This study concerns three necklaces, found in three women’s graves in the Viking age city Birka, placed on the island Björkö in the lake Mälaren. The necklaces are well ornate with pearls of carnelian, rock crystal, glass and amber, as well as silver pendants in the shape of for example animals, chairs and crosses.                                                                                    The aim is to examine what purpose the necklaces and their pendants had in its contemporary time, as well as to examine the purpose and possible religious role of the women who owned the necklaces. In order to examine this the graves with the necklaces will also be compared with so called “völvegraves”, which are graves meant for völvor, vǫlur, women who were fortune-tellers. The graves are compared since a hypothesis have been formed, and through a hypothethico-deduction method I hope to see if the aim of this study can be answered. Delimitations are that not all pendants from the necklaces will be used, only categories that will bring forth an analysis as well a discussion. Only two of three völvegraves will take part in the study, since one of them needs more interpretation and analysis.                The study showed similarities between the graves with the necklaces and the völvegraves, which supports a positive outcome of the method. The major differences between the graves were the objects interpreted as ritual, the staff and the necklaces. However, since a hypothethico-deduction theory can be limited, the discussion also focused on the pendants of the necklaces, and what they can say about function and worth. Since the pendants show a connection to the god Oden, I concluded that the necklaces were used as religious objects, and that the women possibly could have had the role of a gydja, but that they had Oden as their main God. I also concluded that the women were connected to vǫlur through the connection to Oden as well as chair pendants, but that the women with the necklaces probably were not vǫlur.

This Bachelor’s thesis, carried out by Isabelle Fredriksen at Blekinge Institute of Technology in collaboration with Embedded Art, aims to developa robust and user-friendly GPS tracker housing for cattle. The projectfocuses on improving livestock management through real-time monitoringand health surveillance, aiming to enhance animal welfare and operationalefficiency on farms. The project aims to design an innovative GPS housing that ensures secureattachment in a collar around a cow’s neck. It also seeks to optimize material selection for durability and minimal signal loss, as well as to develop anopening mechanism that protects internal components from environmentalimpacts. The project followed a structured product development processconsisting of a preliminary study, requirement specification, concept generation, concept evaluation, concept development, prototype development,and final evaluation. Through interviews and market surveys, importantrequirements for the product were identified, including ergonomic design tominimize stress and discomfort for the animals, as well as durable materialsthat can withstand various weather conditions. Three different design concepts were developed and evaluated. Several design iterations were assessed through a combination of practical tests oncattle and technical experiments, including tests for water resistance andsignal strength. The final design resulted in a modular housing, optimizedfor prolonged use without frequent maintenance. It includes a tightly sealing lid and robust fastening to ensure water resistance and protection ofinternal components. For future work, additional material testing should be performed to ensurethe final material choice is optimal for the intended environment. There isalso potential to integrate solar cells to extend battery life and reduce theneed for frequent battery replacements.