This essay is a study regarding the existence of Bronze Ages and Iron Ages battlefields in Scandinavia and the possibility to trace and find them by using the Battlefield Archaeological Method.Based on a theoretical background and results from historical battlefield research and excavation experiences, the discussion deals with some of the problems and possibilities of applying the Battlefield Archaeological Method on older places. The existence of these battlegrounds is also an unknown factor, and a major part of this study is trying to find evidence of their existence. For that purpose I am using as an example a deeper analysis of an Iron Age battlefield archaeological excavation in Germany in order to compare and draw parallels with the Scandinavian society of that time. I am also using the evolution of weaponry, in particular the sword, to show parallels between the Mediterranean and the Scandinavian societies in the matter of warfare and tactics..

This essay discuss if Bronze Age cult houses were present at Gotland during the Bronze Age. Bronze Age cult houses are a well know phenomenon on mainland Sweden but because of inventory problems no Bronze Age cult houses have been found on Gotland. The main reason for the inventory problems are the Iron Age house foundations that are present in a large number on Gotland, the cult houses and the Iron Age houses have some design details that makes them difficult to separate from each other. In this essay a number of criteria are presented to help separate cult houses from the Iron Age house foundations. Three criteria?s regarding cult houses on Gotland is also presented in this essay.Two house foundations that PhD student Joakim Wehlin, University of Gothenburg and Gotland University, found in Vallstena parish, Gotland, are presented in this essay.

In 1886 Hans Hildebrand received a Bronze Age hoard found in a field that belonged to Eskelhem´s rectory. A record was made where Hildebrand presented and documented the artifacts. The following year Oscar Montelius reviewed the artifacts, which he described as horse gears. He compared the horse gears with similar artifacts found in Europe that roughly had the same dating in order to trace the origin of the hoard.  Montelius conclusion was that the hoard was created on Gotland around 500 BC.

This paper discusses an osteological- and archeological analysis of a cairn from the Bronze Age on Gotland. The osteological material consists of both burnt and and unburnt bones from both human and animal. The objective of this paper is to shed light on the individuals who were buried in the cairn. It is also to generate information about continuity in its use and patterns of distribution of the bones and grave-goods in the cairn. The osteological analysis show that a minimum of five human individuals is present in the osteological material.

ABSTRACTThe aim of this essay is to analyze and discuss the razors? and tweezers? roles and dualism between them in the Nordic Bronze Age societies. This paper is an attempt to investigate what these little things can tell us about the people that were buried with them. For this purpose I have examined material of burial that consist of finds of razors respective tweezers and their connection with artefacts in the graves. I have done a comparative and contextual study together using quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate their roles and dualism.

This paper deals with the question of whether the symbolic language of the late Neolithic and middle Bronze Age was transferred from ceremonial monuments and barrows into the domestic sphere in the late Bronze Age. I will consider such elements as doorway orientation, the significance of boundaries and depositional practices to see if Early-Middle Iron Age settlements were indeed a major scene for ritual behaviour..

This paper deals with the question of whether the symbolic language of the late Neolithic and middle Bronze Age was transferred from ceremonial monuments and barrows into the domestic sphere in the late Bronze Age. I will consider such elements as doorway orientation, the significance of boundaries and depositional practices to see if Early-Middle Iron Age settlements were indeed a major scene for ritual behaviour..

Ship formed monuments from the Late Bronze Age on the island of O?land, southeast Sweden, have never been thoroughly dealt with in previous research, despite the fact that the region is suggested to have had a key-role in maritime trade networks. This thesis aims to address the ship formed monuments on O?land in relationship to the monuments in northern Sma?land and the island of Gotland. My goal is to discuss how the ship symbolism was practised during the Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia from a new perspective.

Bronze Age cairns have been interpreted as everything from navigation marks to marking liminal places in the landscape. It has also been stated that the main purpose of their location is to be visible. This is something that has been taken for granted. The main problem is the cairns have been considered as a homogenous monument. With the help of digital methods like GIS it is possible to test this kind of questions in quantitative way.

This essay is dealing with the question of the possibility for a non archaeologist to learn something about the Scandinavian Bronze Age by reading novels taking place in the specific period. I have studied novels written by Scandinavian writers between 1980 and present. Before I started I constructed nine different categories that I was to look for in the novels. The categories were constructed in the aim to get as a complete picture as possible of the Bronze Age society. The results were then compared to archaeological evident and theories and discussed in terms of this connection.

Ship formed monuments from the Late Bronze Age on the island of O?land, southeast Sweden, have never been thoroughly dealt with in previous research, despite the fact that the region is suggested to have had a key-role in maritime trade networks. This thesis aims to address the ship formed monuments on O?land in relationship to the monuments in northern Sma?land and the island of Gotland. My goal is to discuss how the ship symbolism was practised during the Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia from a new perspective.

This essay is an analysis of the objects made of bronze found in an excavation Västergarn parish, Gotland, in 2010, conducted by the University of Gotland. The studied material presented in this essay comes from contexts inside, as well as nearby the foundation of a medieval building which purpose is still not certain. The first purpose of this study is to present the bronze-objects found inside and nearby the foundation of house 6, and to see if there are any datable objects. There is also a discussion whether there has been any bronze-crafting in the area. The second purpose is to make a contextual analysis to see if there are any differences between the material found outside and inside of the building, and what conclusions can be made regarding the function and use of the building.

This essay deals with a cultic building which focuses on the stone feature during the Bronze Age in Sweden and Denmark. I will discuss about the meaning of the stone feature and it also deals with the surrounding next to the building in order to see a bigger perspective. It consists of five excavations which this essay is based upon. The five excavations are Sandergård in Denmark, Broby and Hågahagen in Uppland, Tofta and Koarum in Skåne..

 The intention of this paper is to explore the contacts between the Swedish province of Scania and Southeastern Europe in the Migration Period. This has been done through comparative studies of four object categories. Parallels to glass, horse trappings, jewellery with inlays and sword decorations found in Scania have been studied in southeastern and centralEurope, as well as the cultures of peoples involved in the Migration processes. The conclusion is that contacts were upheld in several ways: through trade, exchange, alliances and gifts. Old trade routes along the Vistula were used in the south-easterly direction to the Pontic area but were changed to the Moravian Gatein the latter half of the period, while westerly routes probably worked most of the time.

The subject for this essay considers the trade with amber and how it was organized in Scandinavia during the early Nordic Bronze age. There is very little written about this subject. One of the few scholars that have done this is the archeologist Timothy Earle. He has done this generally from a material that comes from the world of the living, mostly settlements. I will compare his view with a grave material that are based on Aner & Kersten Die Ältere Bronzezeit (2001, band 11).