The Pitted ware dwelling site Ajvide on the west coast of Gotland in the Baltic Sea is, because of its long continuity from the late Mesolithic to the middle of the Scandinavian Bronze Age, an interesting research object concerning Stone Age in the Baltic area. In this essay, a comparison between two activity areas on Ajvide have been carried out in the purpose of finding out what these areas may have been used for during the middle Neolithic.  It has been showed, through zooarchaeological analyses of animal bones, that the areas most likely are depositing sites for slaughters refuse and food debris. If it is a result of everyday or more ceremonial activities is left undetermined..

This thesis examines a sample of Pitted Ware pottery from the Gotlandic site of Ajvide in regard to the spatial and temporal relationship of the shards. Ajvide Stone Age site have been extensively excavated over the past 25 years and the most recent analysis of pottery was carried out by Inger Österholm in 1987 and new analyses of the material are therefore greatly needed. Pottery from three sample areas was analysed in regard to their distribution, decoration, fragmentation, part of pot and quality of the goods. To analyse the material in a contextual way a multivariate statistical analysis called correspondence analysis was used. Two areas denominated ?dark areas?, which Österholm defined previously, as possible ritual sites, and one reference area with mixed material were chosen for the analysis.

This thesis analyses the decoration on the pots of the Pitted Ware Culture on Gotland. The pottery from this period is richly decorated with various ornaments, the most common are the pits but other types of decoration occur. The purpose of this study is to get an insight into what the patterns meant to the people that made and used them and what role these may have played in their lives. The author will analyse the decoration on potsherds found from the three Pitted Ware sites of Visby, Ajvide and Hemmor on Gotland. This will be used in a comparative analysis to investigate if differences and/or similarities of the pattern occur between and among the sites.