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The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the relationship between grave goods and the identity of buried individuals. The interpretation of sex and gender, as well as gendered grave goods in Late Iron Age Scandinavia, is of a particular focus. A comparative analysis of 163 graves was carried out using an intersectional theoretic perspective, statistical analysis, and a database, with the Lovö cemeteries serving as the case study. The results of this analysis revealed certain patterns and variances that demonstrate a relationship between the grave goods assemblages that were chosen and aspects of an individual’s identity, including gender for some grave goods, but a lack of a correlation for other grave goods. Thus, it concluded that “normal” burials are influenced by factors such as facets of one’s identity, community standing and social status, familial ties and kinship, and lived experiences, with each grave tailored to suit the individual, and that gender as a whole has little influence on how a burial is constructed., Syftet med detta examensarbete är att analysera sambandet mellan gravgods och begravda individers identitet. Tolkningen av kön och genus, samt könsbestämda gravgods i yngre järnålders Skandinavien, av särskilt fokus. En jämförande analys av 163 gravar genomfördes med ett intersektionellt teoretiskt perspektiv, statistisk analys och en databas, med Lovö kyrkogårdar som fallstudie. Resultaten av denna analys avslöjade vissa mönster och varianser som visar ett samband mellan de gravgodssammansättningar som valts ut och aspekter av en individs identitet, inklusive kön för vissa gravgods, men en brist på en korrelation för andra gravgods. Således drog den slutsatsen att "normala" begravningar påverkas av faktorer som aspekter av ens identitet, samhällsställning och social status, välbekanta band och släktskap och levda upplevelser, med varje grav skräddarsydd för att passa individen, och att kön som helhet har liten påverkan på hur en begravning är uppbyggd.

Through the examination of four different burial sites located on the island of Öland this essay identifies and interprets different socially constructed age groups present in iron age communities based on the graves of children from the period. This is done mainly by studying the placements, constructions and contents of the graves, as well as the relationships between the graves on the burial sites.

El presente trabajo realiza una aproximación arqueológica a una pieza singular de la Edad del Hierro del Noroeste: el tablero cerámico de Castro Curbín (Arzúa). Este insólito objeto se define por una base plana realizada en cerámica, con numerosas oquedades y vinculada a varias fichas de forma circular, que encajan en los huecos. La pieza, muy fragmentada, fue recuperada en un depósito estructurada en el entorno del sistema defensivo del asentamiento. Dada la extraña factura del objeto, se propone una aproximación integral al yacimiento que permita establecer una base sólida para el análisis. Así, se definen, en primer lugar, las características más relevantes del poblado, las condiciones del paisaje habitado y su secuencia ocupacional, contextualizando el asentamiento con relación a las dinámicas sociales, territoriales y arqueológicas del interior de la Edad del Hierro del Noroeste. A continuación, el trabajo se focaliza en las características del contexto arqueológico del tablero, definido por un depósito estructurado con materiales fragmentados in situ, de probable orientación votiva. Se analizarán las características generales de este tipo de expresiones en otros asentamientos fortificados del Noroeste, señalando su reiteración en otros poblados del interior y su habitual vínculo con el entorno de las murallas. Finalmente, se sugiere un análisis funcional e interpretativo del tablero, considerando su orientación lúdica como la más acorde a sus características. Estas consideraciones se relacionarán con otras expresiones lúdicas documentadas en distintos ámbitos, procurando establecer un marco comparativo de análisis que permita realizar una primera aproximación a este posible juego de mesa en el Hierro del Noroeste., The following paper presents an archaeological approach to a very unusual object from the NW Iberian Iron Age: the ceramic board from Castro Curbín (Arzúa). This singular object is defined by a ceramic flat base with several holes, related with several circular counts that fits into the holes. The board, highly shattered, was recovered in a structured deposit placed in the surroundings of the defensive system of the settlement. According to the unusual characteristics of the object, a comprehensive approach to the archaeological site is propose, in order to set a solid foundation for the analysis. Thus, the most relevant characteristics of the settlement, the conditions of the domestic landscape and its occupational sequence are explored. Then, the work explores the characteristics of the deposit, considering that the board was found in a structured accumulation of objects with a probable votive purpose. Several examples in this regard will be further described, and their regular present in inland settlements, especially related to the walls, is also assessed. Finally, a functional and interpretative analysis of the board is suggested, considering its ludic orientation as the most consistent interpretation. These observations are related with other board games found in different areas, used as a comparative framework of analysis to provide a first approach to board games in NW Iberia.

Este artículo se centra en la colección de pesas de balanza (pondera) conservadas en el Museo Arqueológico Nacional (en adelante MAN) en tres departamentos diferentes, abarcando tanto las piezas que claramente tienen ese uso como otras posibles. La investigación profundiza en aquellas inéditas y, sobre todo, en las que poseen un contexto arqueológico o procedencia conocida. En este estudio, además de su descripción formal y metrológica, se aborda un análisis comparativo que permite plantear hipótesis acerca de su adscripción a los distintos sistemas metrológicos de la época. Para ello, se lleva a cabo una síntesis de los sistemas y prácticas metrológicas existentes en la Europa occidental de la Edad del Hierro y, en concreto, de la península ibérica, con el objetivo de contextualizar las piezas tratadas. De esta manera se dan a conocer piezas inéditas y se hace patente una diferenciación formal entre las localizadas en la península ibérica (cilíndricas o discoidales con orificio central, con variantes en la zona tartésica y en el litoral mediterráneo, Navarra y País Vasco) y las del resto de la Europa occidental y central (piriformes con anilla). Además, el análisis metrológico ha permitido reconstruir sistemas basados en distintas unidades con piezas que representan su unidad y sus múltiplos, características de distintas zonas. De esta manera, la unidad 21/42 g es más típica del litoral mediterráneo, la unidad de ~35-36 g del eje entre la desembocadura del Guadiana y el País Vasco y la unidad 26,7 g se plantea como procedente del centro/centro-este de la Meseta, una zona y unidad mal caracterizada hasta ahora., This article focuses on the collection of balance weights (pondera) kept in the Museo Arqueológico Nacional (MAN) in three different departments, covering both the pieces that clearly have that use and other possible ones. The research explores the unpublished artefacts in depth, especially those found in archaeological contexts or with known provenance. Furthermore, this work undertakes a comparative analysis in addition to their formal and metrological description. This allows us to hypothesize about their ascription to the different metrological systems of the time. For this purpose, we worked on a synthesis of the metrological systems and practices existing in Western Europe during the Iron Age and, specifically, in the Iberian Peninsula. In this way, this paper presents the unpublished artefacts introducing a formal differentiation between those located in the Iberian Peninsula (cylindrical or discoidal with a central hole, with variants in the Tartessian area and in the Mediterranean coast, Navarre, and the Basque Country) and those from the rest of Western and Central Europe (pear-shaped with hanging loop). In addition, the metrological analysis has allowed the reconstruction of systems based on different units. We found some objects representing unit, fractions, or multiples, related to specific areas. Thus, unit 21/42 g is more typical of the Mediterranean coast, the ~35-36 g unit of the axis between the mouth of the Guadiana River and the Basque Country, and the 26.7 g unit seems originated in the center/central-east of the Meseta, an area poorly characterized so far.

The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the relationship between grave goods and the identity of buried individuals. The interpretation of sex and gender, as well as gendered grave goods in Late Iron Age Scandinavia, is of a particular focus. A comparative analysis of 163 graves was carried out using an intersectional theoretic perspective, statistical analysis, and a database, with the Lovö cemeteries serving as the case study. The results of this analysis revealed certain patterns and variances that demonstrate a relationship between the grave goods assemblages that were chosen and aspects of an individual’s identity, including gender for some grave goods, but a lack of a correlation for other grave goods. Thus, it concluded that “normal” burials are influenced by factors such as facets of one’s identity, community standing and social status, familial ties and kinship, and lived experiences, with each grave tailored to suit the individual, and that gender as a whole has little influence on how a burial is constructed., Syftet med detta examensarbete är att analysera sambandet mellan gravgods och begravda individers identitet. Tolkningen av kön och genus, samt könsbestämda gravgods i yngre järnålders Skandinavien, av särskilt fokus. En jämförande analys av 163 gravar genomfördes med ett intersektionellt teoretiskt perspektiv, statistisk analys och en databas, med Lovö kyrkogårdar som fallstudie. Resultaten av denna analys avslöjade vissa mönster och varianser som visar ett samband mellan de gravgodssammansättningar som valts ut och aspekter av en individs identitet, inklusive kön för vissa gravgods, men en brist på en korrelation för andra gravgods. Således drog den slutsatsen att "normala" begravningar påverkas av faktorer som aspekter av ens identitet, samhällsställning och social status, välbekanta band och släktskap och levda upplevelser, med varje grav skräddarsydd för att passa individen, och att kön som helhet har liten påverkan på hur en begravning är uppbyggd.

Through the examination of four different burial sites located on the island of Öland this essay identifies and interprets different socially constructed age groups present in iron age communities based on the graves of children from the period. This is done mainly by studying the placements, constructions and contents of the graves, as well as the relationships between the graves on the burial sites.

The site of Quinta do Marcelo has been an unavoidable mark in the bibliography addressing the later phases of the Bronze Age along the Portuguese Atlantic coast, particularly with regard to the large-scale trade networks and the impact caused by the arrival of foreign elements to the area. For the very first time, we present the entire artefact assemblage, which, as anticipated, proves to be remarkably rich and diversified. Additionally, we conducted a detailed analysis of the contexts identified during the excavation carried out in 1986. This new approach allowed us to reassess some questions perpetuated in specialised bibliography and reevaluate the chronological framework of the occupation, which lasted until the Iron Age. In addition to two combustion structures and what has been described as a negative structure, small pit-like structures, possibly associated with vineyard planting, were also identified, corresponding to the earliest trace of this activity in Portuguese territory., El sitio arqueológico de Quinta do Marcelo ha sido un marco inevitable en la bibliografía que aborda las fases finales de la Edad del Bronce a lo largo de la costa atlántica portuguesa, particularmente en lo que respecta a las extensas redes comerciales y al impacto causado por la llegada de elementos extranjeros a la zona. Por primera vez, presentamos un conjunto completo de artefactos que resulta ser notablemente rico y diversificado. Además, llevamos a cabo un análisis detallado de los contextos identificados durante la excavación realizada en 1986. Este nuevo enfoque nos permitió reevaluar algunas preguntas planteadas en la bibliografía especializada y reconsiderar el marco cronológico de la ocupación, que perduró hasta la Edad del Hierro. Además de dos estructuras de combustión y lo que se ha descrito como una estructura negativa, también se identificaron pequeñas estructuras tipo fosas, posiblemente asociadas con la plantación de viñedos, correspondiendo al rastro más antiguo de esta actividad en territorio portugués.

In this work I relate certain archaeological elements of Macalón (Nerpio, Albacete) with changes in personal appearance, production, consumption and ritual. Its analysis allows me to talk about forms of social distinction and changes in the control of the economy, force and ideology, which I consider key to explaining the population aggregation and the development of this prominent settlement during the ancient Iron Age. This process is framed in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, a space characterized by processes of cultural contact, transformation of settlement patterns and interconnection of supra-regional exchange networks. The failure of this process in Macalón during the s. V ane enables me to identify a process of aggregation that was followed by another of dispersion and decentralization, pointing out a non-linear evolution in this territory., En este trabajo relaciono determinados elementos arqueológicos del Macalón (Nerpio, Albacete) con cambios en la apariencia personal, la producción, el consumo y el ritual. Su análisis permite hablar de formas de distinción social y de cambios en el control de la economía, la fuerza y la ideología, cuestiones que considero claves para explicar la agregación poblacional y el funcionamiento de este asentamiento destacado a escala regional durante el Hierro antiguo. Este proceso se enmarca en el sureste peninsular, un espacio caracterizado por procesos de contacto cultural, transformación de las formas de poblamiento e interconexión de redes de intercambio suprarregionales. El fracaso de este proceso en el Macalón durante el s. V ane permite identificar un proceso de agregación que fue seguido de otro de dispersión y descentralización, señalando una evolución no lineal en este territorio.

De två insjögravfälten på Södra Getryggen (Raä Alfta 38:1) och Vindförberg (Raä Ore 6:1) analyseras och jämförs. Vinförbergs gravfält ligger i Ore socken i Dalarnas län och Södra Getryggens gravfält ligger i Alftas socken precis i gränsen mellan Dalarna och Gävleborgs län. Insjögravfält har länge varit ämne för debatt på grund av deras unika läge i landskapet samt attribut från både jordbrukskulturen i söder och jägar- och samlarkulturen i norr. Många frågor är fortfarande obesvarade om de människor som begravdes i dessa gravar som anlades under förromersk järnålder fram till tidig medeltid. Denna uppsats syftar till att bidra med mer kunskap och nya perspektiv på denna kategori av gravar samt denna del av Sverige. Genom en analys av landskapet och litteraturstudier från tidigare forskning visar denna studie att gravfälten är omgiven av geografiskt olika egenskaper. Vidare visar studien att gravfälten har en likartad placering i landskapet som kan ha haft såväl rituella eller kulturella som strategiska syften., The two inland lake burial grounds Södra Getryggen (Raä Alfta 38:1) and Vindförberg (Raä Ore 6:1), located in or on the border of the County of Dalarna, are analyzed and compared. Inland lake burial grounds have long been a subject of debate because of their unique location in the landscape as well as having attributes from the southern agricultural culture and the northern hunter-gatherer cultures. A lot of questions still remain unanswered about the people buried in these graves that were constructed starting in the Pre-Roman Iron Age until the early Middle Ages. This essay aims to contribute new knowledge and perspectives on this type of burial and in this part of Sweden. Through an analysis of the landscape and literature from prior research this study shows that the burial sites are surrounded by geographically different features. Furthermore, the study shows that the burial sites have a similar placement in the landscape that could have served ritual or cultural as well as strategical purposes.

Denna forskning bygger i första hand på de arkeologiska undersökningar som Umeå universitet utförde av Arnäsbacken tillhörande Arnäsvalls socken i Örnsköldsviks kommun under åren 1987-1991, och har för avsikt att belysa befintliga kunskapsluckor och undersöka ifall det funnits lokala relationer inom ett område som sträcker sig en kvadratmil runt Arnäsbacken. Med hjälp av tidigare vetenskaplig litteratur, arkeologiska rapporter, inventeringshandlingar, historiska kartor, flygfoton och egna fältobservationer samt en postglacial landhöjningsrekonstruktion i QGIS lyfter denna forskning fram 10 platser som kan ge nya insikter och väcka nya frågeställningar om rumsliga och socio-ekonomiska relationer samt resursutnyttjande för ett lokalt järnålderssamhälle i mellersta Norrland.

Ämnesjärn har länge betraktats som handelsvaror, förråd av råvaror för vidare bearbetning. I vissa fall anses de vara offer till gudarna. Senare tids forskning har gett anledning att ompröva tidigare forskning. I uppsatsen undersöks vilken funktion tenformade och lieformade ämnesjärn hade i Kalmar län under järnåldern. Resultatet av studien är att tenformade och lieformade ämnesjärn i Kalmar län i första hand bör ses som handelsvara eller råvara och användes i handel eller i gåvoutbyte. De förekommer också i offersammanhang, men i begränsad utsträckning. Sannolikt cirkulerade de lokalt inom Kalmar län. Det finns inga uppgifter om export, utom från fastlandet till Öland. De standardiserade formerna av ämnesjärnen indikerar också lokal produktion och cirkulation. Ämnesjärn kan ha använts i kommunikation med högre makter, och deponeringsplatserna kan ha valts av rituella skäl. Bevisen för detta i undersökningsområdet är dock inte tillräckligt starka för att man ska kunna dra denna slutsats., Iron bars have long been regarded as commodities for trade or as hoards of raw materials for further processing. In some cases they are considered being sacrificed to the Gods. Recent research has given reason to reconsider previous research. This thesis aims to draw a conclusion about the function of rod-shaped and scythe-shaped iron bars in Kalmar County during the Iron Age. The result of the study is that rod-shaped and scythe-shaped iron bars in Kalmar County should primarily be seen as merchandise or raw material, and functioned as a commodity or in exchange for gifts. They also occasionally occur in sacrificial contexts. It is likely that they circulated locally within Kalmar County. There is no evidence for exports except for from the mainland to Öland. The standardized forms of the iron bars also indicate local production and circulation. Iron bars may have been used in communication with higher powers, and the deposit sites may have been chosen for ritual reasons. However, the evidence for this in the area of investigation is not strong enough to draw this conclusion.

Under vikingatiden och medeltiden hade Gotland förmodligen en omfattande tingsorganisation. För Banda ting har Suderting förmodats vara en tingsplats utmed Idån och Fjäle Myr som syntes vara betydelsefulla på Mejer’s 1600-tals karta. Vilken betydelse har våtmarker som Fjäle Myr och vattendrag som Idån haft för tingsorganisationen och kommunikationer i Banda ting under järnålder? Syftet med denna uppsats var att undersöka vattendrag och tingsgränser i Banda ting under järnålder, samt identifiera nätverk och kommunikationsleder. Uppsatsen har utifrån historiskt kartmaterial återskapat vattendrag, våtmarker och gränser. Samt använt rumsliga metodanalyser i GIS av fornlämningar i landskapet. Kommunikationsleder och gränser har studerats med ett teoretiskt ramverk att landskapet, i form av topografi, vattendrag och våtmarker, formar dessa. Resultatet av analysen visar att fornborgar har haft en viktig funktion i att försvara kommunikationsleder, även att nätverk och makt hänger ihop i en bredare tingsorganisation. Vattendrag och våtmarker som Fjäle Myr och Stormyr var farbara och utgjorde ett större kommunikationsnätverk. Samt att tingsgränser har en korrelation till vatten och är möjliga att återskapa med rumsliga analyser., During the Viking Age and the Middle Ages, Gotland likely had an extensive thing organization. Suderting is assumed to be the thing place for Banda, located along Idån and Fjäle Myr which appeared to be significant on Mejer's 17th century map. What significance did wetlands such as Fjäle Myr and waterways such as Idån have for the thing organization and communication during the Iron age in Banda ting? The purpose of this essay was to investigate waterways and boundaries in Banda ting during the Iron Age, also to identify network and communication routes. Based on historical map material, the essay has recreated watercourses, wetlands and borders. As well as used spatial method analyzes in GIS of ancient remains in the landscape. Communication routes and borders have been studied with a theoretical framework that the landscape shapes these in the form of topography, waterways and wetlands. The result of the analysis shows that hill forts have had an important function in defending communication routes, that network and power connect in a wider organization of things. Waterways and wetlands such as Fjäle Myr and Stormyr were navigable and formed a larger communication network. And that thing boundaries have a correlation to water and can be recreated with spatial analyses.

This thesis provides new insights into the societal organisation of iron production within past societies within Northern-Middle Sweden, through the applications of advanced GIS analyses and statistics, as well as the modelling of hypothetical hot spots of iron production through newly developed hydro-geological theories. Parallel shifts in iron production intensities occurred during the 6th century AD. This is interpreted as reflecting different levels of adaptiveness to the climate crisis of AD 536/40. Differences in connectivity to major waterways between northern and southern watersheds are observed, possibly reflecting differing needs for transporting the iron. Clusters with large iron production sites are mainly located along the rivers, whereas groups of smaller iron production sites with no visible charcoal pits occur in outland positions. The lack of visible charcoal pits is interpreted as a low-scale charcoal production, less visible., Denna uppsats bidrar med nya perspektiv på järnframställningens samhällsprägel inom Mellannorrland. Detta uppnås genom tillämpningen av avancerade GIS-analyser och statistik, samt modellering av hypotetiska järnframställnings-zoner inom landskapen, genom tillämpningen av nya hydro-geologiska teorier. Parallella förändringar i järnframställningens intensitet ägde rum under 500-talet. Detta tolkas som skiftande anpassningsförmågor inom samhällen till klimatkrisen som ägde rum 536/40 e.v.t. Olika grader av närhet till högkommunikativa vattenleder mellan nordliga och sydliga områden observeras, vilket kan indikera olika behov av transportleder för järn. Kluster av stora järnframställningsplatser framträder främst längst dessa vattenleder, medan järnframställningen inom utmarkerna är mer lågskalig, och saknar ofta synliga kolningsgropar. Saknaden av dessa tolkas som förekomsten av en långskallig kolframställning, som inte är lika väl synlig i landskapet.

Denna uppsats hade som mål att redogöra för skillnader och likheter mellan gravarna i fornborgen på Styrmansberget vid Vallhagar, Fröjel, Gotland. Totalt har 15 gravar, från romersk järnålder, upptäckts och grävts ut vid fornborgen. 8 gravar var typiska för romerska järnåldern med en grav markerad med någon form av stenkonstruktion. Resterande 7 är mer ovanliga då dessa inte var markerade ovan jord och låg i fornborgens mur samt i resterna av ett hus. För detta arbete undersöktes 8 gravar där 4 var markerade ovan jord och 4 var omarkerade. Likheter och skillnader mellan dessa gravar diskuteras med förhoppningen om att spåra livet och döden vid Styrmansberget. Uppsatsen jämför gravarna både osteologiskt och arkeologiskt genom kvarlevorna och gravgåvorna som funnits., The aim of this essay was to describe the differences and similarities between the graves in the hill fort on Styrmansberget close to Vallhagar, Fröjel, Gotland. A total of 15 graves, from the Roman Iron Age, were discovered and excavated at the hill fort. Among these are 8 graves of the typical style of the roman iron age with a marked grave with a stone structure above. The remaining 7 are more unusual as these were not marked above ground. They were located in the wall of the fort and in the remains of an ancient house. A total of 8 graves were examined where 4 were marked and 4 were unmarked above ground. The similarities and the differences between the graves are discussed to try to track the life of the living. Both osteological and through the grave gifts that where I the graves is discussed in this essay.

This thesis creates an osteological biography of the seven horses buried in the boat graves Valsgärde 3, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 15, and explores how the horses were placed in the graves and their part in the burial performance. The thesis focuses on the Valsgärde burial site and the final part of the Viking Age. Using the equine skeletal remains, a variety of osteological methods areapplied to answer the research questions. Archaeothanatology and performance archaeology are used for the theoretical framework for the thesis. The osteological analysis indicates that all horses except for the horse from Valsgärde 10 are of a similar size and health status. Valsgärde 3 contained two horses, and the remaining five graves contained a single horse. Five horses could be sexed as male while the remaining two are uncertain. The horses vary in age from a minimum of two and a half to eleven years and seem to have been buried whole. A definitive cause of death could not be determined, though three potential methods are discussed. The horses were placed in the burials in a few different positions, with some similarities which seem to be chronologically linked., Den här uppsatsen skapar en osteologisk biografi av de sju hästar som begravts i båtgravarna Valsgärde 3, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 15, samt utforskar hur hästarna placerades i gravarna och deras deltagande i gravuppträdandet. Uppsatsen fokuserar på Valsgärdegravplatsen och slutet på Vikingatiden. Diverse osteologiska metoder appliceras på hästskeletten för att besvara frågeställningarna. Arkeotanatologi och performance-arkeologi formar uppsatsens teoretiska ramverk. Den osteologiska analysen visar att alla hästar utom den från Valsgärde 10 är av liknande storlek och hälsostatus. Valsgärde 3 innehöll två hästar, de resterande gravarna innehöll endast en var. Fem hästar kunde könsbedömas som hanar, de andra två är obestämda. Hästarna varierar i ålder från två och ett halvt år till elva år och samtliga verkar begravts hela. Ingen definitiv dödsorsak kunde bestämmas, men tre potentiella metoder diskuteras. Hästarna har placerats i ett par olika positioner med likheter som verkar vara kronologiskt sammanlänkade.

De två insjögravfälten på Södra Getryggen (Raä Alfta 38:1) och Vindförberg (Raä Ore 6:1) analyseras och jämförs. Vinförbergs gravfält ligger i Ore socken i Dalarnas län och Södra Getryggens gravfält ligger i Alftas socken precis i gränsen mellan Dalarna och Gävleborgs län. Insjögravfält har länge varit ämne för debatt på grund av deras unika läge i landskapet samt attribut från både jordbrukskulturen i söder och jägar- och samlarkulturen i norr. Många frågor är fortfarande obesvarade om de människor som begravdes i dessa gravar som anlades under förromersk järnålder fram till tidig medeltid. Denna uppsats syftar till att bidra med mer kunskap och nya perspektiv på denna kategori av gravar samt denna del av Sverige. Genom en analys av landskapet och litteraturstudier från tidigare forskning visar denna studie att gravfälten är omgiven av geografiskt olika egenskaper. Vidare visar studien att gravfälten har en likartad placering i landskapet som kan ha haft såväl rituella eller kulturella som strategiska syften., The two inland lake burial grounds Södra Getryggen (Raä Alfta 38:1) and Vindförberg (Raä Ore 6:1), located in or on the border of the County of Dalarna, are analyzed and compared. Inland lake burial grounds have long been a subject of debate because of their unique location in the landscape as well as having attributes from the southern agricultural culture and the northern hunter-gatherer cultures. A lot of questions still remain unanswered about the people buried in these graves that were constructed starting in the Pre-Roman Iron Age until the early Middle Ages. This essay aims to contribute new knowledge and perspectives on this type of burial and in this part of Sweden. Through an analysis of the landscape and literature from prior research this study shows that the burial sites are surrounded by geographically different features. Furthermore, the study shows that the burial sites have a similar placement in the landscape that could have served ritual or cultural as well as strategical purposes.

Denna uppsats hade som mål att redogöra för skillnader och likheter mellan gravarna i fornborgen på Styrmansberget vid Vallhagar, Fröjel, Gotland. Totalt har 15 gravar, från romersk järnålder, upptäckts och grävts ut vid fornborgen. 8 gravar var typiska för romerska järnåldern med en grav markerad med någon form av stenkonstruktion. Resterande 7 är mer ovanliga då dessa inte var markerade ovan jord och låg i fornborgens mur samt i resterna av ett hus. För detta arbete undersöktes 8 gravar där 4 var markerade ovan jord och 4 var omarkerade. Likheter och skillnader mellan dessa gravar diskuteras med förhoppningen om att spåra livet och döden vid Styrmansberget. Uppsatsen jämför gravarna både osteologiskt och arkeologiskt genom kvarlevorna och gravgåvorna som funnits., The aim of this essay was to describe the differences and similarities between the graves in the hill fort on Styrmansberget close to Vallhagar, Fröjel, Gotland. A total of 15 graves, from the Roman Iron Age, were discovered and excavated at the hill fort. Among these are 8 graves of the typical style of the roman iron age with a marked grave with a stone structure above. The remaining 7 are more unusual as these were not marked above ground. They were located in the wall of the fort and in the remains of an ancient house. A total of 8 graves were examined where 4 were marked and 4 were unmarked above ground. The similarities and the differences between the graves are discussed to try to track the life of the living. Both osteological and through the grave gifts that where I the graves is discussed in this essay.

Ämnesjärn har länge betraktats som handelsvaror, förråd av råvaror för vidare bearbetning. I vissa fall anses de vara offer till gudarna. Senare tids forskning har gett anledning att ompröva tidigare forskning. I uppsatsen undersöks vilken funktion tenformade och lieformade ämnesjärn hade i Kalmar län under järnåldern. Resultatet av studien är att tenformade och lieformade ämnesjärn i Kalmar län i första hand bör ses som handelsvara eller råvara och användes i handel eller i gåvoutbyte. De förekommer också i offersammanhang, men i begränsad utsträckning. Sannolikt cirkulerade de lokalt inom Kalmar län. Det finns inga uppgifter om export, utom från fastlandet till Öland. De standardiserade formerna av ämnesjärnen indikerar också lokal produktion och cirkulation. Ämnesjärn kan ha använts i kommunikation med högre makter, och deponeringsplatserna kan ha valts av rituella skäl. Bevisen för detta i undersökningsområdet är dock inte tillräckligt starka för att man ska kunna dra denna slutsats., Iron bars have long been regarded as commodities for trade or as hoards of raw materials for further processing. In some cases they are considered being sacrificed to the Gods. Recent research has given reason to reconsider previous research. This thesis aims to draw a conclusion about the function of rod-shaped and scythe-shaped iron bars in Kalmar County during the Iron Age. The result of the study is that rod-shaped and scythe-shaped iron bars in Kalmar County should primarily be seen as merchandise or raw material, and functioned as a commodity or in exchange for gifts. They also occasionally occur in sacrificial contexts. It is likely that they circulated locally within Kalmar County. There is no evidence for exports except for from the mainland to Öland. The standardized forms of the iron bars also indicate local production and circulation. Iron bars may have been used in communication with higher powers, and the deposit sites may have been chosen for ritual reasons. However, the evidence for this in the area of investigation is not strong enough to draw this conclusion.

This thesis creates an osteological biography of the seven horses buried in the boat graves Valsgärde 3, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 15, and explores how the horses were placed in the graves and their part in the burial performance. The thesis focuses on the Valsgärde burial site and the final part of the Viking Age. Using the equine skeletal remains, a variety of osteological methods areapplied to answer the research questions. Archaeothanatology and performance archaeology are used for the theoretical framework for the thesis. The osteological analysis indicates that all horses except for the horse from Valsgärde 10 are of a similar size and health status. Valsgärde 3 contained two horses, and the remaining five graves contained a single horse. Five horses could be sexed as male while the remaining two are uncertain. The horses vary in age from a minimum of two and a half to eleven years and seem to have been buried whole. A definitive cause of death could not be determined, though three potential methods are discussed. The horses were placed in the burials in a few different positions, with some similarities which seem to be chronologically linked., Den här uppsatsen skapar en osteologisk biografi av de sju hästar som begravts i båtgravarna Valsgärde 3, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 15, samt utforskar hur hästarna placerades i gravarna och deras deltagande i gravuppträdandet. Uppsatsen fokuserar på Valsgärdegravplatsen och slutet på Vikingatiden. Diverse osteologiska metoder appliceras på hästskeletten för att besvara frågeställningarna. Arkeotanatologi och performance-arkeologi formar uppsatsens teoretiska ramverk. Den osteologiska analysen visar att alla hästar utom den från Valsgärde 10 är av liknande storlek och hälsostatus. Valsgärde 3 innehöll två hästar, de resterande gravarna innehöll endast en var. Fem hästar kunde könsbedömas som hanar, de andra två är obestämda. Hästarna varierar i ålder från två och ett halvt år till elva år och samtliga verkar begravts hela. Ingen definitiv dödsorsak kunde bestämmas, men tre potentiella metoder diskuteras. Hästarna har placerats i ett par olika positioner med likheter som verkar vara kronologiskt sammanlänkade.

Denna forskning bygger i första hand på de arkeologiska undersökningar som Umeå universitet utförde av Arnäsbacken tillhörande Arnäsvalls socken i Örnsköldsviks kommun under åren 1987-1991, och har för avsikt att belysa befintliga kunskapsluckor och undersöka ifall det funnits lokala relationer inom ett område som sträcker sig en kvadratmil runt Arnäsbacken. Med hjälp av tidigare vetenskaplig litteratur, arkeologiska rapporter, inventeringshandlingar, historiska kartor, flygfoton och egna fältobservationer samt en postglacial landhöjningsrekonstruktion i QGIS lyfter denna forskning fram 10 platser som kan ge nya insikter och väcka nya frågeställningar om rumsliga och socio-ekonomiska relationer samt resursutnyttjande för ett lokalt järnålderssamhälle i mellersta Norrland.

This thesis provides new insights into the societal organisation of iron production within past societies within Northern-Middle Sweden, through the applications of advanced GIS analyses and statistics, as well as the modelling of hypothetical hot spots of iron production through newly developed hydro-geological theories. Parallel shifts in iron production intensities occurred during the 6th century AD. This is interpreted as reflecting different levels of adaptiveness to the climate crisis of AD 536/40. Differences in connectivity to major waterways between northern and southern watersheds are observed, possibly reflecting differing needs for transporting the iron. Clusters with large iron production sites are mainly located along the rivers, whereas groups of smaller iron production sites with no visible charcoal pits occur in outland positions. The lack of visible charcoal pits is interpreted as a low-scale charcoal production, less visible., Denna uppsats bidrar med nya perspektiv på järnframställningens samhällsprägel inom Mellannorrland. Detta uppnås genom tillämpningen av avancerade GIS-analyser och statistik, samt modellering av hypotetiska järnframställnings-zoner inom landskapen, genom tillämpningen av nya hydro-geologiska teorier. Parallella förändringar i järnframställningens intensitet ägde rum under 500-talet. Detta tolkas som skiftande anpassningsförmågor inom samhällen till klimatkrisen som ägde rum 536/40 e.v.t. Olika grader av närhet till högkommunikativa vattenleder mellan nordliga och sydliga områden observeras, vilket kan indikera olika behov av transportleder för järn. Kluster av stora järnframställningsplatser framträder främst längst dessa vattenleder, medan järnframställningen inom utmarkerna är mer lågskalig, och saknar ofta synliga kolningsgropar. Saknaden av dessa tolkas som förekomsten av en långskallig kolframställning, som inte är lika väl synlig i landskapet.

Ancient DNA research in the past decade has revealed that European population structure changed dramatically in the prehistoric period (14,000–3000 years before present, YBP), reflecting the widespread introduction of Neolithic farmer and Bronze Age Steppe ancestries. However, little is known about how population structure changed from the historical period onward (3000 YBP - present). To address this, we collected whole genomes from 204 individuals from Europe and the Mediterranean, many of which are the first historical period genomes from their region (e.g. Armenia and France). We found that most regions show remarkable inter-individual heterogeneity. At least 7% of historical individuals carry ancestry uncommon in the region where they were sampled, some indicating cross-Mediterranean contacts. Despite this high level of mobility, overall population structure across western Eurasia is relatively stable through the historical period up to the present, mirroring geography. We show that, under standard population genetics models with local panmixia, the observed level of dispersal would lead to a collapse of population structure. Persistent population structure thus suggests a lower effective migration rate than indicated by the observed dispersal. We hypothesize that this phenomenon can be explained by extensive transient dispersal arising from drastically improved transportation networks and the Roman Empire’s mobilization of people for trade, labor, and military. This work highlights the utility of ancient DNA in elucidating finer scale human population dynamics in recent history.

The Senegambia is the area located between the rivers Senegal and Gambia, as well as its surrounding regions, including the countries of Senegal, the Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. The earliest documented references to the archaeology of the Senegambia date from the mid-19th century, in the form of short mentions in colonial reports and generalist scholarly journals. In the 1930s through the 1940s, the creation of research institutions facilitated the gradual professionalization of the discipline; and since independence, the quantity of researchers has both increased and diversified, as they use a range of approaches and period foci. Since the onset of the 21st century, the Stone Age has been a fast-developing area of study, ranging from the first evidence of hominin or human occupation 250 kya, to the development of pottery and animal domestication. Increasing social complexity, as well as technical developments, are a hallmark of the subsequent Iron Age, whose archaeology initially focused on the emergence of kingdoms and towns and has subsequently broadened to encompass also a wider range of societies at the margins of centralized polities. From the 15th century onward, the opening to the Atlantic world, together with the rise of the transatlantic slave trade, brought new dynamics across the region. As a result, much of the archaeology of this period has focused on trade (particularly the impact of the slave trade), new Afro-European settlements and sociopolitical change. Finally, although the archaeology of colonial and postcolonial remains is still incipient, it has received some coverage, particularly through ethno-archaeological studies, although the extent varies from country to country.

Im Sommer 2016 fand im Vorfeld des Baus eines Mehrparteienhauses auf einem Grundstück in der Montfortstrasse in Rankweil eine Rettungsgrabung statt. Bei den archäologischen Untersuchungen konnten eisenzeitliche Funde und Befunde geborgen und dokumentiert werden. Die Ergebnisse belegen eine Besiedelung am Talboden des Vorarlberger Vorderlandes. Die Größe der Siedlung konnte nicht abschließend geklärt werden. Mit großer Wahrscheinlichkeit erstreckt sich das Siedlungsareal auch über benachbarte Grundstücke. Die Befunde belegen die Existenz von mindestens fünf Holzgebäuden und einem Haus, welches dem Typ der „Casa Retica“ zuzuordnen ist. Aus der ersten Siedlungsphase stammt ein rechteckiges Gebäude mit abgeschrägten Ecken. Dieses dürfte mit Schwellbalken zu rekonstruieren sein. In der darauffolgenden Phase entsteht ein langrechteckiges Gebäude mit mindestens drei Räumen. Eine Herdstelle innerhalb eines Raumes deutet auf die Nutzung als Wohnbereich hin. Zu diesem Haus gehört ein südlich davon verlaufender, 2,70-3,70 m breiter Weg, sowie ein weiteres, kleineres Holzgebäude. Es erscheint wahrscheinlich, dass die Casa Retica ebenfalls bereits in dieser Phase errichtet wurde. Das zweiphasige rätische Haus besteht aus einem 2,5 m tiefer als das Gehniveau liegenden Kellerraum, welcher über eine Treppe erreichbar war. Aus der dritten und vierten Bauphase stammt jeweils ein Pfostenbau. In dem Gebäude der vierten Phase konnten zwei Herdstellen nachgewiesen werden. Neben den Gebäuden wurden mehrere Gruben, Feuerstellen und die Überreste eines Webstuhls dokumentiert. Das Fundmaterial der Siedlung enthält Keramik vom Typ Schneller und Stücke, welche mit Keramik aus dem Taminser Gräberfeld vergleichbar ist. Die Bronzeobjekte finden Vergleiche innerhalb des Rheintals sowie in Norditalien und Süddeutschland. Den Hinweis auf kultische Handlungen bietet ein verzierter Astragal. Eine große Menge an Eisenschlacke weist auf Metallverarbeitung hin. Die Herstellung von Textilien kann über die, In summer 2016, a rescue excavation was carried out on a plot of land in Montfortstrasse in Rankweil ahead of the construction of an apartment building. During the archaeological investigations, Iron Age finds were recovered and documented. The results prove a settlement on the valley floor of the Vorarlberger Vorderland. The size of the settlement could not be conclusively determined. It is highly probable that the settlement area also extended over neighbouring plots of land. The findings prove the existence of at least five wooden buildings and one house, which can be assigned to the “Casa Retica” type. A rectangular building with chamfered corners was built in the first settlement phase. This can probably be reconstructed with sill beams. In the subsequent phase, a long rectangular building with at least three rooms was constructed. A hearth in one of the rooms indicates that it was used as a living area. To the south of this house is a 2.70-3.70 m wide path and another, smaller wooden building. It seems likely that the “Casa Retica” was also built during this phase. The two-phase Rhaetian house consists of a cellar 2.5 m below ground level, which was accessible via a staircase. The third and fourth phases of construction each have a post structure. Two hearths were found in the building from the fourth phase. In addition to the buildings, several pits, fireplaces and the remains of a weaving loom were documented. The find material contains pottery of the Schneller type and pieces comparable with pottery from the Tamins cemetery. The bronze objects have comparisons within the Rhine Valley, as well as in northern Italy and southern Germany. An ornamented astragalus provides evidence of ritual activities. A large amount of iron slag indicates metalworking. The production of textiles can be proven by the loom weights found. The relatively large number of waste and raw amber fragments provided evidence for the processing of amber within the settlement. Radiocarbon d, Thomas Praprotnik, BA, in englischer Sprache, Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2024

Dissertation Universität Innsbruck 2024

This article presents the results of a topographical and analytical study using hh-XRF of 22 gold and gilded objects from the Archaeological and Historical Museum of A Coruña (Galicia, Spain). They are highly representative of the northwestern Iberian goldwork from the Chalcolithic (third millennium BC) to the early Roman period (first century AD). This study contributes to our knowledge of the production techniques used in those periods, as well as their evolution over time. The collection includes some of the most representative types in this area, such as Early Bronze Age “sheet collars” and torcs from the Second Iron Age. In the case of torcs, new data are provided on one of the formally best-documented types (the Artabrian type) and on those known as “Baroque torcs” that are characteristic of the final moments of this goldsmith tradition. While pieces from the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age were made with alluvial gold, the torcs from the Late Iron Age contain variable amounts of silver and copper. Also detected is the frequent use of cores made of less precious metals, which were subsequently given a golden appearance using gilding techniques. The new data are discussed in light of our current knowledge of NW Iberian goldwork, one of the most representative of this craft tradition in Western Europe for those periods.

Este artículo es resultado del proyecto de investigación “Estudios de léxico paleohispánico” (PID2019-106606GB-C3-1), financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. Forma parte de los trabajos del Grupo de Investigación consolidado de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid “Textos epigráficos antiguos de la Península Ibérica y el Mediterráneo griego” (TEAPIMeG)., RESUMEN: Se revisan en este trabajo nuestros conocimientos actuales sobre la lengua de las estelas del Sudoeste de la Península Ibérica. Se plantea cuál debe ser la metodología de estudio adecuada, basada en el análisis interno de los datos de las propias inscripciones, frente a interpretaciones precipitadas y poco fundamentadas que clasifican la lengua como celta. A partir del análisis interno de las inscripciones se pueden obtener datos interesantes sobre la fonética de la lengua y proponer posibilidades de segmentación de posibles lexemas o sufijos que nos permitan avanzar en su comprensión., Current knowledge about the language of the South-Western steles from the Iberian peninsula is reviewed in this paper. It is argued that the appropriate methodology for the study of this language should rely on a thorough internal analysis of the data provided by the inscriptions themselves, instead of jumping to hasty interpretations and etymological proposals allegedly supporting its classification as a Celtic language. Internal evidence provides relevant information about phonetics and allows for identifying possible lexemes and suffixes, which is crucial for the advancement in the understanding of this language., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN), Depto. de Filología Clásica, Fac. de Filología, TRUE, pub

Leather has been one of the most common crafting materials in human history. With its incredible versatility it has been used for clothes, shelter, books, armour, containers, decoration, and everything in between. The boat graves from Valsgärde presents a for the time period large amount of preserved leather, allowing us to have a peek into how it was used during the late Scandinavian Iron Age. This essay focuses on which animals have been used in the making of these objects and what the choice of raw material and visible crafting skills might tell us. A total of 54 samples from the Valsgärde boat graves were analysed using the ZooMS method. Additionally, tanning methods and other related processes are discussed. The main conclusions are that while the choice of material has an important impact on the final result, it seems like the skills of the craftsperson was the most important factor affecting quality and exclusivity for an item., Läder har varit ett av de vanligaste materialen i mänsklighetens historia. Med sin fantastiska mångsidighet har det använts till kläder, bostäder, böcker, rustningar, behållare, dekoration, och allt däremellan. Båtgravarna i Valsgärde erbjuder en för tidsperioden stor mängd bevarat läder vilket ger oss chansen att få en glimt av hur materialet användes under den sena järnåldern i Skandinavien. Den här uppsatsen fokuserar på vilka djur som använts för att tillverka dessa föremål och vad valet av råmaterial och hantverkmetoder kan säga oss. Totalt har 54 prov från Valsgärdes båtgravar analyserats med ZooMS-metoden. Därtill behandlas garvning och andra relaterade processer i läderhantverk. De huvudsakliga slutsatserna är att även om valet av råmaterial har en stor inverkan på slutresultatet så verkar hantverkarens skicklighet vara den viktigaste faktorn för kvalitet och exklusivitet i ett föremål., This thesis was made possible through funding from Västgöta Nation.

Subsistence strategies of Eurasian pastoral populations have been broadly studied in the archaeological literature. The 'Valley of the Kings' in Tuva, Russia, has captivated archaeologists with its remarkable collection of large burial mounds, containing lavishly equipped tombs of nomadic kings, warlords, and aristocracy. These barrows bear witness to the ancestral connections between the deceased leaders, highlighting the alliances among prehistoric nomads in Central Asia. In this research, we present comprehensive radiocarbon dating and 813C/815N isotopic data from the Chinge Tey barrows, which represent the burial sites of 12 high-ranking individuals. The chronological alignment of both Chinge Tey monuments with the Arzhan 1 and Arzhan 2 reference frames sheds light on their historical context. This study delves into intricate aspects of ecological adaptability, pastoral food practices, social hierarchies, and nomadic mortuary rituals. Analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes indicates potential connections between the barrows in the 'Valley of the Kings' and diverse nomadic cultures, suggesting that dietary habits among neighboring populations may have exhibited significant variation.

Exploring the impact of landslides on past human communities, their landscapes, and their material remains, this thesis focuses on the most landslide-prone region of Sweden: the Göta River Valley (Sw. Göta älvdalen). It is argued that through a multi-source methodology and by employing ideas concerning geoculturality and disasterscapes, we can begin to approach the lived experiences of both distant and recent history. The thesis further outlines the risk posed by landslides to cultural heritage and archaeological sites, a threat significantly exacerbated by ongoing processes of anthropogenic climate change. This compilation thesis contributes to the study of past hazards and disasters with relevance on both regional, national, and international levels. The comprehensive summary of the thesis provides both an overview of the field and an in-depth study of how landslides have been perceived and interacted with throughout time. Additionally, five research papers, each dealing with different aspects of landslide archaeology within Western Sweden from prehistory into the present day, address separate aspects of landslide archaeology. The first paper presents new dating evidence for the Late Iron Age trading site of Köpingen and, in turn, uses these results to provide a minimum age for a prehistoric landslide on the same site. The second paper outlines the research history of the great medieval landslide at Jordfallet, employing archival studies and legacy data to reassess its traditional dating. Most likely, the event occurred in the year 1249 AD, a conclusion with relevance for Scandinavian geopolitics in the Middle Ages. The third and fourth papers are historical-archaeological studies of two Early Modern disasters, the 1648 Intagan and 1703 Skrehall landslides, respectively, providing new understandings of these events. In the case of the former landslide, it is found to have left few easily identifiable archaeological traces behind, while newly discovered remains are

The case studies of two French oppida, Porrey and Bibracte, open the way to unanswered questions related to their functions. The field research carried out within the Oppidum as Urban Landscape program represented a multidisciplinary approach to the study of the area and the reopening of two ancient test pits in the sectors of Porrey and Verger, two areas favorable for the construction of settlements but lacking convincing evidence of occupation. Also, the evolution of the landscape around the Bibracte oppida from the Late Iron Age to the post-medieval period was related to the sudden emergence of a network of large fortified towns, known as oppida. The trench excavations at the Bibracte oppidum and the operations in the Porrey and Verger sectors were accompanied by geophysical surveys of the adjacent test pits of the summit mound dating from the mid and third quarter of the 1st century BC. The archaeological excavation of the oppida, dating from the Late Iron Age to the Early Roman period, has focused exclusively on the original areas. The sediment sequences mark human- induced erosion and geomorphological changes in the 4th-1st centuries BC., Případové studie dvou francouzských oppid Porrey a Bibracte otevírají cestu k nezodpovězeným otázkám, souvisejících s jejich funkcemi. Terénní výzkum prováděný v rámci programu Oppidum jako městská krajina, představoval multidisciplinární přístup ke studiu prostoru a znovuotevření dvou starověkých testovacích jam v sektorech Porrey a Verger, dvou ploch příznivých pro výstavbu sídliště, kde však chybí přesvědčivé doklady osídlení. Také vývoj krajiny v okolí oppida Bibracte od pozdní doby železné do poststředověku souvisely s náhlým vznikem sítě velkých opevněných měst, známých jako oppida. Výzkum příkopu na oppidu v Bibracte a operace v sektorech Porrey a Verger doprovázel geofyzikální průzkum přiléhajících testovacích jam vrcholového valu z poloviny a třetí čtvrtiny 1. století př. n. l. Archeologické vykopávky oppid z pozdní doby železné do rané doby římské, se zaměřují výhradně na původní plochy. Sekvence sedimentů označují erozi vyvolanou člověkem a geomorfologickými změnami ve 4.-1. století př. n. l.

This thesis focuses on the recognition of cult and ritual in the Late Bronze Age to Iron Age (1175-586 BCE) Levant. It is concerned with the identification and elucidation of ritual architecture, material culture and practices based on the existing archaeological record and series of indicators that allow for reasonable inference that a site had ritual capacities. The aim of this study is to employ the synthesis and interpretation of data and apply comparative analysis to create an encompassing study that better represents the archaeological phenomenon of the Philistines. The ritual architecture, material culture and practice of the Philistines and their surrounding world are complex and multilayered. The following is a comprehensive catalogue of ritual-related architecture, material culture and (where appropriate) practices of sites in the Southern Levant, interpreted in the social and cultural framework of the LBA to Iron Age. The analyses of ritual-related architecture, material culture, practice and ideology require a detailed study of societal intricacies, architectural components and a defined typological framework. Ritual structures offer an alternate means of understanding the built environment and provide an insight into human-place-object interaction. Whilst the Philistines have been studied by archaeologists over the past four decades, there is a distinct gap in publication and knowledge when it comes to Philistine ritual and religious architecture, material culture and practice. This task can be especially difficult in regions of continuous settlement and destruction, particularly when large ritual and/or cultic centres stand out in the archaeological record in comparison to smaller, more nuanced, areas of ritual importance. Many debates which revolve around the Philistines concern aspects such as migration, the location of their cultural homeland, chronology and religious beliefs. A portion of excavation data coming from wider Philistia has not been re

By examining the relationship between territoriality and identity construction, this paper aims to provide a comparative analysis of three contexts where encounters between foreign colonial powers and local autochthonous communities took place. The comparison is thus focused on the interaction between Africans and Portuguese in two different contexts (Sa ~ o Jorge da Mina/ Elmina, Ghana between the fifteenth and the nineteenth centuries, and colonial Angola from the 1850ís onwards), on the one hand, and on the encounters between Phoenicians and Autochthonous communities of Southwestern Iberia (Tartessos?) in the first half of the first Millennium BC. This study raises new questions about the role played by sanctuaries and violence in the deconstruction of indigenous territorial perceptions and the subsequent construction of colonial territories in the Iron Age of Southwestern Iberia. Also in examination are the relevance and usefulness of a comparative methodology in the analysis of encounters between diverse cultural actors as expressed in the archaeological record.

Leather has been one of the most common crafting materials in human history. With its incredible versatility it has been used for clothes, shelter, books, armour, containers, decoration, and everything in between. The boat graves from Valsgärde presents a for the time period large amount of preserved leather, allowing us to have a peek into how it was used during the late Scandinavian Iron Age. This essay focuses on which animals have been used in the making of these objects and what the choice of raw material and visible crafting skills might tell us. A total of 54 samples from the Valsgärde boat graves were analysed using the ZooMS method. Additionally, tanning methods and other related processes are discussed. The main conclusions are that while the choice of material has an important impact on the final result, it seems like the skills of the craftsperson was the most important factor affecting quality and exclusivity for an item., Läder har varit ett av de vanligaste materialen i mänsklighetens historia. Med sin fantastiska mångsidighet har det använts till kläder, bostäder, böcker, rustningar, behållare, dekoration, och allt däremellan. Båtgravarna i Valsgärde erbjuder en för tidsperioden stor mängd bevarat läder vilket ger oss chansen att få en glimt av hur materialet användes under den sena järnåldern i Skandinavien. Den här uppsatsen fokuserar på vilka djur som använts för att tillverka dessa föremål och vad valet av råmaterial och hantverkmetoder kan säga oss. Totalt har 54 prov från Valsgärdes båtgravar analyserats med ZooMS-metoden. Därtill behandlas garvning och andra relaterade processer i läderhantverk. De huvudsakliga slutsatserna är att även om valet av råmaterial har en stor inverkan på slutresultatet så verkar hantverkarens skicklighet vara den viktigaste faktorn för kvalitet och exklusivitet i ett föremål., This thesis was made possible through funding from Västgöta Nation.

In this contribution, we discuss the nearly two hundred later prehistoric pins from bronze and iron that were found in the Netherlands, and range in date between the Late Neolithic and the Late Iron Age (2200- 250 BCE). For all these pins, we provide information on form, dimensions and decoration, that help to identify local and supra-regional styles in dress-fasteners. Production techniques and compositions of the bronze alloys used are – where available – also discussed. The diachronic and systematic review of their contexts of recovery and object associations, allow to identify diachronic trends in pin use and pin deposition, which means that both local and supra-regional traditions in identity expression using pins can be identified.

Este trabajo presenta los elementos constructivos y escultóricos de época ibérica identificados en Jutia (Nerpio-Yeste, Albacete). La valoración iconográfica y territorial del conjunto nos lleva a señalar la existencia de un área monumental ubicada en un valle de altura, junto a una surgencia de agua y a caminos tradicionales, relevantes en la transitabilidad de este territorio de montaña. Su análisis nos permite proponer que esta monumentalización exhibió animales como ciervas y toros, en una probable alusión a la reproducción, al ciclo vital y a la protección de quienes circularan por estos caminos., This paper presents the constructive and sculptural elements of the Iberian Iron Age identified in Jutia (Nerpio-Yeste, Albacete). The iconographic and territorial assessment of the complex leads us to point out the existence of a monumental area located in a high valley, next to a water surge and traditional paths, relevant to the passability of this mountain territory. The analysis of this area allows us to propose that this monumentalization exhibited animals such as hinds and bulls, in a probable allusion to reproduction, the life cycle and the protection of those who circulated on these roads.

El asentamiento de São João de Rei (Póvoa de Lanhoso, Braga, Portugal) ha proporcionado nuevos datos arqueobotánicos que nos permiten reconstruir diferentes aspectos relativos al manejo de los recursos leñosos por las comunidades de la Edad del Hierro en el noroeste de la Península Ibérica. Este yacimiento tiene varias fases de ocupación, desde el siglo VI-V a.n.e. hasta el período romano, con ciertos hiatos cronológicos. Los datos antracológicos disponibles permiten observar un aprovechamiento diversificado de distintos taxones del bosque mixto de caducifolios (Quercus spp.) y del bosque de ribera (Salix/Populus, Fraxinus sp.) así como de especies arbustivas (Arbutus unedo) y de matorral (Fabaceae) para la obtención de combustibles. El registro de diferentes atributos dendrológicos nos ha permitido también identificar alteraciones en el crecimiento de los anillos anuales que podrían estar relacionados con la existencia de prácticas de silvicultura., The settlement of São João de Rei (Póvoa de Lanhoso, Braga, Portugal) has provided new archaeobotanical data to reconstruct diverse aspects related to wood resources management by Iron Age communities in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. This site has several phases of occupation from 6th-5th BCE to the Roman Period, with several chronological hiatuses. Data provided by charcoal analysis have attested the existence of a diversified exploitation of different taxa from the mixed deciduous woodlands (Quercus spp.) and the riverine forests (Salix/Populus, Fraxinus sp.) as well as shrubby (Arbutus unedo) and scrubland (Fabaceae) formations for firewood procurement. The register of several dendrological attributes has allowed us to identify alterations in the growth of annual tree-rings that might be related to the existence of silvicultural practices.

Los grupos humanos que ocuparon el entorno del paleoestuario emporitano durante la Edad del Hierro han sido tradicionalmente marginalizados y convertidos en actores históricos pasivos. El énfasis en su papel como proveedores también ha llevado a que la investigación arqueológica se centre demasiado en sus cultivos y en la forma en que almacenaban los excedentes alimentarios. Combinando diferentes métodos de análisis arqueológico, una serie de actuaciones realizadas en extensas áreas de Muntanya Rodona, Vilanera y Les Corts han aportado nuevas evidencias que permiten dibujar una imagen más rica y compleja sobre las dinámicas que experimentaron los paisajes rurales situados en el entorno de Emporion a lo largo del I milenio a.C. Los datos obtenidos sugieren algunas hipótesis que, aunque son preliminares, permiten ir más allá de la visión excesivamente simplista centrada en los conceptos de chora y jerarquía territorial que, tradicionalmente, han configurado la percepción de los análisis de estos contextos. Este trabajo también analiza los procesos de transformación que tuvieron lugar en esta zona desde una perspectiva de larga duración, examinando así los cambios y pervivencias que influyeron en las estrategias de ocupación y explotación que implementaron diversos grupos humanos establecidos en esta zona., The human populations that lived in the area around the Emporitan palaeoestuary during the Iron Age have historically been marginalized and reduced to supporting roles in history. Archaeological studies have placed too much attention on their crops and methods of food surplus storage as a result of the emphasis placed on their function as providers. A number of archaeological interventions made in large areas of Muntanya Rodona, Vilanera, and Les Corts have produced new evidence that has allowed us to construct a richer and more complex picture of the dynamics that the rural landscapes in the Emporion area experienced during the first millennium BC. The data acquired indicate some first ideas that, while tentative, allow us to move beyond the too simple approach focused on the concepts of chora and territorial hierarchy that have historically dominated the perception of the research of these contexts. The long-term transformation processes in this region are also examined in this paper, along with the changes and continuities that impacted the occupation and exploitation tactics used by diverse human groups established in the area.

Archaeological remains of brachyurans (e.g. crabs) are often overlooked as potential paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatical proxies in contrast to other marine and terrestrial invertebrates such as mollusks and landsnails. The potential for fine-scale regional paleoclimate reconstruction based upon these organisms' behavioral ecology has yet to be examined. We present novel isotopic analyses of the remains of a semiterrestrial freshwater crab (Potamon potamios) endemic to southwest Asia recovered from the archaeological site of Khirbat al-Mudayna al-’Aliya (KMA). KMA lies on a southern tributary of the Wadi al-Mujib in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, approximately 40 km east of the Dead Sea. Excavations here recovered architecture, artifacts, and ecofacts dating to a single-period occupation during the early Iron Age (∼1000 cal BCE). Oxygen and carbon isotopes from these brachyuran remains were analyzed in conjunction with a two-year isotopic and morphometric study of the modern potomonautid population near the archaeological site and at nearby wadi systems to assess whether the isotopic values of modern crab populations correlated with variables such as temperature, including isotopic study of the pools in which crabs were found. In turn, these data could be used to reconstruct paleoclimate or paleoenvironment in the archaeological population. The high correlation in oxygen isotope values between crab carapaces and the water of the pools in which they were sampled suggest that variability in isotopic values of crab specimens recovered from KMA is tracking ancient human capture of these organisms across potentially different pools. Further, intra-year variability in isotopic values in modern crab carapaces as well as the similarity of isotopic values across wadi systems with different environments suggest that P. potamios remains cannot be used as reliable paleoenvironmental indicators. The implications of this research will have significance fo

The presence of roman coins outside of the Roman Empire during the Iron Age is a curiousthing. One would assume they represent a giant trade confederation of sorts, and one would notbe completely wrong in assuming so. The trade aspect of the Roman Empire to the north is stillsomething unknown. But this essays focus lies instead with how the coins were used in specificplaces in Scandinavia. This essay focuses on two central places, Gudme in Denmark, andUppåkra in Sweden, while also looking at stray coins in the northern part of Sweden todetermine if there is a correlation between a central place and stray finds out in the wilderness. The analysis of this essay showed a similar yet different use of the roman coins at the twocentral places. In Gudme the norm was to use the coins, as they were, in the metal workshops,or use them as clippings for using a smaller amount of metal in the rework of new items. InUppåkra the norm was instead to melt all coins down to metal bars for an easier storage and useof specific wights and metal in making new items. The correlation between the stray coins anda central place is that hunters or tradesmen travelled through the country and dropped coins.The analysis showed that the travellers where hunting and trading fur that were most likely soldin a central place like Uppåkra and then brought back to settlement in the north, Närvaron av romerska mynt utanför romarriket under järnåldern är en underlig sak. Antagandetsom har gjorts är att de representerade ett handels förbund av ett slag, och en har inte helt fel iatt anta så. Handelsaspekten av romarriket i norr är fortfarande okänt. Fokuset för denna uppsatsligger i stället hur de romerska mynten användes vid specifika platser i Skandinavien.Uppsatsen fokuserar på två centralplatser, Gudme i Danmark och Uppåkra i Sverige, detkommer även kolls på ströfynd i norra delen av Sverige för att ta reda på om en korrelationmellan centralplats och ströfynden i utmarken. Analysen av Uppsatsen visade på en liknande användning av mynten men ändå en olikhetvid de två centralplatserna. I Gudme var normen att använda mynten som de var imetallverkstäderna, eller använda dem som klippningar för att använda en mindre mängd metalli tillverkningen av nya föremål. I Uppåkra smältes mynten i stället ner till metalltackor förenklare förvaring samt att kunna använda en specifik metall eller mängd för att tillverka nyaföremål. Korrelationen mellan utmarksfynden och en centralplats var att jägare ellerhandelsmän reste genom landet och tappade mynt. Analysen visade att de jagade efter päls föratt sälja på centralplatser och fick romerska mynt som betalning och tog mynten till derasbosättningar i norra Sverige.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att diskutera hästens kön i en gravkontext och som våtmarksoffer. Detta är en komparativ studie baserad på textuellt källmaterial. De teoretiska begreppen som kommer att användas är genusteori, kunskapsteori, agens och personlighetsteori, för att på så sätt närma sig frågan om valacken, hästens tredje kön. Hästen har haft en betydande roll för människan och detta går att utläsa i de olika kontexterd är skelettmaterial av häst påträffats. Fyra kontexter under järnåldern behandlas i denna uppsats, båtgravar i Uppland, kammargravar på Björkö, ryttargravar på Gotland och våtmarksoffer på Öland och Gotland. Det är inte bara hästen som är viktig, utan även utrustning som återfanns i gravarna, som kan berätta om hästens sociala roll i samhället. När hästar påträffats i gravar har större vikt lagts på den mänskliga individen och artefakterna de fick med sig, men hästen är inte ett föremål och kan därför inte klumpas ihop med analysen av dessa. Utifrån denna uppsats kan man tyda en preferens för det manliga könet på hästen, men det behöver inte betyda att alla varit hingstar., The aim of this study is to discuss the gender of the horse in a funerary context and as a wetland sacrifice. This is a comparative study based on textual source material. The theoretical concepts that will be used are gender theory, epistemology, agency and personhood, in hope to approachthe question of the gelding, the horse's third gender. The horse has had a significant role for humans, and it’s possible to interpret this in the different contexts in which skeletal remains of horses can be found. Four contexts from the Iron Age are examined in this essay, boat graves in Uppland, chamber graves on Björkö, equestrian graves on Gotland and wetland sacrifices on Öland and Gotland. It is not only the horse that is important, but also the equipment that was deposited, which can reveal the horse's social role in society. When horses are found in graves, more emphasis has been placed on the person and the artifacts they brought with them. But the horse is not an object and therefore cannot be lumped together with the analysis of these. Based on this essay, a preference for the male gender of the horse can be concluded, but this does not necessarily mean that they all have been stallions.

Den här texten fokuserar på fem mossliksfynd från förromersk järnålder i Danmark. Med dessa fallexempel undersöktes också vilken betydelse mossen som en våtmark i sig kan överbevarandet av forntida människokroppar och vilka forskningsresultat som presenterats underde senaste åren. Utifrån dessa avgränsningar ämnade frågeställningarna att jämföra de fem fynden, undersöka möjliga orsaker till varför offren dött samt vilka möjligheter och begränsningar som fyndmaterialet har idag. Tanken kring teori var att se hur mossar kunde fungera som speciella platser under järnålder för mänskliga handlingar av deponeringar. Resultatet blev att där finns likheter och skillnader mellan mossliken, att en mängd orsaker kunde förklara deponeringar i mossar, och att där finns både positiva möjligheter med fortsatt forskning men att fyndmaterialet också är begränsat på flera sätt., This paper focuses on five bog bodies from Denmark, from the pre-roman Iron Age. With these case examples, the importance of the bog as a wetland in itself in preserving ancient human bodies was also investigated and which research results have been presented in recent years. Based on these boundaries, the question intended were to compare the five case examples, investigate possible reasons for why the victims died and what opportunities and limitations the find material has today. The idea behind the theory was to see how bogs could have functioned as special sites for human depositions during the Iron Age. The results were that there are similarities and differences between bog bodies, that a number of reasons could explain depositions, that there are both positive opportunities with continued research but that the material found is also limited in several ways.

El poblado de El Castillar (Mendavia, Navarra) es un yacimiento de la Edad del Hierro que fue excavado de forma sistemática durante los años 70 y 80, pero en 1991 quedó abandonado. Desde 2017 el Ayuntamiento de Mendavia está promoviendo una serie de intervenciones de restauración, excavación y puesta en valor. En este artículo realizamos una comparativa de las metodologías utilizadas durante las distintas décadas de intervención en este poblado., The Iron Age settlement of El Castillar (Mendavia, Navarra) was systematically excavated during the 1970s and 80s. Since 1991, the site was gradually abandoned until 2017, when the Mendavia Town Council proposed a project for its preservation. This article will compare the different methodologies used to study ceramic materials through the decades.

En este artículo se expondrá una breve aproximación a la presencia de materiales (cerámica, metal, vidrio y pasta vítrea) de procedencia e influencia mediterránea (fenicia, griega, etrusca, latina, íbera y tartésica) durante la Edad del Hierro (S. IX-II a.n.e.) en el territorio vetton., In this paper it will be exposed a brief approach to the presence of materials (pottery, metal, glass and vitreous paste) of mediterranean origin and influence (phoenician, greek, etruscan, latin, iberian and tartessic) during the Iron Age (S. IX-II a.n.e.) in the vettonian territory.

The aim of this research is to investigate the efficiency of combustion structures, the fuels used, the structure maintenance and the range of related domestic activities. An experimental programme was carried out in which replicas of archaeological Iron Age combustion structures were put to work. Based on the available archaeobotanical records, various fuel types (wood, grasses, palm leaves and animal dung) were used. Variables such as increased heating and times were measured in order to determine whether variations occurred depending on the fuels used, the type of structure, the location, or the weather conditions. The possibility of their use for cooking was also tested. A combination of methodologies was applied for integrated analyses: anthracology, phytoliths, calcitic microfossils, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, micromorphology and chemical analysis of hearth surfaces. Observations and data recorded during the experimental tasks, together with the results of the interdisciplinary analyses, contribute to a better understanding of the Iron Age archaeological combustion structures.

Se presenta en este trabajo el resultado de la excavación de una tumba íbera procedente de la necrópolis de Los Collados (Almedinilla, Córdoba), datada entre del siglo IV a. C. al II a. C., con un ajuar muy completo que incluye una panoplia de guerrero (escudo, espada, soliferreum, lanza y cuchillo) y otros elementos tanto metálicos como cerámicos que permiten plantear problemas en la interpretación de estos conjuntos funerarios y su relación directa con el muerto en tanto que dota a este, o no, de un estatus social. Se analiza la disposición y deposición de los diversos materiales, así como su asociación espacial en el ámbito de la cámara funeraria. Se realiza un detallado análisis de los materiales, que incluyen estudios arqueométricos sobre cerámica y metales. Incluimos una detallada discusión sobre cronología a partir de las tipologías y asociaciones de materiales en diversos contextos; para finalizar aportamos, a partir de un minucioso análisis de la posición e intercalación de los diversos materiales en el interior de la cámara de la tumba algunas propuestas sobre el ritmo temporal del propio ritual funerario. La crítica a modelos tradicionales donde se establece una relación directa entre ajuar y posición social o propiedad es la base de la discusión de este artículo, a lo que se une la reflexión acerca de las pocas intervenciones que publican no sólo el material sino su distribución interna que puede resultar fundamental para entender la parte de los rituales de enterramiento que dejan una marca evidente en el registro arqueológico., In this paper we present the result of the excavation of an Iberian tomb from the necropolis of Los Collados (Almedinilla, Córdoba), dated between 4th and 2nd century, and is characterized by the recovery of a complete military panoply (shield, sword, soliferreum and knife) together with others elements, both metallic and ceramic, that allow us to bring to the table certain problems regarding their interpretations of these types of funerary deposits and whether these types of grave goods lends a degree of social status to the deceased. The arrangement and deposition of the different materials is analysed, as well as their spatial association within the burial chamber. A detailed analysis of the materials is carried out, including archaeometric studies of some of the ceramics and metallic objects. We also include a detailed discussion regarding the chronology of the tomb, based on the typology and the association of materials from different contexts. Finally, we present some proposals regarding the temporal processes of the funerary ritual in and of itself, based on the detailed analysis of the position and correlation of the objects recovered within the tomb. The criticism of traditional models that establish a direct link between these types of grave goods and social standing or property is the central point of this paper, to which we add certain considerations regarding the fact that there are very few excavations of these types of contexts that not only do they not that publish the materials nor their internal distribution, which are both key factors when trying to understand funerary rituals.

A set of objects from the Iron Age that could be part of a blacksmith hoard is analyzed. It is composed of various iron objects such as weapons, as ‘falcatas’ and spearheads, some tools and a set of 24 ingots. Also, a fibula made of iron coated with fine silver threads and a silver plate. Although this is a chance finding, the possible interpretations are reviewed and some remarcable objects in the area are presented., Se analiza un conjunto de objetos de la Edad del Hierro que pudieran formar parte de un depósito de herrero. Está integrado por diferentes elementos, entre los que destacan armas, como falcatas y puntas de lanza, algunos útiles y un conjunto de 24 lingotes, todo de hierro, así como una fíbula de hierro revestida de hilos de plata y una placa de plata. Aunque se trata de un hallazgo casual, se repasan las posibles interpretaciones y se presentan algunas piezas singulares de la zona.