Seven individuals from Surahammar in Västmanland Sweden are analyzed for the appearance of pathological and skeletal changes. The Graves, all from within the walls of a fourteenth century church, are dated from the Viking age to late eighteenth century. The aim of this scientific essay is to find pathological conditions by doing an osteological analyze, x-ray analysis, an osteoporosis measurement and letting orthopedists assess the individuals. The aim is also to say something about the individuals? general health and how they experience the changes they have in the skeleton.

On the island of Gotland in the Baltic sea there have been 18 archaeological find of bronze swords and five finds of bronze miniature swords and they have been dated to the bronze age periods II-VI. They have been found as ritual hoard offerings, as treasure hoards and in Graves. These finds will be put in relation to each other and the bronze age landscape they have been found in. The purpose of this is to see if there is a pattern to be seen, if a specific sword-type can be found in a grave or hoard or if there?s a pattern to be seen in there placement in the landscape relating to other bronze age sites.

This essay deals with the results and observations made during excavations in an iron age cemetery in Alsike hage, located in Alsike parish. The excavations took place in 2005 and 2006 and the investigated area comprised two adjacent, but secluded burial-constructions; a square stone setting with a secondary grave, and a stone-built terrace with at least one secondary grave. The artifacts suggests that the TPQ of the stone setting, and the construction date of the rest of the Graves, is 900-950 A.D. The aim of this study was to comprehend the course of events in the investigated area, and toanalyse the archaeological finds - in comparison to the well documented an discussed material burial culture in the lake Mälar area ? in order to discuss indicators of gender and social status.Metal artefacts has been preserved as a part of the analysis..

The hillforts of Bohusl?n are numerous, yet few have been studied, leaving gaps in our understanding of their dating, morphology, and connections to nearby prehistoric sites. With the help of settlement archaeology, the aim of this study has been to analyse three hillforts on Hisingen and answer these questions. This was done by observing the location and morphology of the hillforts and by analysing the age and functions of nearby prehistoric sites within a kilometer of the hillforts. The results indicate that Bj?rlanda 22:1 and Torslanda 56:1 were likely ritualistic enclosures, while Torslanda 15:1 had defensive functions.

The aim of this thesis is to interpret and discuss the weapon-Graves of Viking Age Birka. The weapon-grave phenomenon is deemed differential in relation to the rest of the grave-material of the site, and thus the questions that motivate the thesis is: who was buried with weapons and why? Further questions arise regarding the social aspects of individuals who were buriedalong with weapons. The theoretical approach will be to evaluate any differences in 'social class', 'social age' and 'gender' between the weapon-grave contexts. By conducting qualitativeand quantified analysis of the grave-goods, this thesis adresses both overall and detailed patterns in correlation and constellations between weapons, other grave-goods and terms of burial..

The purpose of this bachelor?s thesis is to examine whether there was an elite on Gotland during Roman Iron Age or not. To explain this focus has been put on the roman goods. The contexts in which the roman artifacts are found indicate that they can be tied to what might have been an elite on Gotland during Roman Iron Age. They might also have been used as means of expressing wealth and prestige.

This essay contents a theme-centred study of Elsa Grave?s poetry. It presents an all-pervading featured doom-theme and illuminates three motifs and attitudes through which the theme is featured. The presentation includes analyses that bear in mind the double perspectives within Grave?s poems ? the subjective and the universal, where also an omnipresent political attitude is represented.

The purpose of this bachelor?s thesis is to examine whether there was an elite on Gotland during Roman Iron Age or not. To explain this focus has been put on the roman goods. The contexts in which the roman artifacts are found indicate that they can be tied to what might have been an elite on Gotland during Roman Iron Age. They might also have been used as means of expressing wealth and prestige.

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 consider ritual death during the ironage, and through a presentation of historical and archaeological sources. Considered ritual death I think we should study both historical and archaeological sources, to get a vider view and a new perspective. To make the essay easier to understand I have split up the early and the late Iron Age in the discussion. In order to study the ritual death I have shown archaeological examples like bogsacrifices in the early ironage, and decapitated victims in the Viking society. The victims have been considered as slaves by some archaeologist.

This thesis explores the role of gender perspectives in understanding power and power relations in Iron Age burial practices, focusing on two high-status female Graves: Grave X from Tuna in Badelunda (Sweden) and the Vix burial (France). Through a comparative analysis of burial contexts, artefacts, and interpretations, the study examines how androcentric frameworks and contemporary gender norms have influenced archaeological discourse. Employing theories of gender, queer studies, and standpoint feminism, the research highlights the limitations of binary gender categorization and advocates for intersectional approaches. The findings challenge traditional stereotypes of passive female roles, emphasizing instead the active agency and complexity of women?s social identities in prehistoric societies..

Prior research in human bird relations is relatively small and discussion about bird ecology in relation to humans is largely not discussed. The study means to understand how a difference in usage of birds and symbolization of a bird occurs. This will be answered through analysis of two bird species. The study uses three different sources of material to conclude its answers. The sources are Graves with bones of predatory birds, material culture representing bird motifs and historical sources discussing mythology.

Many questions are still left unanswered regarding the period c. 450-700 AD, when hordes of Anglo-Saxon migrants landed on the British Isles and by doing so made the starting point in the foundation of England. Who were these Germanic tribes? The theories of how the migration proceeded are today many. The two major theories today concerns whether it was a question of a mass migration or a gradual migration proceeded by smaller groups of military elite.

Many archaeologists have been intrigued by how often symbolic houses of varying forms are used on the burialgrounds of the Scandinavian Bronze Age. Some scholars even claim that to deal with the dead did not mean to set them apart from the world of the living during this period. Since several examples show that there seem to be an active connection between the ship-setting and different types of symbolic houses, this study seek to demonstrate and interpret how the ideology behind these symbols vary between three regionally different Swedish areas: Halland, Småland and Gotland. The purpose is to show that the way chosen to shape the symbols materially not only had fundamental impact on the organization of the burialground itself, but also on how the surrounding world came to comprenhend and use them. This study suggests that even though the special shapes of the Graves and the gravefield itself can carry meaning, the materialization of the monuments can be interpreted as incorporated in a practice of remembrance in where the individual shaping of the grave most probably formed part of a greater story..

During the Nordic Bronze Age, houses were not exclusively connected with profane contexts, but did also feature in burial places, a peculiar fact when considering the careful separation of settlements and Graves. What kind of houses do we find in these sacred contexts? What did these houses stand for? Why was the house symbolism chosen to accompany the dead? And why did the house symbolism flourish during the Nordic Bronze Age? To answer these questions three representatives for the house symbolism in Sweden are discussed in more detail, such as the burial in longhouses, peculiar houses called cult houses and house urns. Further, the phenomenon has been put in its temporal, geographic, social and ideological context, where aspects such as trade and settlement structure are presented. The house symbolism is, however, not confined to northern Europe.