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This master thesis deals with two case studies in environmental archaeology and battlefield archaeology focusing on two major events in the late history of the Swedish coastal town Umeå and its nearby village Sävar. Established in the early 1600's, Umeå was known for its export of timber and import of cereals. The town has suffered from numerous fires, the fire in 1888 being the most devastating. Few written records of the town remain from before the 1900's. The latest war in Sweden's history is documented in historical sources and took place at Krutbrånet, Sävar where the Swedish troops suffered defeat against the russian forces in 1809. The old port in Umeå has not been previously excavated archaeologically and only a small part of the battlefield area at Krutbrånet has been surveyed. Neither of the sites have yet been protected sites under Swedish heritage conservation act. The purpose of these two case studies is to present new research results from these two sites.In the first case study, archaeobotany and soil chemistry methods were used to analyse soil samples from undisturbed cultural layers in a construction trench at the old port of Umeå. A thick burnt layer consisted of charcoal, oats and weeds, suggesting storage and possibly intended as food for horses. Oat and pea were radiocarbon dated to most likely late 1800's which places the burned layer with oats to the big city fire in 1888. The area could have intact cultural layers that are important to investigate for understanding the  unknown history of Umeås old port.The basis for the second case study is the material evidence of lead musket bullets found during a small field survey at Krutbrånet, conducted in 2010. The bullets were studied using X-ray Fluorescence together with spatial analysis to determine if troop nationality could be possible to distinguish based on composition, characteristics and spatial positions. The results revealed bullets  in varied sizes and composed of lead but also alloys of copper, antimony and tin that appear in mixed quantities spread in all the studied areas of the battlefield. Field surveys of uninvestigated areas at Krutbrånet are needed to understand the context of the studied material and of troop formations. Further studies could also be isotope analyses to determine the origins of the oats and bullets.

The Swedish memory is often strong about things that happened during the Second World War where the Atlantic Wall is often an remembered example. But many parts of our own history surrounding this conflict is more or less forgotten. One such part is the Per-Albin line in Skåne and Blekinge that was Swedens first line of defence against the Third Reich. The remains of these fortifications have today can still be found in the Swedish terrain. But when the Per-Albin line have been described it has been out of a historical perspective but not from an archaeological perspective. Because of this we miss the information that the remains of these once important structures made of concrete meant for Sweden during a dark time of the 20th-century. Remains from the Per-Albin line will be analyzed with archaeological methods and maps to find removed and forgotten defensives made of concrete and other materials to see the preservation conditions of the defensive line today. The background material consists of the history of the defensive line and the men and women that inhabited places in the Per-Albin linje and. The material that is presented in the text is from different places in Blekinge,Vägga Udde,Boön and Kärringaberget. The text attempts to incorporate the use of using maps to find the remnants of the the constructions. This work also takes up the methods that the government uses to preserve parts the line for the future and also the methods the government uses to handle the structures in other ways. The main point of this paper is to bring the practices of battlefield archaeology into light by showing how it can be used and the gains of using it on modern remnants of war.

This paper explores the theoretical and practical uses and limitations of battle-field archaeology. The author aims to paint a big picture of the subject of exca-vating, understanding and theorising about historical battlefields done every day by archaeologists. Its approach places much weight on a quantity of examples rather than exploring specific excavations in every detail, in an effort to give the reader an understanding about how battlefield archaeology works. It stresses the need for battlefield archaeology as a way of obtaining and securing impor-tant archaeological and historical information before it is lost to science. The author tries to evaluate the subject in a critical and pragmatic fashion in order to establish a clear understanding about the facts of battlefield archaeology.

The paper examines lead isotope and trace element analysis in the context of a battlefield and their role in determining the course of the battle and categorizing the bullets within and to each participating side. It uses a theoretical framework with papers from both the archaeological and the forensic field. It concludes that trace element analysis has its criticism, especially from the forensic field, but can act as a complement to lead isotope analysis as it can give different answers from other parts of the bullet’s life cycle and should have a place in archaeology. The focus is on lead isotopes but concludes ICP-MS as a tool for examining bullets and other ammunition from archaeological battlefields is preferable. This is because of ICP-MS’s capability to analyse both lead isotope and trace elements. The paper also studies the ethical problems of using these methods and the answers they may give as a vessel for a discussion about what actions we are measuring with these methods.

The armour that was found during the excavations of the mass graves after the battle of Visby in the year 1361, has given great knowledge about the 14th century defensive equipment. Bengt Thordeman's analyses and interpretations of the armour-material have influenced modern research on the subject. The predominant narrative is that the militia from Gotland was ill-equipped, and that the Danish army was far superior. However, the aim of this study is to create a more nuanced picture of how the soldiers in the mass graves were equipped, and to contribute to future research on the largely unstudied commoner-armour of the Nordic countries. The study compares armour-items from the mass graves at site of the so-called Korsbetningen, with other archaeological material, the descriptions of folkvapen in Swedish medieval legal documents, and contemporary artwork. This comparison is made to broaden the perspective and see similarities and differences between the Visby material and other sources.     The thesis results in a better understanding of what types of armour that was used during this battle, showing that the head-area was well protected, that the torso was slightly less prioritized to protect, and that the arms and legs were relatively unprotected.

Conflict Event theory has the potential to change how archaeologists investigate battlefield sites. As a theoretical paradigm, eventful archaeology allows us to give agency to social-structure changing events, going beyond collect artifacts after the battle is over. Coupled with site formation processes, this model allows us to project battle elements to re-create the historical events that occurred at conflict sites. Within this theoretical framework, we can begin to understand why the conflict unfolded in a particular manner. Two site of the Texian Revolution are particularly appropriate to this new theoretical model: the San Jacinto Battleground (SJB), the location of the last battle of the Texian Revolution, and Washington-on-the-Brazos (WOB), the location of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Merging this theoretical model with an investigation of site formation processes (understanding the matrix in which the artifacts lie) and pulse-domain electromagnetic surveying allows for a much more robust approach to Battlefield Archaeology. Pulse-induction allows for the detection of discrete artifacts in the soil, and is a much more reliable method than the more commonly used magnetometry. Analyzing characteristics of the soil surrounding the artifacts then gives us a third line of inquiry as to why artifacts are in certain locations in the archaeological record, allowing for an explanation as to their quality and quantity. La teoría del Acontecimiento del conflicto tiene el potencial para cambiar cómo arqueólogos investigan sitios de campo de batalla. Como un paradigma teórico, la arqueología llena de acontecimientos nos permite dar agencia a la social-estructura que cambia acontecimientos, yendo más allá de reúne artefactos después de que la batalla esté sobre. Asociado con procesos de formación de sitio, este modelo nos permite proyectar batalla elementos para recrear los acontecimientos históricos que ocurrieron en sitios de conflicto. Dentro de esta armazón teórica, nosotros podemos comenzar a comprender por qué el conflicto desplegó en una manera particular. Dos sitio de la Revolución de Texian es especialmente apropiado a este nuevo modelo teórico: el San Campo de batalla de Jacinto (SJB), la ubicación de la última batalla de la Revolución de Texian, y de Washington en el Brazos (WOB), la ubicación del firmar de la Declaración de Tejas de Independencia. Unir este modelo teórico con una investigación de sitúa procesos de formación (comprendiendo la matriz en la que los artefactos están) y el pulso-dominio inspeccionar electromagnético tiene en cuenta un enfoque mucho más robusto a la Arqueología del Campo de batalla. La pulso-inducción tiene en cuenta el descubrimiento de artefactos distintos en la tierra, y es un método mucho más seguro que el magnetometry más comúnmente utilizado. Analizar características de la tierra que rodea los artefactos entonces nos dan una tercera línea de indagación en cuanto a por qué artefactos están en ciertas ubicaciones en el registro arqueológico, teniendo en cuenta una explicación en cuanto a su calidad y la cantidad.

Text in English with abstracts in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa / British forces captured the Cape of Good Hope from the Batavian Government in 1806. The archaeological investigation into the Battle of Blaauwberg aims to identify the strategic use of the landscape by both sides focusing on specific geographic areas. Metal detector surveys and the mapping of archaeological material clarified the various battle positions within the reconstructed historical environment. Analysis of the artefacts provided insight into their use and the strategies followed by both armies. Altogether the evidence illuminated the use of the landscape and its influence on the course of the battle. This unique multi-pronged study of a South African battlefield and its material cultural record sheds new light on the 1806 battle, thereby complementing and refining prevailing historical interpretations. It explores methodological issues and approaches that are critical to the domain of battlefield archaeology in South Africa, where a large number of battle sites still await archaeological investigation. / Britse magte het die Kaap die Goeie Hoop in 1806 van die Bataafse Regering verower. Die argeologiese ondersoek na die Slag van Blaauwberg is gerig op die identifikasie van die strategiese gebruik van die landskap deur beide kante met die fokus op spesifieke geografiese areas. Metaalverklikkeropnames en die kartering van argeologiese materiaal het die onderskeie gevegsposisies in die gerekonstrueerde geskiedkundige omgewing opgeklaar. ’n Ontleding van die artefakte het insig gebied in hul gebruik en die strategieë wat beide gevegsmagte gevolg het. In die geheel gesien, belig die getuienis die gebruik van die landskap en hoe dit die verloop van die geveg beïnvloed het. Hierdie unieke meervlakkige studie van ’n Suid-Afrikaanse slagveld en sy materiële kultuurrekord werp nuwe lig op die 1806-veldslag en sodoende word bestaande historiese interpretasies aangevul en verfyn. Dit verken metodologiese kwessies en benaderings wat kritiek is vir die domein van slagveldargeologie in Suid-Afrika waar ’n groot aantal gevegsterreine nog argeologies ondersoek moet word. / Imikhosi yaseBhritane yayihlutha iKoloni Yethemba eyayibizwa ngokuba yiCape of Good Hope, iyihlutha kurhulumente waseBatavia ngonyaka we-1806. Uphando lwezixhobo zakudala zexesha ledabi iBattle of Blaauwberg lujolise ekuqwalaseleni ubuchule bokusetyenziswa kobume belizwe ngala macala mabini, lugxininisa kwiindawo ezithile. Isifundo sembali senza uqikelelo lobunjani bedabi, kwaqhutywa iintlolo zimvo ezisebenzisa izixhobo zesinyithi nokuphengululwa kwezixhobo ezifumaneke kwizakhiwo zakudala nezacacisa iindawo ezahlukeneyo zedabi. Izixhobo zokusebenza ezafunyaniswayo zatyhila ulwazi lwendlela ezazisetyenziswa ngayo namacebo obulumko awayesetyenziswa yimikhosi yamacala omabini. Ubungqina bacacisa ukusetyenziswa kobume belizwe nefuthe lobo bume ekuqhubekeni kwedabi. Le ndlela ikhethekileyo, nenobuchule obuziindidi ezahlukeneyo, yokufunda indawo yedabi laseMzantsi Afrika, nengxelo yezinto zenkcubeko, inika ulwazi olutsha ngeli dabi lowe-1806, kwaye yongeza ikwacolisisa indlela yokutolika imbali yeli dabi. Kuphandwa imibandela yeendlela zokwenza namacebo abaluleke kakhulu kwicandelo lophando lwezixhobo zakudala zamadabi eMzantsi Afrika, apho iziza zamadabi eziliqela zisalinde ukuba kuphandwe ngazo. / Anthropology and Archaeology / M.A. (Archaeology)