This paper contains analysis of Viking age female graves on the island Gotland in Sweden. The question asked is why some of these women carry penannular brooches, when these brooches were generally associated with males during the Viking age. The analysis shows that the majority of the women on Gotland wearing penannular brooches were found at the gravesite at Havor, Hablingbo. Depending on where the brooches were located in the grave; possible reconstructions of the individuals clothing were made. This shows that the women in Havor with penannular brooches had a different outfit than the general Viking woman of Gotland. When compared to women buried with penannular brooches in Birka, it shows that they do not use the brooches in the same way.

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In this essay, I’ve chosen to analyze and discuss the symbolic meaning and purpose of the Överhogdal-weaves dating between the years 800-1100. I have looked in to the Nordic mythology that was the Scandinavian beliefs at the time and explained the meanings of some of the motives I think contribute to the main thought behind the weaves. To help me get some more understanding of the motives I’ve also looked at the picture stones from Gotland and compared them to the weaves.

For this essay, 12 liters of cremated bones from the Viking age grave mound RAÄ Berga 134:1 in Trotteslöv, Berga parish, Småland have been osteologically analysed.  The aim with this paper concerned questions as sex, age, number of individuals and animal species in the grave. Further questions that have been investigated are the relationship between the osteological sexdetermination and artifacts as well as which role animals played in burial rituals and as grave goods. The grave contained a middle-aged woman and a number of sacrificed animals: two horses, two dogs, three birds, a boar and a cat. The bones were fragile and very fragmented. One of the birds was determined as a bird of prey, and that together with findings of horses and dogs indicates hunting with bird of prey, an activity performed only by powerful and wealthy individuals.  The woman was buried in a mound of notable size, and with common grave goods for the time period: combs, beads, bronze and iron items. An unusual finding was textile which indicates high status. The number of sacrificed animal species also suggests that the grave belonged to a powerful individual.  During the Viking age animals generally played an important role in grave rituals and as items to be used by their master in the next life. In RAÄ Berga 134:1none of the findings could be determined as either typical male or female items, instead they indicated high status. Graves with osteologically identified women, and rich grave goods usually found in male graves, have often been questioned. The idea of a woman being powerful and buried with valuable items has been doubted. This doubt has probably come from archaeologists’ prejudices today about prehistoric gender roles, since women during the Viking age indeed could reach high status.

The Christianisation of Sweden is not much about religion. Instead, there is much to be gained by looking at it as a colonial situation with changing social identities and power structures. This is evident by the prevalence of hybridisations in the archaeological material. Some of the material categories that show the clearest example of changes are the burials from the 9th century up until about AD 1200. This is exemplified by two different Iron Age burial sites in Stockholm county, Uppland, Sweden: RAÄ 59, Valsta, in Norrsunda parish and RAÄ 40, Lilla Ullevi, in Bro parish; They both show hybridisation by involving older elements with newer ones during a time period when the church was not quite established in the region yet. The Christianisation of Sweden is a colonial situation, but the research tradition has often also used a colonial lens from the 19th and early 20th century in its approach to the period. This means that the same questions, interpretations and conclusions, often based on written sources, have been continuously reused for a long time, which has had consequences for the archaeology in Sweden.

During the excavation of the Warriors Hall in the viking town Birka fragments of a pointed shield boss were found. Through conservation and reconstruction it is examined in an attempt to categorize it. Its unusual characteristics sparks questions about its supposed type R565 and whether R565 is applicable due to its broad criteria which is done through an empirical study of European shield bosses, their diffusion and influences. This essay explores the possibilities of Rygh's type 565 suddenly appearing in the mid 900s as a change in the warrior’s equipment, fighting technique and influence following the raiding and Scandinavian colonization of Ireland and the British Isles.

<p>The aim of this work is to give a broader and more nuanced picture of the use of locks and keys during the Iron Age, in particular the late Iron Age, in the Lake Mälaren region. This has been done by comparing two buildings: the hall on Helgö and the living quarters in the garrison on Birka. Here we can see two very different areas where locks and keys were important parts of the daily life. The study also includes a typology of padlocks based on the findings from the same places as the building study and their surroundings.</p>

The aim of this work is to give a broader and more nuanced picture of the use of locks and keys during the Iron Age, in particular the late Iron Age, in the Lake Mälaren region. This has been done by comparing two buildings: the hall on Helgö and the living quarters in the garrison on Birka. Here we can see two very different areas where locks and keys were important parts of the daily life. The study also includes a typology of padlocks based on the findings from the same places as the building study and their surroundings.

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.

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