This essay reports from a study using XRF of thirteen glass fragments found in the harbour of the Viking town of Birka some interesting observations were made. Two fragments are coloured using antimony and manganese. One fragment could have been made using wood ash glass. Two fragments contain chromium which might imply provenance from Lorraine- Alsace.

Denna undersökning är en fallstudie av Birka en del av världsarvet Birka och Hovgården. Birka tros ha varit en aktiv köpstad under vikingatiden och är en betydelsefull del av Sveriges historia. Ett världsarv är ett natur- eller kulturminne som anses så värdefullt att det har betydelse för hela mänskligheten. Själva platsen och mötet med kulturmiljön är en viktig del av studien. Det finns idag tre huvudaktörer som förvaltar och driver Birka. Utmaningen med studien består av två delar, aktörernas olika intressen och relationen mellan att skydda känslig kulturmiljö samtidigt som platsen ska levandegöras för besökare.  Syftet är att med en fallstudie av Birka undersöka möjligheter och begränsningar vid informationsgestaltning i känslig kulturmiljö. Studien riktar sig till besökare som på egen hand vill upptäcka och förstå platsen. Den specifika frågeställningen handlar om Vilka informationsbehov uppstår för den besökare som på egen hand vill utforska en kulturmiljö och hur kan dessa behov mötas? Empirin består av observationer, utprovning och platsanalys på Birka. Intervjuer har genomförts med aktörerna och nuvarande informationsmaterial har samlats in. Analysen är kvalitativt tolkande med hermeneutisk angreppsätt. Då studien inte har någon uppdragsgivare har en viktig del av undersökningen varit att identifiera informationsbehov för att sen kunna ge ett förslag till framtida informationsinsatser. Informationsbehoven som identifierats åt den enskilde besökaren är: kunna förstå var fornlämningsområdet börjar och dess utformning. Möjligheten till att orientera sig inom området och att det finns information om Birka och dess historia tillgänglig oavsett tid på dygnet eller året. Möjlighet till fördjupning är också önskvärt. Framtida informationsinsatser kan bestå av vandringsstråk utformade efter olika teman som gör att besökaren själv kan påverka valet av information, detta i form av en mobilapplikation. Möjligheten till en folder bör finnas som tar upp intressanta platser och erbjuder en grundläggande förklaring av Birka. Den passar bra till enskilda besökare som besöker platsen för första gången. För att orientera sig till den plats som kartan i foldern avser placeras platsmarkeringar i landskapet. Förslagsvis kan fornlämningsområdets entré markeras och ha ett liknande formspråk som Birkamuseet. En skylt vid entrén kan presentera världsarvsområdet och visualisera området på en karta.

The purpose of this paper was to identify the elements and the alloys that five objects found in Birka consist of and to examine whether there are any significant differences between the presumably imported and domestic objects. The material was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) which was equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) in order to identify the elements that are present and the alloys that the objects are made of. Then the SEM results were compared with the results of previous analyzes that have been performed on finds from Birka in order to investigate how the objects differ in elemental composition and to find out if there are any significant differences between them. The results showed that the objects’ content of the elements analyzed varies as the copper alloys the objects are made of. Only a few objects are made of the same type of copper alloy. A sword chape included in the material and a bridle mount that was analyzed in 2006 are both made of lead bronze. Two oriental mounts included in the material and a sword chape which was analyzed in 2006 are all made of lead bronze in which zinc has been added. There are no significant differences in composition between the presumably imported and domestic objects, but overall lead seems to be a metal that was used more in the domestic production.

The focus for this study is the illumination of the function of loom weights and their purpose within the warp-weighted loom. This study deals with Iron Age loom weights excavated at Birka, within the area known as the Garrison. This category of objects was originally classified as being fragments of bellow shields, an interpretation seemingly more corresponding with the site’s traditional interpretation. In order to give a fuller depiction of the textile production as a whole, spindle whorls found within the same defined area have also been included in this study. The main goal for the analyses of these two groups of fragmented finds has been to establish and re-create the functioning variables of these objects, that is, foremost their original shape and weight. Furthermore the objective has been to enhance the understanding of the functional parameters of the textile production in this area. This is partly achieved with the aid of comparing data regarding textile implements found in other areas of Birka. The results can confirm that the area held a capacity to manufacture a variety of different textiles, including very fine threads and weaves.

A high resolution magnetic survey was carried out at the archaeological site of Birka, situated approximately 20 km west of Stockholm. A new-generation optically pumped cesium magnetometer, G-858 from Geometrics, with a maximum sensitivity of 0.01 nT was used in the survey. An area of totally 504 m2 was covered in three windy days in September 1997 with the cesium magnetometer working in vertical-gradient mode. Remnants of the old houses, some of the oldest ditches and an earlier excavation could be seen in the gradient data after processing. Also a total-field measurement was carried out to search for the oldest defence wall at Birka. The bad positioning that followed with the continuous-scan mode made the data very difficult to process efficiently. Some processing was done in Matlab to eliminate effects that might be caused by the geology, but no substantial archaeological results emerged.This work shows that high resolution magnetic surveys can be efficient in detecting archaeological remains even in a very heterogeneous soil, provided very sensitive equipment and correct choice of method. It also emphasized the importance of good positioning in a survey.

No description available.

No description available.

Diss. Ph. D.--Stockholm university, 1993.

This study aims to investigate the identity of the individuals, presumed to have been a part of the early eastern trade network who were laid to rest in Birka. The study is a case study over ten graves containing dirhems and aims to answer three research questions: In what grave contexts are early dirhems found, and can they be seen as an indication of the buried status? Have the dirhems and its eastern trade network affected the grave context regarding its layout, type or are there other networks visible in the grave? And investigating the possibility of using dirhems in grave contexts to study identity, religion or knowledge related to the use of dirhems? The main results of the study shows that generally the older dirhems are in the study connected to high status in regard to the burialtype rather than the value or amount of grave goods. The individuals that were buried with the older dirhems (dated before 800) have overall no clear material traces of trade with western trade networks. The study shows that early dirhems could be used to investigate identity by comparing it with other factors such as burial type, grave goods, placement and modification or fragmentation.

This paper deals with iron objects found in the 2015 excavation in Birkas Black Earth harbour on the Island of Björkö, in Adelsö parish. The purpose is to through EDTA -conservation and x-rays identify which objects they derived from, and how they can be linked to activities associated with a harbour environment.