivation som gör det möjligt för utställningen att ytterligare stimulera till både nyfikenhet och självutbildning. Denna uppsats visar även att tolkningsmetoder är effektiva medel för att illustrera och betona kulturers unikum och att ytterligare uppskatta denna etniska minoritet många värden.

In archaeological research, the province of Uppland has often been viewed as the northern ‘periphery’ of the Nordic Bronze Age region. At the same time, many researchers have also emphasized the distinctive and ‘independent’ regional character of Uppland and northern Mälardalen. Throughout the twentieth century, Late Bronze Age contacts between Uppland and areas to the east – especially Finland, the Baltic countries and Russia – were much discussed and played an important role in the creation of Mälardalen as a distinctive Bronze Age region. This dissertation examines how images of the Late Bronze Age in the Mälardalen region, more specifically Uppland, have been formed from the late nineteenth century until today, and how views on eastern contacts have affected interpretations of Bronze Age Uppland. The study consists of three parts: 1) A critical discussion on political dimensions of archaeology and archaeological concepts of contact, interaction, similarity and difference, with a special focus on Bronze Age research. 2) A historical examination of representations of the Late Bronze Age in Mälardalen and Uppland, including a discussion about contacts with northern Sweden and a case study of Broby, a Late Bronze Age site near Uppsala. 3) An analysis of debates on contacts between Mälardalen and areas further to the east, through case studies of bronze axes, so-called Mälar celts and Ananino celts, ceramics and inhumation burials. In the analysis, special focus is placed on the Volga-Kama region in Russia and archaeological research in Russia and the Soviet Union. The study shows that discussions on contacts and interaction between ‘East’ and ‘West’ have, in many ways, been affected by the changing political situation during the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Knowledge about archaeological research in Russia and the Soviet Union has been very limited among archaeologists in Sweden. In order to further investigate the character and importance of eastern contacts during the Late Bronze Age, more collaboration and exchange between researchers in the different countries is needed. Furthermore, in order to better understand eastern contacts, it is also necessary to investigate in greater depth the relations between Mälardalen and northern Sweden.