The Viking Age cemetery of Tuna in Alsike from the 9th - 11th century AD is located in the eastern part of middle Sweden and contains inhumation boat graves. Here analysis of Strontium isotopes, using laser ablation method on the tooth enamel of the canine and first molar of two individuals buried in boat-graves XI and XIII have been performed. Comparing Strontium isotope evidence with local strontium ratios and variations indicated that at least one individual, the one in boat-grave XIII, were non-local.

The following paper is the final thesis of two years long experimental work conducted on two different collections of soil samples coming from two different Norwegian archaeological sites. In particular, the first collection of soil samples comes from an identified boat grave from the Viking Age (eg Sykehus area Kristiansand County, Vest-Agder). The second one comes also from a boat grave from Vestfold region in Hejmdaljordet archaeological site. Both the collections of samples have been analysed with geochemical methods (phosphate extraction and determination, magnetic susceptibility and loss on ignition), NIR (Near-InfraRed) spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence. Although the contexts are different, a comparison between them has been attempted. In particular, the first boat grave presented a very altered and spoiled conditions because of different disturbance actions coming from atmospheric factors but also human actions such as looting or burning, that have not permitted the discovery of significant archaeological findings. Conversely, the second boat grave presented more favourable conditions and also a discrete preservation. In fact, it was possible to recover the belongs of the dead, such as fragments of the belt, a sword and the rivets surrounding the boat. Thanks to the wide series of analysis conducted on soil samples and to an accurate comparison between the two boat graves, it has been possible to detect the presence of high concentration of organic matter (eventual presence of the human body), a high level of magnetic susceptibility (eventual presence of metallic components detected in the soil), detection of specific chemical elements in the soil that could attest the eventual presence of items within the graves and finally, a general report of the possible anthropological impact by the light spectra measurements, through the use of spectroscopy. All the results collected have been interpreted using a forensic work strategy which concerns the detailed analysis of anomalies found in the soil texture and chemical composition. Further, a significant number of tests that could prove the presence of human body in the grave and the eventual reasons of the bad preservation and lack of archaeological (most in the eg Sykehus case) information detected in the context (disturb actions represented by looting and burning). Finally, a series of maps have been created to show with clearness the results of the study.

This paper deals with rights of women and their social role during the Viking Age. The method is to compare things and written material. In the written material, three cases of rape have been identified. How each of these cases where looked upon differs; legally the punishment for rape was exile. Violence against wives implied their right to divorce, whereby they were entitled to take with them a great part of the family´s capital, namely their dowry and morning gift. A husband and wife did not inherit each other but a widow could inherit from her children if they died without offspring. Women buried in boat graves indicate that they had a function or were closely involved in the cult. From two graves, the Aska Grave and the Oseberg Grave, the findings can be interpreted as indicating a change in the social behaviour. I propose this was a way of breaking with the past and sabotaging the right to remember earlier cultural habits.

This paper is about an Iron Age cemetery at Tuna in Badelunda parish, Västmanland. Tuna is a complex burial ground that contains a total of 66 graves that consists of 68 individuals. The grave field was used during a period of roughly 700 years from around the year 300 AD until the year 1050 AD. Three types of grave constructions are identified in Tuna, 53 cremation graves, eight boat graves and five chamber graves. This paper will investigate the placements of the grave constructions on the cemetery to study if they are divided by sex, age and grave type. The paper will also analyse and discuss the sex/gender assessments of individuals from Tuna, both the osteological assessments of sex and/or gender assessments are based on? The usual presumptions from earlier research about Tuna are that it was a cemetery mainly for females, but the report about Tuna in Badelunda indicates a diffrent conclusion.

Wood has been an integral part of the Scandinavians everyday life for thousands of years. There are still several substantial gaps in knowledge about their wood culture during the Late Iron Age since previous research has been focused on more common findings of inorganic materials like ceramics, metals and glass. Archaeologists rarely find wooden artifacts during excavations due to wood disintegrating a lot faster than metal in the ground. Valsgärde is one of Sweden’s most important Iron Age sites since several wooden remains were found there. They show parts of our distant past that we have yet to understand and gain knowledge about. The few preserved wooden artifacts from the Late Iron Age show a rich culture of wood carving. That is why this study focuses on those very few organic objects that are found. Wooden artifacts might potentially be used to determine the social status of the individuals in the graves. This is examined through a comparative analysis of the wooden remains from Valsgärde and other boat graves in Scandinavia. The analysis also reveals what type of wood the artifacts were made of, which makes it possible to determine if they could be from local trees or if they had to be imported. There seems to be a conscious choice of what kind of wood an object should be made of depending on the purpose at hand and social status. In some cases the choice of wood also seems to be based on the symbolic or mythological meaning of the artifact. This study uses previous microscopic wood analysis from the boat graves to give a more in-depth picture of the Scandinavian Late Iron Age wood culture as a whole.

The phenomenon of burying people in boat graves is a well-known aspect of the Vendel period. Although these graves are relatively rare, they appear in places like Valsgärde, Vendel, Ultuna, Tuna in Alsike and Badelunda. The 19th - and early 20th-century excavations at the grave fields at Valsgärde and Vendel, in particular, provided a new perspective on the iron age cultures which preceded those of the Viking age. These grave fields are the main focus for this thesis. I will examine the relationship between the family groups in each grave field and also study what roles they once had in life during the Vendel era. Their material culture has been examined by conducting a comparative study between boat grave 7 from Valsgärde and boat grave I from Vendel. Both tombs are dated to about 675 AD and show an archaeological material that is relatively similar. By comparing and interpreting the common find material a clear interaction was made visible. The nature of this silent interaction that is reflected through the common archaeological material culture have been addressed by using the theory Peer polity interaction, which has served as the thesis theoretical framework. Peer polity interaction aims to explain change in society and material culture. It sees the primary driver of change as the relationships and contacts between societies of relatively equal standing and has played an important role for the study and its conclusions. Furthermore it has also been found that the groups had different ways of expressing their elite status and that they probably also held various occupations during the Vendel era.