Det var en gång en grotta : Om hästarna från Stora Förvar

Humanity has long lived alongside a variety of animals. We have eaten their flesh, utilized their bones for tools and trinkets and learned to care for and appreciate them. When animal remains are ignored or left out in archaeological research, a large part of our common history is left untold. This is especially true in the case of the cave Stora Förvar on Stora Karlsö outside the west coast of Gotland. The cave was first excavated in 1888–1893 by Lars Kolmodin and Hjalmar Stolpe. Their excavations left behind a little more than two metric tonnes of animal bones of various species which since then have not been thoroughly analysed. The equine remains have barely been touched at all. The purpose of this essay is therefore to create an overview of the horse population from inside the cave and determine in what manner they were used by the humans. In order to do so the author will utilise a microarchaeological approach along with ritual theory. Through an osteological analysis combined with literary studies the equine remains and their uses are discussed. Hopefully, this work will add another piece to the puzzle that is Stora Förvar.