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The subject of this thesis is the animal bones deriving from foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and dogs (Canis familiaris) found in the Pitted Ware Culture site of Ajvide, located in the Eksta parish on Gotland, Sweden. The multiple excavations of this site have uncovered large amounts of osteological material, of which animal bones make up about 2500kg. The aim of this case study is to unveil the purpose and function of foxes on Ajvide, while also comparing them with the previously known dogs. Additionally, the relation between man and fox is also a point of interpretation. The osteological analysis has determined foxes and dogs are distributed decently evenly, the dog being a bit more common. The spatial analysis determined that both fox- and dog bones were most common in the activity areas called “black areas”. The analysis has determined that the foxes skulked around the locale, scavenging for slaughter waste from the human slaughter of seals and fish. It has also been theorized how the foxes of Ajvide did not possess a ritualistic significance to the peoples of Ajvide.

This thesis analyses the decoration on the pots of the Pitted Ware Culture on Gotland. The pottery from this period is richly decorated with various ornaments, the most common are the pits but other types of decoration occur. The purpose of this study is to get an insight into what the patterns meant to the people that made and used them and what role these may have played in their lives. The author will analyse the decoration on potsherds found from the three Pitted Ware sites of Visby, Ajvide and Hemmor on Gotland. This will be used in a comparative analysis to investigate if differences and/or similarities of the pattern occur between and among the sites. A comparative study of various ceramic found in dated graves with various temporal status from the site Ajvide is also done to see if changes in the patterning occur with time. Since pits are common on most pottery from all the sites from this time they will not be used in these analyses but the focus will be on other type of pattern. / Neolitiska livsstilar

<p>This thesis discusses the dress code during the Pitted Ware culture on the Swedish island of Gotland. Eight Pitted Ware grave-fields have been analyzed; only 74 skeletons have been identified with some sort of ornament that could have been attached to clothes. The grave-fields are rich in finds and in people nearly every age group is present. The analysis has shown that there are clear differences between the genders. The female always has some sort of seal tooth ornament around her waist and thighs. The man has sometimes tusks from wild boar and tubular bones as an ornament on his clothes. The children have all of the ornaments that the parents have but in smaller numbers. There are also other finds that appear on all of the individuals, but the tusks, seal tooth and tubular bones are the ones that appear on nearly every individual. The North American Indians clothing has been used as a reference to help understand the clothing of the Pitted Ware. So far all of the finds that have been found on the skeletons have shown great diversity in the Pitted Ware clothing.</p>

<p>The bark from prehistory – an osteological analysis on dog bones from the Stone Age settlements of Hemmor and Gullrum at Gotland and a theoretic study of the secular and sacred roles of the dog during the Neolithic.</p><p>Dog bones from two Pitted Ware Culture (around 2500 BC) settlements, Hemmor in När parish and Gullrum in Näs parish/Havdhem parish, at southern Gotland, Sweden are analyzed. The analysis contains a study of age, withers height and size estimation as well as skeletal changes and pathologies. The attempt of the analysis is to highlight the secular and sacred role of the dog during the Neolithic at Gotland. The dog bones were collected during excavations in the years 1890 and 1903 and were found across the entire surfaces of the settlements.</p><p>Although there were no specific dog breeds during the Stone Age, the dogs at Hemmor and Gullrum show a wide range of size (withers height spans from 39,74 cm to 56,47 cm) and may therefore have been used for different purposes depending on their size. The dogs were not eaten, but evidence of skinning is found. The results are compared with other analysis made on dog bones from similar settlements.</p><p>The analysis is complemented with a theoretic study of the functions of dogs in other parts of the world. Ethnologic studies of traditional societies show the importance and wide range of functions in which the dogs are used and can give us an idea of the corresponding functions at a Neolithic Gotland. The functions vary from pet and guardian of the settlement to fishing, hunting and ritual purposes.</p>

In this paper I will discuss the occurrence of ceramic vessels in the graves of the Pitted ware culture on the island of Gotland, Sweden. I will focus on four sites and compare these sites, with hopes of finding some similarities or interesting differences. The sites are Ajvide in Eksta parish, Visby in Visby parish, Västerbjers in Gothem parish and Fridtorp in Västerhejde parish. The idea is to look at the grave goods, with focus on the ceramic vessels, or at least, the bottoms of the vessels, where one can clearly see that it's been deposited in the grave. I will try to analyze the vessels (shape and in some cases height), look where in the grave they've been placed, how many graves contain vessels, who's been given these vessels and if the vessels have filled a certain purpose once they've been deposited in the graves. / Neolitiska Livsstilar

The Pitted ware dwelling site Ajvide on the west coast of Gotland in the Baltic Sea is, because of its long continuity from the late Mesolithic to the middle of the Scandinavian Bronze Age, an interesting research object concerning Stone Age in the Baltic area. In this essay, a comparison between two activity areas on Ajvide have been carried out in the purpose of finding out what these areas may have been used for during the middle Neolithic.  It has been showed, through zooarchaeological analyses of animal bones, that the areas most likely are depositing sites for slaughters refuse and food debris. If it is a result of everyday or more ceremonial activities is left undetermined.

This thesis discusses the dress code during the Pitted Ware culture on the Swedish island of Gotland. Eight Pitted Ware grave-fields have been analyzed; only 74 skeletons have been identified with some sort of ornament that could have been attached to clothes. The grave-fields are rich in finds and in people nearly every age group is present. The analysis has shown that there are clear differences between the genders. The female always has some sort of seal tooth ornament around her waist and thighs. The man has sometimes tusks from wild boar and tubular bones as an ornament on his clothes. The children have all of the ornaments that the parents have but in smaller numbers. There are also other finds that appear on all of the individuals, but the tusks, seal tooth and tubular bones are the ones that appear on nearly every individual. The North American Indians clothing has been used as a reference to help understand the clothing of the Pitted Ware. So far all of the finds that have been found on the skeletons have shown great diversity in the Pitted Ware clothing.

The bark from prehistory – an osteological analysis on dog bones from the Stone Age settlements of Hemmor and Gullrum at Gotland and a theoretic study of the secular and sacred roles of the dog during the Neolithic. Dog bones from two Pitted Ware Culture (around 2500 BC) settlements, Hemmor in När parish and Gullrum in Näs parish/Havdhem parish, at southern Gotland, Sweden are analyzed. The analysis contains a study of age, withers height and size estimation as well as skeletal changes and pathologies. The attempt of the analysis is to highlight the secular and sacred role of the dog during the Neolithic at Gotland. The dog bones were collected during excavations in the years 1890 and 1903 and were found across the entire surfaces of the settlements. Although there were no specific dog breeds during the Stone Age, the dogs at Hemmor and Gullrum show a wide range of size (withers height spans from 39,74 cm to 56,47 cm) and may therefore have been used for different purposes depending on their size. The dogs were not eaten, but evidence of skinning is found. The results are compared with other analysis made on dog bones from similar settlements. The analysis is complemented with a theoretic study of the functions of dogs in other parts of the world. Ethnologic studies of traditional societies show the importance and wide range of functions in which the dogs are used and can give us an idea of the corresponding functions at a Neolithic Gotland. The functions vary from pet and guardian of the settlement to fishing, hunting and ritual purposes.

Den gropkeramiska kulturen är förknippad med kustlandskap och ett osteologiskt material bestående av fisk och säl, men kulturen fanns också vid inlandets insjöar där fisk och bävern istället är framträdande i det osteologiska materialet. Vindförbergs udde är en av flera gropkeramiska inlandslokaler belägen i Dalarna, det som utmärker Vindförberg från andra omkringliggande lokaler är lokalens höga och branta placering i landskapet. Syftet med uppsatsen är att tolka vad för slags lokal Vindförbergs udde varit, varför bävern är framträdande i gropkeramiska inlandslokaler, och hur inlandslokaler skiljer sig från eller liknar kustlokaler. För att svara på frågorna har en osteologisk analys av stenåldersmaterial från Vindförberg gjorts, och en komparativ metod har tillämpats där det osteologiska materialet jämförs med två kustlokaler i Hälsingland, Gästrikland och en inlandslokal i Dalarna. Diskussionen har fokuserat på Vindförberg som lokal och bävern som ett betydande djur, utifrån de frågeställningarna har likheter och skillnader mellan samtida inlands- och kustlokaler presenterats. Resultatet tyder på att Vindförbergs udde kan ha nyttjats året om, där både slakt, konsumtion och verktygstillverkning försiggått. Bävern är framträdande i materialet från Vindförberg och andra inlandslokaler, i samband med bäverns och sälens vattenlevande levnadssätt kan en tolkning av att bävern varit substitut för sälen göras. Likheter mellan gropkeramiska inlands- och kustlokaler kan ses i lokalernas placering i landskapet och kontakter med andra grupper. En tydlig skillnad är det osteologiska materialet där faunan skiljer sig åt. / The pitted ware culture is associated with coastal landscapes and an osteological material consisting of fish and seals. However, the culture also lived alongside inland lakes where fish and beavers were prominent instead. Vindförbergs beak (Vindförbergs udde) is one of several pitted ware culture sites in the inland located in Dalecarlia. What distinguishes Vindförberg from other surrounding premises is the beak’s high and steep location in the landscape. The purpose of this study is to interpret what kind of locale Vindförbergs beak was, why the beaver is prominent in inland pitted ware culture sites, and how inland sites differ from or resemble coastal sites. To answer these questions, an osteological analysis of stone age material from Vindförberg has been carried out, and a comparative method has been applied where the osteological material is compared with two coastal sites in Hälsingland, Gästrikland and one inland site in Dalecarlia. The discussion is focused on Vindförberg as a site and the beaver as a significant animal, and based on the paper’s research questions presents similarities and differences between inland and coastal sites. The results indicate that Vindförberg’s beak may have been used all year round, where both butchering and toolmaking were taking place. The beaver is prominent in the material from Vindförberg and other inland locations. Based on the aquatic lifestyle of the beaver and the seal, an interpretation can be made that the beaver was a substitute for the seal. Similarities between the inland pitted ware culture sites and the coastal sites can be seen in the location of the sites in the landscape and contacts with other groups. A clear difference is the osteological material where the fauna differs.