Att rekonstruera förhistoriska odlingsförutsättningar
första steget i en metodutveckling.
Landscape analysisGISAgricultural conditionsThe Mälar basinMigration PeriodLandskapsanalysGISOdlingsförutsättningarMälardalenFolkvandringstid
The aim of this work is to take the first step into a development process, with the intention to find a way of making prehistoric soil fertility a variable in archaeological landscape analysis. A pilot study is performed on the Mälar basin area, where four topographical and geological factors are reclassified and then combined, resulting in a map which expresses a relative indication of agriculture potential. The map is then compared to the distribution of Migration Period graves and gold finds. This, however, does not mean that the technique is tied to a certain prehistoric period. Because the work is intrinsically experimental, the technique as a whole is finally discussed and evaluated, and suggestions of improvements and further studies are made.