Malou Blank | University of Gothenburg (original) (raw)

Papers by Malou Blank

This paper discusses the Bronze Age burials in megalithic graves in Falbygden, in the inland of s... more This paper discusses the Bronze Age burials in megalithic graves in Falbygden, in the inland of south-western Sweden. This area is known for its numerous megalithic graves and rich gallery graves. The objective of this study was to compare the practice of successive and single burials, inhumations and cremations, as well as the geographical spread of the used megalithic graves in the Early and Late Bronze Age. The study is based on a compilation of typologically dated artefacts and AMS dated bones from a number of megalithic graves. By highlighting the Bronze Age use of these graves, a tentative description of Falbygden during the Bronze Age was presented. The results were positioned in a regional and a south and middle Swedish framework. It was shown that many aspects of Neolithic burial traditions persisted in Falbygden, while other Bronze Age practices that were more common in other Scandinavian areas were rare.

In this paper, a series of new radiocarbon dates on burnt human bones recovered from megalithic g... more In this paper, a series of new radiocarbon dates on burnt human bones recovered from megalithic graves in southwestern Sweden is reported. The purpose was to reveal possible chronological patterns of these depositions. Both the location of the bones within the grave and the characterisation of the burnt bones are discussed. The megalithic graves in the study area were mainly used for successive inhumation burials and have been subjected to extensive reuse throughout prehistory. Burnt human bones have therefore been assumed to originate from later periods when cremation was the dominant burial practice, although indications of Neolithic cremations occur. The radiocarbon dates demonstrate that most of the burnt bones derived from later reuse of the graves. More unexpectedly, several depositions also dated to the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, confirming parallel practices of inhumation and cremation during these periods. Furthermore, the results indicate that the placement of the bur...

Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet) within the project "Neolithic Lifeways". For comments ... more Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet) within the project "Neolithic Lifeways". For comments and suggestions, we thank Tony Axelsson, Christina Fredengren, Peter Jankavs, Per Persson, and an anonymous reviewer. We also thank Leif Arvidsson for making us aware of the Härlingstorp skull, and Claes von Heideken, Härlingstorp, for giving us access to the find.

Departing from two recently dated finds of human bones in wetlands from the area of Falbygden in ... more Departing from two recently dated finds of human bones in wetlands from the area of Falbygden in western Sweden, this paper describes the finds in detail and sets them in a wider context of depositional practices in the south Scandinavian Early Neolithic. The two finds are both of girls in the age of 15-20 years, and in one of the cases it is probable that she was bound and possibly intentionally drowned in shallow water.The Falbygden finds have clear parallels in Denmark and in southern Sweden in the same period. The Danish material indicates that a particular segment of the population was treated in this way, primarily young individuals around 15-20 years. Some of them show signs of disease or deformations, many have signs of trauma, and a couple have been found with cords around the neck, suggesting violent deaths. In a number of cases, they were also found in pairs.One of the Falbygden finds, the so-called Hallonflickan, was also unusual in that her Sr isotope ratio indicates th...

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2018

Abstract Basel-Gasfabrik (Switzerland) comprises an extensive La Tene (chiefly Lt D, 150–80 BCE) ... more Abstract Basel-Gasfabrik (Switzerland) comprises an extensive La Tene (chiefly Lt D, 150–80 BCE) settlement and two associated cemeteries at which strontium (87Sr/86Sr) isotope analysis of human and animal teeth investigated regional and supra-regional contacts. The interpretation of the analytic data, however, requires information on the isotopic baseline values around the site. Using 102 modern vegetation and 9 water samples from 51 localities, this study characterizes the isotopic ratios of the biologically available strontium of geological units and watercourses around Basel and compares these to 28 human infant, 6 pig, and 5 dog teeth from the site. Furthermore, pedological criteria evaluate the suitability of landforms for crop and pasturelands. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the environmental samples from geological units in up to 50 km distance varied between 0.70776 and 0.71794. Human infant teeth exhibited much more homogeneous 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.70847–0.70950), which coincided largely with those of potential arable soils around Basel and indicate targeted exploitation of landscapes for agriculture. The more variable values of the faunal teeth suggest more widely ranging habitats or imports from the site's hinterlands. Two local isotope ranges were defined based on archaeological enamel samples and modern vegetation data from a confined radius around Basel. The study documents the complexity of distinguishing local and non-local individuals in a geologically heterogeneous region as well as the potential of isotope analyses to explore prehistoric land-use patterns.

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2020

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2018

Abstract This paper presents the results of a ceramics study that forms part of a larger research... more Abstract This paper presents the results of a ceramics study that forms part of a larger research project, “CONTACT”. The aim of this study was to trace the provenance of pottery found at Middle Neolithic sites on both sides of the Kattegat and to discuss possible pottery exchange between Jutland in Denmark and the west coast of Sweden. A combination of pXRF, ICP-MA/ES and thin-section analyses was applied to 524 Funnel Beaker culture (FBC) and Pitted Ware culture (PWC) sherds to investigate their fabric and technology. The different analyses supplemented each other well: The elemental composition of the ceramic material evident from both the XRF and ICP analyses was appropriate for determining the provenance of the clay, while the thin sections gave an indication of techniques recipes and materials employed in pottery production. The PWC pottery proved to be more heterogeneous than the FBC pottery, and several plausible explanations are suggested for this. Some regional exchange was observed, but only two vessels were identified, which could have crossed the Kattegat.

Open Archaeology, 2018

This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary study combining archaeology, osteology,... more This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary study combining archaeology, osteology, and stable isotope analyses. The geological conditions and richness of megalithic graves in Falbygden is suitable for studies of Neolithic human remains. Nevertheless, the Late Neolithic period (2350-1700 BC) is poorly investigated. This paper explores new knowledge of the Late Neolithic megalithic population in Falbygden. In-depth osteological and archaeological studies focusing on a single gallery grave (Falkoping stad 5) were conducted. Radiocarbon dating and carbon, nitrogen, and strontium isotope analyses of teeth from twenty-one individuals revealed the time of the grave’s use, as well as the subsistence and mobility practices of the buried individuals. The grave was already in use during the first part of the Late Neolithic and used into the second part of the period by individuals of different origin. Furthermore, the results indicated changing population dynamics in the Late Ne...

PloS one, 2018

… og ulik: tilnaerminger til variasjon i …, 2006

SwePub titelinformation: Döden i den bräckta lagunen : bland hundar och barn i Skateholm.

PloS one, 2018

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences

In this paper, we investigate population dynamics in the Scandinavian Neolithic and Early Bronze ... more In this paper, we investigate population dynamics in the Scandinavian Neolithic and Early Bronze Age in southwestern Sweden. Human mobility patterns in Falbygden were studied by applying strontium isotope analysis combined with archaeological and bioarchaeological data, including mtDNA and sex assessment on a large dataset encompassing 141 individuals from 21 megalithic graves. In combination with other archaeological and anthropological records, we investigated the temporal and spatial scale of individual movement, mobility patterns of specific categories of people and possible social drivers behind them. Our results of strontium and biomolecular analyses suggest that mobility increased in the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age compared to the earlier parts of the Neolithic. The data indicate individuals moving both into and away from Falbygden. Mobility patterns and contact networks also shift over time.

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2020

Megalithic tombs have since long been a focus of debate within the archaeological research field,... more Megalithic tombs have since long been a focus of debate within the archaeological research field, not least regarding their emergence, use life and the various bursts of building activity in different regions and periods. The aim of this study is to investigate the temporal span of the main burial sequences in the conventional megalithic grave types of southern Sweden, with special focus on the less studied gallery graves. In Scandinavia, megalithic tombs are divided into three main types: dolmens, passage graves and gallery graves. Here, this prevailing typological seriation was tested. The study was based on 374 14C dates from unique individuals selected from 66 tombs. The form, layout and dating of the different types of tombs were studied in order to examine regional and chronological variation in the use of megaliths. By comparing sum plots, KDE models, individual 14C dates and typology of artefacts, the existing chronologies were evaluated. The 14C dates from dolmens and passage graves more or less agreed with the conventional chronology, while the presence of early skeletons in gallery graves was unexpected. The results indicate that megalithic graves appeared more or less simultaneously in southern Sweden and were first used around 3500-3300 cal BC. The dolmens and passage graves were used contemporaneously, although the proportion of early dates supports a slightly earlier start of the dolmens. Some of the gallery graves may also have been introduced at this time, although reburial of old bones cannot be ruled out.

Plos ONE, 2018

This study investigates possible variation in post-mortem histories during the Neolithic period i... more This study investigates possible variation in post-mortem histories during the Neolithic period in southwestern Sweden based on microscopic studies of human bone. Numerous megalithic graves were built in this region and good preservation conditions have left a rich skeletal record. After more than a hundred years of research, it is still a controversy whether or not these skeletal assemblages were the result of primary burials, or ossuaries where skeletonized remains were deposited. In this study we apply histological analysis to obtain insights into post-mortem histories and taphonomic processes affecting the human remains, potentially including funerary rituals. This type of analysis records the condition and traces of degradation found in skeletal material at a microscopic level. Human skeletal material from four different megalithic tombs in the Falbygden area has been sampled and analysed by thin-section light microscopy, and by scanning electron microscopy. The results of the study provide evidence of variation and changes in burial conditions for skeletal remains from the different graves, also for remains from the same grave. Extent of bioerosion varied, from extensive to moderate/arrested, to none. Bone samples from the same graves also differed in the type of staining and mineral inclusions, showing that the non-bioeroded samples relatively early post-mortem must have experienced an anoxic environment, and later a change to an aerated environment. This could be taken as an indication of primary burial somewhere else, but more likely reflect a special micro-environment occurring temporarily in some graves and parts of graves after the tombs were filled with soil and sealed by roof slabs. The study illustrates the usefulness of bone histological analysis in the reconstruction of post-mortem histories, revealing variations not discernible at macro-level that may aid in the interpretations of funerary rituals. However, the results also highlight the issues of equi-finality. Based on current data and knowledge, several scenarios are possible. Further histo-taphonomic work is advisable, including archaeological remains from megalithic tombs, and bones from taphonomic experiments.

The inland area of southwestern Sweden is well known for its well-preserved archaeological animal... more The inland area of southwestern Sweden is well known for its well-preserved archaeological animal and human remains dating back to the Mesolithic and Neolithic (10000–4000 and 4000–1700 BC). They allow application of multiple bioarchaeological methods, giving insights into various and complementary aspects of prehistoric human life, as well as economic and social structures. One important aspect concerns human mobility and its relation to social networks and to circulation of objects. Here, strontium isotope analysis plays a crucial role. The present study aims to construct a strontium isotope baseline of southwestern Sweden with considerably greater coverage and higher resolution than previously published data. As the region has been affected by glacial events, the relation between bedrock geology and isotope signals of the bioavailable strontium in such areas is given special attention. We determined strontium isotope ratios for 61 water and five archaeological animal samples , and combined the data with previous measurements of two water and 21 non-domestic faunal samples. The results reveal a complex pattern. Several areas with distinct baseline ranges can be distinguished, although with overlaps between some of them. Overall, the bioavailable strontium isotope signals mirror the basement geology of the region. The highest ratios occur in the geologically oldest eastern parts of the Precambrian terrain, while lower ratios are found in the western part, and the lowest ratios occur in the youngest Paleo-zoic areas. At the same time, there are minor deviations compared to the underlying bed-rock, due to glacial transport, overlying sediments, and local intrusions of younger rocks. The background data set now available allows for more nuanced and detailed interpretations of human and animal mobility in the region, in particular by identification of subregions with differing strontium isotope ratios within the Precambrian province. Also, we can now identify long distance mobility with greater confidence.

This paper presents the results of a ceramics study that forms part of a larger research project,... more This paper presents the results of a ceramics study that forms part of a larger research project, “CONTACT”. The aim of this study was to trace the provenance of pottery found at Middle Neolithic sites on both sides of the Kattegat and to discuss possible pottery exchange between Jutland in Denmark and the west coast of Sweden. A combination of pXRF, ICP- MA/ES and thin-section analyses was applied to 525 Funnel Beaker culture (FBC) and Pitted Ware culture (PWC) sherds to investigate their fabric and technology. The different analyses supplemented each other well: The elemental composition of the ceramic material evident from both the XRF and ICP analyses was appropriate for determining the provenance of the clay, while the thin sections gave an indication of techniques recipes and materials employed in pottery production. The PWC pottery proved to be more heterogeneous than the FBC pottery, and several plausible explanations are suggested for this. Some regional exchange was observed, but only two vessels were identified, which could have crossed the Kattegat.

Journal of Neolithic Archaeology , 2017

The Falbygden finds have clear parallels in Denmark and in southern Sweden in the same period. The Danish material indicates that a particular segment of the population was treated in this way, primarily young individuals around 15-20 years. Some of them show signs of disease or deformations, many have signs of trauma, and a couple have been found with cords around the neck, suggesting violent deaths. In a number of cases, they were also found in pairs.

One of the Falbygden finds, the so-called Hallonflickan, was also unusual in that her Sr isotope ratio indicates that the was born far away, probably in Scania in southern Sweden. Whether other finds of this kind were also long distance movers is not known.

Direct bone datings show that this practice is established at the same time as the introduction of agriculture and of the Funnel Beaker culture in Scandinavia, around 4000 BC, and continues until ca 3000 BC after which it disappears for ca 1000 years. Deposition of humans in wetlands is paralleled by deposition of animals, pottery and stone tools, and we suggest that these form parts of a complex of ritual practices established over a large area at the time of the earliest Scandinavian agriculture.

This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary study combining archaeology, osteology,... more This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary study combining archaeology, osteology, and stable isotope analyses. The geological conditions and richness of megalithic graves in Falbygden is suitable for studies of Neolithic human remains. Nevertheless, the Late Neolithic period (2350–1700 BC) is poorly investigated. This paper explores new knowledge of the Late Neolithic megalithic population in Falbygden. In-depth osteological and archaeological studies focusing on a single gallery grave (Falköping stad 5) were conducted. Radiocarbon dating and carbon, nitrogen, and strontium isotope analyses of teeth from twenty-one individuals revealed the time of the grave’s use, as well as the subsistence and mobility practices of the buried individuals. The grave was already in use during the first part of the Late Neolithic and used into the second part of the period by individuals of different origin. Furthermore, the results indicated changing population dynamics in the Late Neolithic Falbygden, with increased human mobility, variability in subsistence strategies, and growing population density.

New Perspectives on the Bronze Age Proceedings of the 13th Nordic Bronze Age Symposium held in Gothenburg 9th to 13th June 2015, 2017

This paper discusses the Bronze Age burials in megalithic graves in Falbygden, in the inland of s... more This paper discusses the Bronze Age burials in megalithic graves in Falbygden, in the inland of south-western Sweden. This area
is known for its numerous megalithic graves and rich gallery graves. The objective of this study was to compare the practice of
successive and single burials, inhumations and cremations, as well as the geographical spread of the used megalithic graves in
the Early and Late Bronze Age. The study is based on a compilation of typologically dated artefacts and AMS dated bones from a
number of megalithic graves. By highlighting the Bronze Age use of these graves, a tentative description of Falbygden during the Bronze Age was presented. The results were positioned in a regional and a south and middle Swedish framework. It was shown that many aspects of Neolithic burial traditions persisted in Falbygden, while other Bronze Age practices that were more common in other Scandinavian areas were rare.

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2018

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2020

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2018

Open Archaeology, 2018

PloS one, 2018

… og ulik: tilnaerminger til variasjon i …, 2006

SwePub titelinformation: Döden i den bräckta lagunen : bland hundar och barn i Skateholm.

PloS one, 2018

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2020

Plos ONE, 2018

Journal of Neolithic Archaeology , 2017

This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary study combining archaeology, osteology,... more This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary study combining archaeology, osteology, and stable isotope analyses. The geological conditions and richness of megalithic graves in Falbygden is suitable for studies of Neolithic human remains. Nevertheless, the Late Neolithic period (2350–1700 BC) is poorly investigated. This paper explores new knowledge of the Late Neolithic megalithic population in Falbygden. In-depth osteological and archaeological studies focusing on a single gallery grave (Falköping stad 5) were conducted. Radiocarbon dating and carbon, nitrogen, and strontium isotope analyses of teeth from twenty-one individuals revealed the time of the grave’s use, as well as the subsistence and mobility practices of the buried individuals. The grave was already in use during the first part of the Late Neolithic and used into the second part of the period by individuals of different origin. Furthermore, the results indicated changing population dynamics in the Late Neolithic Falbygden, with increased human mobility, variability in subsistence strategies, and growing population density.

New Perspectives on the Bronze Age Proceedings of the 13th Nordic Bronze Age Symposium held in Gothenburg 9th to 13th June 2015, 2017

This paper discusses the Bronze Age burials in megalithic graves in Falbygden, in the inland of s... more This paper discusses the Bronze Age burials in megalithic graves in Falbygden, in the inland of south-western Sweden. This area
is known for its numerous megalithic graves and rich gallery graves. The objective of this study was to compare the practice of
successive and single burials, inhumations and cremations, as well as the geographical spread of the used megalithic graves in
the Early and Late Bronze Age. The study is based on a compilation of typologically dated artefacts and AMS dated bones from a
number of megalithic graves. By highlighting the Bronze Age use of these graves, a tentative description of Falbygden during the Bronze Age was presented. The results were positioned in a regional and a south and middle Swedish framework. It was shown that many aspects of Neolithic burial traditions persisted in Falbygden, while other Bronze Age practices that were more common in other Scandinavian areas were rare.