Helena Victor | Swedish National Heritage Board (original) (raw)

Papers by Helena Victor

Archaologisches Korrespondenzblatt

Archaeological investigations and clear aerial photos have identified the presence of house found... more Archaeological investigations and clear aerial photos have identified the presence of house foundations within several ringforts on the island of Oland, east of the Swedish mainland. One of them, Sandby borg, was selected for further investigations by means of a ground-penetrating radar (GRP) and magnetometry survey. A subsequent excavation was carried out to validate the geophysical results. The results of the geophysical survey clearly show the presence of 36 or 37 stone foundations for houses situated radially around the wall of the fort as well as of 16 or 17 similar house foundations in a central building group. The geophysical results also provided information on other buried features within the fort and also confirm the location of a third gate situated in the north-western part of the fort. The available evidence indicates that the ringfort was used for military purposes, or as a place of refuge in times of unrest, for a limited period of time during the late 5th century.

We hereby invite you to attend the conference "Sandby borg: New perspectives for Iron Age ar... more We hereby invite you to attend the conference "Sandby borg: New perspectives for Iron Age archaeology in the Baltic region" that takes place in Kalmar, Sweden on May 8–10th 2019. To sign up for the conference, use the following link: https://www.nortic.se/dagny/event/21350?campaignCode=sandbyborgconf For details of the various conference packages offered, click "more info".

BAR INTERNATIONAL SERIES, 1999

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;Kammargravskicket tyder på in... more &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;Kammargravskicket tyder på inlånat nytänkande utifrån eftersom det inte fanns i Sverige före yngre romersk järnålder. På kontinenten och i Asien fanns det dock kammargravar redan under yngre bronsålder och förromersk järnålder. I Europa introducerades kammargravskicket sannolikt direkt eller indirekt genom kontakter med den så kallade timmergravskulturen på de sydryska stäpperna. Tidiga exempel på kammargravskicket i Europa finns från bland annat Österrike, där man under hallstattkulturens blomstringstid omkring 800–600 f.Kr. lät uppföra stora gravhögar med inre timrade träkamrar. Gravskicket spred sig sedan mot romarriket via kelterna i Alperna och Tatrabergen och de indoeuropeiska ryttarfolken, som nått förbi det som idag är Ukraina och var på väg in i Sydösteuropa. Den hittills äldsta germanska kammargraven har hittats i Musov i Tjeckien, där just de sista keltiska kulturerna mötte romarna och ryttarfolken under 100-talet e.Kr. Sedan når gravskicket till norra Tyskland och Sydskandinavien för att slutligen sprida sig upp till Mälardalen, där kvinnograven i Tuna i Badelunda är den äldsta kända. Man kan skilja på försök till kammargravar och riktiga kammargravar. Många av de äldre gravarna i Danmark och Västergötland liknar mer Ikeabokhyllor nedgrävda i marken, där den döde inte skulle kunna sitta upp och ta sig runt i graven om han vaknade. Det skulle också bli besvärligt för honom att komma åt gravgåvorna eftersom de låg i slutna fack. De riktiga kammargravarna är vilorum, där den döde kan gå upp och kanske ta sig något att dricka för att sedan gå och lägga sig igen. Den stora majoriteten av de folkvandringstida kammargravarna finns framförallt i Uppland och endast ett fåtal är kända i Södermanland, Bohuslän och Västergötland. Även i Medelpad, Hälsingland och Jämtland finns det flera kammargravar av samma typ som i Mälardalen. I Norge finns det också praktfulla kammargravar och storhögar.&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;

There are some forty chamber graves from the 4th and 5th centuries AD found in Sweden. Five cases... more There are some forty chamber graves from the 4th and 5th centuries AD found in Sweden. Five cases, including three recent finds in Uppland, offer more precise information in regard to the burial construction and the status of those buried. The chronology of the chamber grave phenomenon fall into two separate phases. By comparing this chronology with the influx of Roman solidi, the authors suggest a social interpretation of the phenomenon.

Norjeskogen i världen. Från Norjegravfälten till Baltikum. In: Rudebeck, E. & Anglert, M. (eds.). Att leva vid Vesan. Arkeologi längs nya väg E22 i västra Blekinge, 2021

Under bronsåldern förefaller kustbygden i Blekinge till viss del ha skilt sig från andra områden ... more Under bronsåldern förefaller kustbygden i Blekinge till viss del ha skilt sig från andra områden i södra Skandinavien. I denna artikel diskuteras hur fynd och fenomen på Norjegravfälten kan visa på kontakter och kommunikation i både ett regionalt perspektiv och ett Östersjöperspektiv. Artikeln fokuserar framför allt på bronserna och keramiken som påträffades i gravarna. Går det att se några tydliga kommunikationsstråk som kustbygden i Blekinge var en del av, och som kan förklara områdets särdrag? Jämförelser görs med platser i södra Skandinavien och runt södra delen av Östersjön karakteriserade av urnegravar eller förekomster av bronsartefakter.

Att nå den andra sidan. Om begravning och ritual i Uppland. Volym 2. Arkeologi E4 Uppland – studie. Michel Notelid (red). Riksantikvarieämbetet, UV GAL. Upplandsmuseet. Societas Archaeologica Upsaliensis. Uppsala., 2007

The use and cult of fire-cracked stone – a manifestation of regionalism and cosmology A mound of... more The use and cult of fire-cracked stone – a manifestation of regionalism and cosmology

A mound of fire-cracked stone can be seen as a rubbish dump, a grave for dead objec- ts and bodies, a practical disposal of sharp and cumbersome stones, or as a monument to the fleetingness of objects once they have been transformed by fire. Thus, the mound of fire-cracked stone is in possession a many-facetted iconography.
As much as 95% of total amount of mounds of fire-cracked stone in Sweden (c. 6550) are to be found in the Baltic provinces. About 3550 mounds are found in Uppsala County, accounting for 54% of the national total. The largest concentration is in Börje and the surrounding parishes. In the Mälaren Basin, these mounds began to be erected during the Early Bronze Age, mainly Period II, and have often been used for a very long time.
Geological condition may to some degree account for the distribution pattern. But even if the primary emergence of fire-cracked stone can be attributed to geological factors, the ritual need and use must be explained in different ways. Features interpreted as traditional mounds of fire-cracked stone often contain burials, and do not differ in appearance and position from mounds containing domestic material. Fire-cracked stone has been used in other ritual contexts, and there is a connection between fire-cracked stone, burials and ancestral worship. The need for understanding of and contact with the creation and the past is fundamental for people in low technological societies form a basis for the understanding of one’s own existence, and the place in the world and the ancestors have an important function in connecting with the past, as well as being used by the hierarchy as a manifestation. There are three links, three different types of strategies, to the past, and thus to the divine. The three links are the dead, the ancestors, the animals and “the others”.
The reason for the many mounds in the Mälaren Basin is the result of a deliberate strategy based on the link to the ancestors. Since the geological conditions led to the production of fire-cracked stone in conjunction to certain types of activities which can have been associated with local tradition, they quickly came to be vessels of significance. It is possible that several of these factors coincided in letting fire-cracked stone symbolise the essence of what set the region apart and nurtured it. A practical solution to handle a problematic bi-product caused by local geological conditions, eventually evolved into a local tradition enhancing regional self-determination. In time the use of fire-cracked stone became evermore ritualised and used for burials and as cover for older graves. A local distinguishing trait was put into general use. The need for a local (regional) ritual strategy with fire-cracked stone developed as a manifestation of one’s identity.

Kulthus & dödshus: det ritualiserade rummets teori och praktik. , 2006

Publicerad i: Anglert, Mats, Artursson, Magnus & Svanberg, Fredrik (red.) (2006). Kulthus & dödsh... more Publicerad i:
Anglert, Mats, Artursson, Magnus & Svanberg, Fredrik (red.) (2006). Kulthus & dödshus: det ritualiserade rummets teori och praktik. Stockholm: Riksantikvarieämbetets förlag: 113-122

The European Migration Period (c. AD 400–550) was characterised by political, social and economic... more The European Migration Period (c. AD 400–550) was characterised by political, social and economic instability. Recent excavations at Sandby borg ringfort on the island of Öland in Sweden have revealed indisputable evidence of a massacre which occurred at that time. Osteological, contextual and artefactual evidence strongly suggest that the fort was abandoned immediately following the attack and was left undisturbed throughout antiquity. Sandby borg offers a unique snapshot of domestic life and abrupt death in the Scandinavian Migration Period, and provides evidence highly relevant to studies of ancient conflict, and on social and military aspects of Iron Age and Migration Period societies.

Archaeological investigations and clear aerial photos have identified the presence of house found... more Archaeological investigations and clear aerial photos have identified the presence of house foundations within several
ringforts on the island of Öland, east of the Swedish mainland. One of them, Sandby borg, was selected for further investigations by means of a ground-penetrating radar (GRP) and magnetometry survey. A subsequent excavation was carried out to validate the geophysical results. The results of the geophysical survey clearly show the presence of 36 or 37 stone foundations for houses situated radially around the wall of the fort as well as of 16 or 17 similar house foundations in a central building group. The geophysical results also provided information on other buried features within the fort and also confirm the location of a third gate situated in the north-western part of the fort. The available evidence indicates that the ringfort was used for military purposes, or as a place of refuge in times of unrest, for a limited period of time during the late 5th century.

""This chapter discusses the 5th-century west Roman imperial residences of Rome and its substitu... more ""This chapter discusses the 5th-century west Roman imperial residences of Rome and
its substitutes Arles and Ravenna, as understood within the framework of an imperialist
ideology of urbanism, the “Roman urban mind”. During the late Roman Empire, the city of
Rome was the central focus of the old Roman infrastructure. Ideally, the highest echelons
of the imperial administration also ought to be located in Rome. There was an underlying
idea that the purpose of the Roman Empire was to sustain the city of Rome – the capital
of the world – and its ever-growing population. In this paper the authors argue that in
spite of the fascination with Rome as the caput mundi, urban sustainability and resilience
were problematic matters within the West Roman Empire. The imperial state apparatus
proved incapable of resolving these issues in the face of barbarian attacks and internal
strife. This spelled the end for the Roman urban mind.""

B. Arrhenius och U. O’Meadhra, eds. Excavations on Helgö XVIII. Conclusion and New Aspects. Stockholm, 2011.

This paper seeks to show the scientific potential of new research methods in relation to the prev... more This paper seeks to show the scientific potential of new research methods in relation to the previously published material from Helgö. We believe that one must take up the task left behind by earlier generations of scholars, providing answers to many of the questions that still surround Helgö. We will argue this case, by briefly contextualizing three primary find categories from Helgö and the surrounding Mälar Valley, gold hoards of Late Roman and Byzantine solidi, mould fragments from metal workshops, and metal burial goods. These will be delineated below in three different main horizons, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, that consist of overlapping phases.

Published in: Uta von Freeden, ed. Glaube, Kult und Herrschaft. : Phänomene des Religiösen im 1. Jahrtausend n. Chr in Mittel. Und Nordeuropa. 8-13 November in Frankfurt am Main. Römisch-Germanische Kommision des DAI. Frankfurt 2009."

Archaologisches Korrespondenzblatt

BAR INTERNATIONAL SERIES, 1999

Norjeskogen i världen. Från Norjegravfälten till Baltikum. In: Rudebeck, E. & Anglert, M. (eds.). Att leva vid Vesan. Arkeologi längs nya väg E22 i västra Blekinge, 2021

The use and cult of fire-cracked stone – a manifestation of regionalism and cosmology A mound of... more The use and cult of fire-cracked stone – a manifestation of regionalism and cosmology

Kulthus & dödshus: det ritualiserade rummets teori och praktik. , 2006

Archaeological investigations and clear aerial photos have identified the presence of house found... more Archaeological investigations and clear aerial photos have identified the presence of house foundations within several
ringforts on the island of Öland, east of the Swedish mainland. One of them, Sandby borg, was selected for further investigations by means of a ground-penetrating radar (GRP) and magnetometry survey. A subsequent excavation was carried out to validate the geophysical results. The results of the geophysical survey clearly show the presence of 36 or 37 stone foundations for houses situated radially around the wall of the fort as well as of 16 or 17 similar house foundations in a central building group. The geophysical results also provided information on other buried features within the fort and also confirm the location of a third gate situated in the north-western part of the fort. The available evidence indicates that the ringfort was used for military purposes, or as a place of refuge in times of unrest, for a limited period of time during the late 5th century.

B. Arrhenius och U. O’Meadhra, eds. Excavations on Helgö XVIII. Conclusion and New Aspects. Stockholm, 2011.

Sandby borg XII Undersökningar 2018 Sandby socken, Mörbylånga kommun, Öland, 2022

This report presents the results from surveys and excavations at Sandby borg carried out during t... more This report presents the results from surveys and excavations at Sandby borg carried out during the summer 2018. Since 2011, small excavations have been conducted annually revealing unique archaeological remains of a massacre from the late 5th century. In several of the houses in the ringfort, human remains have been found, and the artefact evidence from the site suggests a wealthy community with extensive contacts far outside the delimits of the island of Öland. The result from the excavation presented here concerned an area of 38 m2 in the southeast part of the fort. The area was in its entirety an outdoor environment. The purpose for the excavation in 2018 was to investigate the function the open area outside House 53 and whether it was possible to see any difference in usage between other parts of the street and the larger open area
south of House 53. The excavated area was like other outdoor environments that´s been excavated inside the ringfort. The finds mostly consisted of scattered animal and human bones but also costume details were found in the open street. During the excavation the rounded corner of the south gable of House 53 became visible. The same type of rounded corner and gable has previously been observed at House 52 in the northwestern part of the Ring fort. Rounded gables, which also occur in Eketorp and at Ismantorp, may have made it possible to drive wagons inside the ringfort.

Sandby borg XI Undersökningar 2017 Sandby socken, Mörbylånga kommun, Öland, 2022

This report presents the results from the 2017 archaeological excavation at Sandby borg ringfort,... more This report presents the results from the 2017 archaeological excavation at Sandby borg ringfort, that was performed as a collaboration between Kalmar County Museum and Linnaeus University. The aim was to investigate the rest of House 52 located in the northwest part of the central block of the ringfort. Parts of this house have been investigated before, not least in 2010 when a jewellery cache was found here but also at later occasions. Notably, the central part of the house was excavated in 2014 when the skeleton of an adult man was found lying across the fireplace. The excavation presented here concerned the remaining part of the house. The investigation resulted in several findings supporting the idea that House 52 was the residence of the ringfort’s chief. Among other things, gold and fragments of exclusive glass were found in the northern part of the house. This idea is further supported by the shape of the house, its position in the ringfort and the exquisite nature of the artefacts found within and in association with House 52. An unexpected result of the excavation was the
realization that House 52 was partly located on top of a burial ground dating to AD 100–200, i.e. a couple of hundred years before the ringfort was built. The
observations from the excavation indicate that the burials have been deliberately demolished prior to the erection of the building. The reasons for this have
been a matter of debate, but one possibility is that it was done to include the power of the ancestors into the building.

Pukavikskogen. Gravar och boplatslämningar från stenålder, yngre bronsålder och äldre järnålder. Särskild arkeologisk undersökning 2011, Ysane socken, Sölvesborgs kommun, Blekinge län. Blekinge Museum Rapport 2014: 13, 2014

This report documents the site Pukavikskogen, excavated as part of the E22 archaeological project... more This report documents the site Pukavikskogen, excavated as part of the E22 archaeological project in Blekinge, Sweden, 2011. The site contained settlement features, a small grave field with several low cairns and non burial constructions, cultural layers, and scattered artifacts and lithic material from the Mesolitic to the Early Iron Age. It also contains a detailed investigation of the development of the Lake Vesan body of water from 9700 BCE to present day.

Med graven som granne : om bronsålderns kulthus = The grave as a neighbour : on Bronze Age ritual houses , 2002

The archaeological material used in this thesis consists of ritual Bronze Age houses, different f... more The archaeological material used in this thesis consists of ritual Bronze Age houses, different from ordinary dwelling houses in construction and context. My investigation is mainly focused on South Scandinavian Bronze Age material with strong emphasis of the c. 80 ritual houses of Sweden, generally situated in the central areas of Bronze Age landscape. The material is divided into two types, here referred to as post houses and stone foundation houses, which are homogenous in appearance and environmental location. The excavation of a stone foundation house in Håga,
Uppland, has yielded valuable information on ritual houses. First, a context for ritual buildings and their milieu is provided. The larger houses with stone foundations can be dated to the Early Bronze Age, and the smaller post houses to the Late Bronze Age. The houses are compared to other phenomena, and discussed as expressions of
ritual actions, e.g., house symbolism in the form of house urns, graves on top of dwelling houses, and typical settlement finds such as fire-cracked stones in connection to graves. Interpretations of ritual contexts as rock carvings, settlement organisation and grave enclosures are included.Methodologically, analogies from anthropology and history of religion are sought in order to analyse and deepen the interpretations of Bronze Age religion, ideology and social structures. Emphasis is put on ancestor worship. The morphology of the dwelling house was transferred to graves and ritual contexts. This pattern represents a wish to transfer an incorporated meaning of the concept of house to the sphere of the dead, the ancestors. The ritual houses express the Idea of the House, where the dwelling house is the basis of a symbolism in which house and home is the centre for human beings and their culture. It is a symbol of the household and the settlement, of nourishment, warmth and safety, of family, kin and their reproduction, of the beginning and end of life.A ritual house is a building of the same size and plan as a dwelling house or an economical
building, but shaped for ritual purposes to enclose a holy area, a temenos. However, it often lacks walls, entrance and roof and is spatially associated with graves or areas of strongly ritual character. Building material, situation and orientation deviate from profane houses, and ordinary settlement finds are absent. The sturdy walls of the houses with stone foundations, like the post-marked walls of the smaller ritual houses were constructed for enclosing ancestors. By constructing ritual houses, Bronze Age man desired a symbolic representation of a dwelling house for the ancestors to reside in.The Scandinavian Bronze Age landscape was settled by stratified societies in which an elite controlled metal resources and trade routes. Ritual houses were used by this elite to display their ancestors and to show their strong connections to the past and to their origin. Thus, the houses manifested their supremacy and their access to the origin. The use of the Idea of the House in constructing these houses also visualised the strong connection to family and kin.The change in appearance and size of ritual houses, dwelling houses and graves indicates achange in ideology and in the perception of the individual in Bronze Age Sweden.

Norjeskogen och Norjegravfälten GRAVAR OCH BOPLATSLÄMNINGAR FRÅN NEOLITIKUM, BRONSÅLDER OCH ÄLDRE JÄRNÅLDER – DEL 1 Särskild arkeologisk undersökning 2011, arkeologisk förundersökning 2012 och arkeologisk utredning 2011 och 2013 Ysane socken, Sölvesborgs kommun i Blekinge län, 2023

Del 1 Inför byggandet av den nya vägen E22 mellan Sölve och Stensnäs i västra Blekinge utfördes ... more Del 1
Inför byggandet av den nya vägen E22 mellan Sölve och Stensnäs i västra Blekinge utfördes 2011 arkeologiska undersökningar på flera lokaler. Utförare av undersökningarna var Blekinge museum i samarbete med Kalmar läns museum, Sydsvensk Arkeologi, Kulturparken Småland/Smålands museum och Riksantikvarieämbetet UV Syd. På lokalen Norjeskogen, ca 1 km norr om Ysane, undersöktes en 31 300 m² stor yta som berörde rikliga grav- och boplatslämningar från tidig- och mellanneolitikum och två stora gravfält från yngre bronsålder. Lämningarna från tidigneolitikum utgjordes av två brandgropar, en strandnära stenpackning, tolkad som en gistvall, och ett par
produktionsplatser för grönstensyxor med spetsovalt tvärsnitt. Bland lämningarna som dateras till tidigneolitikum–mellanneolitikum märks flera fyndrika kulturlager, ca 400 gropar, runda stenformationer av oklar funktion, spår efter 7–8 hyddor och fyra långhus, varav ett troligen tillhörde stridsyxekultur, spåren efter en runddös och möjliga spår efter ytterligare två döskammare. Vidare dokumenterades tre stridsyxegravar av mycket olika utformning. Spår efter ett tvåskeppigt hus härrörde sannolikt från senneolitikum–äldre bronsålder. Lämningarna från yngre bronsålder utgjordes av brandgravar av olika utformning och rester efter bålplatser. Gravarna var uppdelade på två större gravfält: Centrala och Södra gravfältet, och ett mindre: Norra gravfältet; det sistnämnda omfattade endast två gravar. Bland de större gravmonumenten kan nämnas en skeppsformig stensättning som byggts samman med en stor, rund stensättning, en mittblocksgrav med en rund stenpackning och en spiralformad stensättning. På Centrala gravfältet fanns spåren efter ett kulthus av ovanlig konstruktion. Sammanlagt dokumenterades 84 gravar, som innehöll brända ben efter minst 93 individer av olika ålder. Ett femtiotal gravar daterades genom 14C-analys av de brända benen. Rapporterna för E22-projektet ges ut av Blekinge museum och de samarbetspartners som ingick i projektet då det inleddes år 2011.

Norjeskogen och Norjegravfälten GRAVAR OCH BOPLATSLÄMNINGAR FRÅN NEOLITIKUM, BRONSÅLDER OCH ÄLDRE JÄRNÅLDER – DEL 2 Särskild arkeologisk undersökning 2011, arkeologisk förundersökning 2012 och arkeologisk utredning 2011 och 2013 Ysane socken, Sölvesborgs kommun i Blekinge län, 2023

Inför byggandet av den nya vägen E22 mellan Sölve och Stensnäs i västra Blekinge utfördes 2011 ar... more Inför byggandet av den nya vägen E22 mellan Sölve och Stensnäs i västra Blekinge utfördes 2011 arkeologiska undersökningar på flera lokaler. Utförare av undersökningarna var Blekinge museum i samarbete med Kalmar läns museum, Sydsvensk Arkeologi, Kulturparken Småland/Smålands museum och Riksantikvarieämbetet UV Syd. På lokalen Norjeskogen, ca 1 km norr om Ysane, undersöktes en 31 300 m² stor yta som berörde rikliga grav- och boplatslämningar från tidig- och mellanneolitikum och två stora gravfält från yngre bronsålder. Lämningarna från tidigneolitikum utgjordes av två brandgropar, en strandnära stenpackning, tolkad som en gistvall, och ett par produktionsplatser för grönstensyxor med spetsovalt tvärsnitt. Bland lämningarna som dateras till tidigneolitikum–mellanneolitikum märks flera fyndrika kulturlager, ca 400 gropar, runda stenformationer av oklar funktion, spår efter 7–8 hyddor och fyra långhus, varav ett troligen tillhörde stridsyxekultur, spåren efter en runddös och möjliga spår efter ytterligare två döskammare. Vidare dokumenterades tre stridsyxegravar av mycket olika utformning. Spår efter ett tvåskeppigt hus härrörde sannolikt från senneolitikum–äldre bronsålder. Lämningarna från yngre bronsålder utgjordes av brandgravar av olika utformning och rester efter bålplatser. Gravarna var uppdelade på två större gravfält: Centrala och Södra gravfältet, och ett mindre: Norra gravfältet; det sistnämnda omfattade endast två gravar. Bland de större gravmonumenten kan nämnas en skeppsformig stensättning som byggts samman med en stor, rund stensättning, en mittblocksgrav med en rund stenpackning och en spiralformad stensättning. På Centrala gravfältet fanns spåren efter ett kulthus av ovanlig konstruktion. Sammanlagt dokumenterades 84 gravar, som innehöll brända ben efter minst 93 individer av olika ålder. Ett femtiotal gravar daterades genom 14C-analys av de brända benen. Rapporterna för E22-projektet ges ut av Blekinge museum och de samarbetspartners som ingick i projektet då det inleddes år 2011.

Keywords: ancient fortifications, Migration period, house foundation, archaeology, deposition fin... more Keywords: ancient fortifications, Migration period,
house foundation, archaeology, deposition finds,
human remain, osteology, ring fort, Sandby borg,
Öland
This report presents the result from the excavations
carried out at Sandby borg in 2015. The aim was to
investigate the rest of House 40 and to try to find
answers to why there were human remains left
behind and thus to get a better view of the violent
event that took place in this house. Another aim was
to record the remains of daily life in the house.
Artefacts found in the house reflect a high-status
context. Previous excavations in the same house
include finds of a gilt silver sword detail and a
large millefiori glass bead. The excavation in 2015
emphasized this image, with finds including a
fragmented gilt silver relief brooch and a large
peltae-shaped silver pendant. as the occurrence
of numerous glass beads and silver pendants in
close connection to the fragmented relief brooch are
possibly related to the violent event reflected in the
human remains.
All human remains identified in House 40 were found
lying on the floor level of the house. The excavation
uncovered four articulated human skeletons and
remains from another three individuals. The human
remains thus found amounts to 3 adults, 2 teenagers
and parts of two small children.

Sandby borg skrifter VII, 2016

This report presents the result from the excavations carried out at Sandby borg in 2015. The aim ... more This report presents the result from the excavations carried out at Sandby borg in 2015. The aim was to investigate the rest of House 40 and to try to find answers to why there were human remains left behind and thus to get a better view of the violent event that took place in this house. Another aim was to record the remains of daily life in the house.Artefacts found in the house reflect a high-status context. Previous excavations in the same house include finds of a gilt silver sword detail and a large millefiori glass bead. The excavation in 2015 emphasized this image, with finds including a fragmented gilt silver relief brooch and a large peltae-shaped silver pendant. as the occurrence of numerous glass beads and silver pendants in close connection to the fragmented relief brooch are possibly related to the violent event reflected in the human remains. All human remains identified in House 40 were found lying on the floor level of the house. The excavation uncovered four articulated human skeletons and remains from another three individuals. The human remains thus found amounts to 3 adults, 2 teenagers and parts of two small children.

Sandby borg skrifter IV , 2014

This report presents the results from surveys and excavations at Sandby borg carried out during ... more This report presents the results from surveys and excavations at Sandby borg carried out during spring and summer 2014. Since 2011, small excavations have been conducted annually revealing unique archaeological remains of a massacre from the late 5th century. In several of the houses in the ringfort, human remains have been found, and the artefact evidence from the site suggests a wealthy community with extensive contacts far outside the delimits of the island of Öland. A metal detector survey conducted in May 2014 resulted in a range of artefacts providing vital information as to the dating and function of the site, and gave us some fruitful insights into the cultural contacts represented in the material. Some artefacts are of local origin, while others clearly have been brought in from across the Baltic Sea to the southeast and further down in Europe. Furthermore, two deposits were located both containing numerous beads of glass, bronze and silver and in one case several finger rings in silver and gold. The excavation in June 2014 concerned five separate small trenches, placed in connection to three different houses in the ringfort (House 40, 52 and 53 respectively). Finds from the migration period were found in connection to all three houses, as well as animal bones. In House 40, human remains were encountered but left intact for future excavation. This trench was located in the innermost northeast part of the house, and contain several finds of importance for the understanding of the site and the massacre. A roman gold coin (solidus) stands out as particularly interesting, as well as half the skeleton of a herring found on the floor of the house. This find illustrates the level of detail available in the source material at the site, where a single event (the massacre) has caused time to stand still. This in turn makes the scientific potential of the site great in several respects, both concerning the violent event and the demography of the victims but also concerning everyday life at a Migration Period fortified site.

Sandby borg skrifter III, 2013

This report presents the result from the excavations carried out at Sandby borg in 2013. The aim... more This report presents the result from the excavations carried out at Sandby borg in 2013. The aim was to recover the skeleton of Individual No 2 that was identified in House 40 in 2012, and also to get a better view of the violent event evidenced in this house. Furthermore, two selected areas close to the outer wall were excavated to investigate the presence of well preserved cultural layers relevant for the understanding of the length of occupation at the site. Also, these trenches served to investigate the function of houses outside the central block of the fort. The results of the excavations in house 40 (trenches 2C, 7A and 7B) added to the view from previous excavations, with the recovery of the remains of Individual No 2 as well as the identification of at least another two, possibly three, individuals further into the house. Artefacts found in the house reflect a high-status context, in particular the (gilded) silver sword pendant and the large millefiori glass bead that was found in trench 7B some 10 m into the house. Just next to the entrance, to the left, a deposit of c. 10 rod-shaped iron ingots was found, and on the floor, just inside of the entrance a large iron lance head was recovered. Furthermore, the presence of no less than 12 glass beads in a limited part of the floor area is interpreted as possibly related to the violent event reflected in the human remains.

All human remains identified in House 40 were found lying on the floor of the house. The skeleton of Individual No 2 was identified as a man c. 19–22 years of age, found lying face down directly next to, and perpendicular to, Individual No 1 that was recovered in 2012. Perimortem sharp force trauma was noted on one of the ribs, and it is likely that Individual No 2 was murdered although no deadly wounds could be identified in the skeletal material. Additional human remains identified further into House 40 were covered and left in situ for future investigation. The excavations of two areas close to the ring wall (trenches 6 and 8) tell a similar yet different story. In trench 6 disarticulated human remains from at least one, possibly several, individuals were found. A pelvis bone has been identified as an adult, probably male, likewise two femur bones derive from an adult individual. In trench 8, the absence of human remains is replaced by the presence of animal bones, including articulated and/or parts of skeletons that may reflect the same event as that represented by human remains. The evidence from trenches 6 and 8 suggests that the buildings in question may represent byres rather than domestic houses.

Sandby borg skrifter II, 2012

This report presents the result from the excavations that took place in 2012 to determine the arc... more This report presents the result from the excavations that took place in 2012 to determine the archaeological context of previously found deposition within the fortification of Sandby borg. The deposition consisted, among other things, of relief brooches from the Migration period (400–550 AD) and a variation of different sets of beads. In 2011 and 2012 The County museum of Kalmar examined the archaeological context of the depositions. They were hidden in houses within the fortication. The excavations consisted of hand digging six shafts, located where the deposition finds were found. In addition to these, the finds consisted of pottery, iron fragments, a bronze button, unburnt bones from animals, and most remarkably human remains from possibly three different individuals in addition to the two found in 2011. At least one of the skeletons had suffered lethal blows to the head. 14C‐analysis of the body and nds dates the activities, including both the deaths and depositions, to the Migration period. There were hardly any cultural layers, indicating that Sandby borg has only been used for a short period of time, after which it was abandoned.

Sandby borg skrifter I, 2011

This report summarizes the result of the 2011 excavation, conducted in order to determine the arc... more This report summarizes the result of the 2011 excavation, conducted in order to determine the archaeological context surrounding previously recovered deposits within the ringfort of Sandby Borg. In 2010, looting pits were discovered inside the ring-fort of Sandby Borg. This is an ancient fortification registered as RAÄ 45:1, located in the parish of Sandby on the eastern shore of Öland. The preemptive survey resulted in the discovery and subsequent rescue of five separate deposits containing gilt-silver relief brooches and glass beads dating from the Migration Period (AD 400-550). Based on previous research on ancient fortifications on Öland, a fundamental hypothesis behind the investigation was that there were houses inside the ring-wall of the fort, and that the deposits had been hidden inside these. During the excavations, three minor shafts were dug by hand. The shafts were placed as to surround the find spots of the five deposits. Remains of house foundations were confirmed in all three shafts. Finds pertaining to the deposits were rescued, including parts of the suspension mechanism of one brooch, glass beads, and an iron arrowhead. In addition to these finds, there was a substantial amount of non-burnt bones. Animal’s species include horse, cattle and goat/sheep. The most remarkable discovery; however, was the remains of three different humans. Bone
samples were subject to 14C analysis, which dated the deceased to the Migration Period.

"Les Seigneurs des Anneaux" Svante Fischer (dir.) with the collaboration of Jean Soulat, Ludvig ... more "Les Seigneurs des Anneaux"
Svante Fischer (dir.) with the collaboration of Jean Soulat, Ludvig Fischer, Marie-Cécile Truc, Jean-Pierre Lémant, Helena Victor - Bulletin de liaison de l'AFAM, n° 2, Hors-série, 2e éd. 2008.
This is the first volume of the Runic Inscriptions of France (IRF). This work is a post-doctoral study, financed by the French Republic, the Swedish Royal Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities, the Sven and Dagmar Salén Foundation, and the Åke Wiberg Foundation. The publication has been financed by the Association française de l’Archéologie mérovingienne (AFAM). The volume discusses thirty-seven sword pommels and two scabbard sheaths within their archaeological, ideological, and runological context. The volume has the purpose of establishing the foundation for a French runological institute, Institut runologique de France, with its seat at the Musée d’Archéologie nationale at the Château Saint-Germain-en-Laye. By means of this post-doctoral work, the runological education of French archeologists has begun, so that they will in the future be able to publish their own runic heritage within a larger international framework of scientific research.""

Wolf-Rüdiger Teegen, Rosemarie Cordie, Olaf Dörrer, Sabine Rieckhoff och Heiko Steuer, red. Studi... more Wolf-Rüdiger Teegen, Rosemarie Cordie, Olaf Dörrer, Sabine Rieckhoff och Heiko Steuer, red. Studien zur Lebenswelt der Eisenzeit. Festschrift für Rosemarie Müller. Ergänzungsbände zum Reallexikon für germanische Altertumskunde 53. De Gruyter. Berlin/New York. 2006. 670 sidor.

We hereby invite you to attend the conference "Sandby borg: New perspectives for Iron Age archaeo... more We hereby invite you to attend the conference "Sandby borg: New perspectives for Iron Age archaeology in the Baltic region" that takes place in Kalmar, Sweden on May 8–10th 2019. To sign up for the conference, use the following link: https://www.nortic.se/dagny/event/21350?campaignCode=sandbyborgconf For details of the various conference packages offered, click "more info".