Nytt uppdrag: Etik & arkeologi – A new mission: Ethics & Archaeology

This post is available in English further down.

Som jag nämnt i tidigare inlägg byter jag arbetsgivare från och med den 1 februari, från Länsstyrelsen i Västernorrland till Länsstyrelsen i Östergötland.

Det är dock mer på gång för mig inom det arkeologiska – jag kommer ingå in en arbetsgrupp inom DIK med uppgift att ta fram etiska riktlinjer för arkeologer. Tanken är att dessa ska fungera som vägledning för alla arkeologer; forskare såväl som för arkeologer på olika myndigheter, museer, stiftelser, företag m fl. Tanken är att riktlinjerna ska vara överskådliga och lätta att kommunicera. I uppdraget ingår också att lämna förslag om hur de etiska riktlinjerna kan lanseras och förankras bland Sveriges arkeologer och diskussioner kring certifiering.

Efterhand hand hoppas jag kunna skriva ytterligare några inlägg om detta. just nu ligger spänningen i vilka är de övriga i arbetsgruppen? – Vet du skriv en kommentar!

DIK är ett fackförbund och en del av centralorganisationen SACO, Sveriges akademikers centralorganisation. DIK företräder akademiker inom kultur- och kommunikationsektorn och då bland annat arkeologer.

Läs mer här

http://www.dik.se/artikel/10797/dik-startar-arbetsgrupp-om-etik-arkeologer

More new challenges as I will have to begin thinking on Archaeology and ethics in a more concentrated form. In previous posts I’ve mentioned that I start a new job February 1st in Linkoping at the Administrative County board of Östergötland.

As I mentioned in previous posts I’m changing employers as of February 1st, from the County Administrative Board of Västernorrland to the County Administrative Board in Östergötland.

But there is more news regarding the archaeological – I will be part of a working group within DIK with the task of developing ethical guidelines for archaeologists. DIK is a trade union and part of SACO, a trade union confederation for university graduates or professionals with a college degree. DIK represents the culture and communications sectors, and among them the archaeologists.

The idea behind the guidelines is that they are to serve as guidance for all archaeologists, researchers as well as to archaeologists at various government agencies, museums, foundations, corporations and others. The idea is that the guidelines should be transparent and easy to communicate, and the assignment also includes proposals on how the ethical guidelines can be launched and anchored among Swedish archaeologists and discussions around certification.

I will get back to you on a later date with more info on this.

Östergötland here I come

Just one week left in Västernorrland County – then it’s all preparations for my new job at the administrative board in Östergötland County. The job is more or less the same as I’ve been doing up north ie handling different kind of ie processing various types of cases such as different kind of consultations, dealing with care for ancient monuments and remains, working with decisions concerning contract Archaeology etc.

More to come, in February is the 5^th annual Blankaholm-seminar (Swedish blog) arranged by fellow archaeologist and blogger Michael Dahlin

This year we can look forward to seminars by Michael Dahlin & Mårten Aronsson, Elisabeth Rudebeck, Kenneth Alexandersson, Roger Wikell, Helena Victor, Fredrik Strandmark, Torbjörn Brorsson, Martin Rundkvist, Fredrik Gunnarsson, Ludvig Papmehl-Dufay, Örjan Molander and Veronica Palm.

It’ll be a blast

Flash-back of the Gudrun days

2011 ended with a bang – a storm named Dagmar hit Sweden with force, together with the storm Cato.

An uprooted tree on an Iron Age settlement, Medelpad 2011

Between 2005-2007 I worked with the effects on ancient monuments and remains after two other storms; Gudrun (2005) & Per(2006). Gudrun herself was responsible for damages on at least 75 million cubic meters of forest. In Kronoberg county in the southern parts of Sweden more than 900 ancient remains or monuments were damaged in some part, in 180 cases the damages was thought to be serious enough to do efforts to do some kind of archaeological restoration.

Dagmar weren’t quite so vicious as Gudrun but managed to damage ca 4,5 million cubic meters of forest, most in Medelpad in Västernorrland county and in Hälsingland. Currently I work at the Administrative board of Västernorrland county so me and a couple of others went on a small excursion around the city Sundsvall to see how and if the storm had affected the ancient remains. We visited about 10 places, some we knew were damaged, some due to their location. Seven of these were affected in some way or another, mainly by uprooted trees and trees laying upon the remains. This was a flash-back of the Gudrun days.

An uprooted tree between two houses of cultural historic value, Medelpad 2011

Info sign among storm felled trees, on Iron Age Settlement, Medelpad 2011

Uprooted trees on an Iron Age grave field, Medelpad 2011

Four uprooted trees on arow on an Iron Age grave field, Medelpad 2011

How much damage has been inflicted is difficult to estimate at this stage, both concerning the specific places we visited and how many in the County that has been affected. Before such estimations can be done the storm felled trees must first be removed and a survey be done.

The snow makes it more diffcult to see the monuments, here an Iron Age mound that made it through the storm without damages.

Let’s hope the damages aren’t all that severe, as in this last case.

Where in Sweden are we - see the red ring

Magnus Reuterdahl

Happy new year!

2011 is closing in and 2012 is waiting to shine. Though the new year hasn’t started yet it has kind of pre-started for me – In February I start a new employment. This time I turn south again, a bit like a jo-jo, to Linköping where I will work at the county administrative board in Östergötland county. Later in the year I will also attend the European wine bloggers conference in Izmir, Turkey. What has this to do with archaeology you might ask? Well I intend to dive into the archaeology of wine in a few post this coming year.

Have a great New Years eve and a great 2012

Magnus Reuterdahl

Got an early christmas gift today

Got an offer on a new job today. It’ll start next year and means that I’ll be working in Östergötland the better part of next year :)

I’ll post more on this at a later date.

Merry Christmas

Magnus Reuterdahl

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year

Time seems to fly when you enjoy your self or is busy, this year has come and gone and during the last part I really haven’t paid Testimony of the spade as much attention as I should – I intend to do better next year. But as go through statistics I’ve managed to posts some 80+ posts and it might be one or two more before the year ends.

I’ve also started at two new jobs during the year; as an archaeologist at Kalmar County Museum from April-September and currently as an archaeologist at the Västernorrland County Board.

A few words on how a Swedish Christmas celebration might be celebrated. As in many other places Christmas of today is quite a secular thing, far from celebrating the birth of Christ or the old Norse way of Julblot/Midvinterblot (the christmas or midwinter sacrifice rites). In spite of this a lot of the symbols are still here; angels, the nativity scene, Christmas stars, songs etc. There are also things that might go as far back as Julblotet. In a ode to the “Norwegian” king Harald Hårfager (Ca 850 -933 AD) dated to ca 900 AD the rite of drinking Christmas (dricka jul) is mentioned, this has been interpreted as drinking Christmas ale/beer/mead – a tradition very much still living.

Back to the present and recently past, Christmas starts with advent, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the Christmas celebration. For most from my generation this is connected with TVs Adventskalendern, a 24 piece TV-series for children. For the TV series is an advent calendar with 24 casements that are related to the program. I mid advent on December 13th we celebrate Lucia (Saint Lucy). In “traditional” celebrations, Saint Lucy comes as a young woman wearing a crown with candles and a white robe, heading a procession by other girls and boys. Normally the girls following Lucia are called tärnor, they are dressed in a white robes holding a single candle each and the boys are dressed in the same kind of white robes, but with a cone-shaped hat decorated with golden stars, called stjärngossar (star boys); some may be also be dressed up as a young Santa Claus, carrying lanterns; and some may be dressed up as gingerbread men. They sing traditional songs such as the Neapolitan song Santa Lucia etc. This also is a party weekend for many.

In Sweden we celebrate at Christmas Eve, on the 24th, most often by feasting on traditional food, such as ham, herring, salmon, cold cuts and rice porridge etc. etc. We also drink Christmas beer, Christmas snaps (not to be confused with schnapps – this is liquor spiced with different herbs) and lets not forget mulled wine. When I was young, Swedish TV were two channels, at the time we didn’t get to enjoy much cartoons but on Christmas Eve Donald Duck and his friends were a tradition – for the young today it might not seem like much but we are still many who connect Christmas with an hour of Disney shorts. Another cartoon that has have a long run on Swedish TV on Christmas Eve is called Karl-Bertil Jonssons Jul (it was translated into English in 1987 with the titel Christophers Christmas mission) – a story by Tage Danielsson from 1964 made for TV in 1975 about a teenage boy, growing up just before WW2, in a rich family, dreaming of a better world and living by Robin Hood’s motto; to take from the rich and give to the poor. With these words in mind he brings the tax calendar with him to his holiday job, sorting Christmas mail, at the post office and pick out presents addressed to rich people and then dressed out as Santa he instead gives them to the poor – in the true Christmas spirit.

On Christmas day we don’t do much, we digest yesterday’s food and relax. That is to say until it becomes evening – a tradition of late in many cities is to go out and party on Christmas night. Thereafter it’s the big Christmas sales – shop, shop, shop – and then it’s time for New Years Eve.

In short this is Christmas in Sweden, at least for me, though along the way it seems that I’ve picked up a few habits

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and or Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year

Magnus Reuterdahl

Pictures from da hood i.e. the nearby wood

If you ever wondered were I live this is it; the suburb Bergshamra.

Just a few minutes walk from my apartment in Stockholm I’m more or less in the wood and by the waterfront – yet I’m only a 10 – minute ride by the subway to down town Stockholm. Today we took a Sunday walk around the northern parts of Bergshamra down to the royal castle of Ulriksdal and home again.

Back in civilization again – only 13 days til Christmas and no snow in Stockholm!

Magnus Reuterdahl

Prehistoric wine & Ancient wine

I’ve started yet another blog, Testimony of a wine junkie – I guess you can figure out what it’s about; my other big interest in life: Wine! I’ve also got a wine blog in Swedish Aqua Vitae if you prefer my native tongue. Next year I’ll participate in EWBC – the European Wine Bloggers Conference or as it also called Digital Wine Communication Conference in Izmir, Turkey with the theme Source as in what ‘s the source of wine, at least that’s how I’ve interpreted it. So my plan is to dig into the story of wine, from different angles, I’ll publish them on my wine blogs in Swedish and in English but as archaeology, cultural history and history is vital parts in these posts I’ll link to them from here as well. If you’ve got input or tips on litterature or links please don’t hesitate – leave a comment here or on the linked blogs

In English: Pro uso non pro ubuso (to use not to misuse)

In Swedish: Pro uso non pro ubuso (För bruk inte för missbruk)

Magnus Reuterdahl

 

 

The game of thrones – the real world?

I’ve just read Jan Rüdiger’s Did Charlamange know Carolingian kingship theory? Before I start off on the book a few notes on who Charlemagne was and on Carolingian theory.

Charlemange picture from Wikimedia commons

In short; Charlemagne (ca 740-814 AD), my namesake, Carolus Magnus aka Karolus Magnus, meaning Charles the Great was the king of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans (Imperator Romanorum) from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom, a a Germanic tribal confederation first attested in the third century AD then living north and east of the Lower Rhine River, to include a large part of Western and Central Europe. He is also associated with the Carolingian Renaissance, a revival of art, religion, and culture through the medium of the Catholic Church and via this has come to defineWestern Europe and the European Middle Ages.

Politically the Carolingians succeeded the Merovingian as rulers of the Franks. Under the Carolingians, the Frankish kingdom came to include most of what today is calledWestern Europe.

The phrase Carolingian kingship theory didn’t really say all that to me so before reading the book I tried to get a scenes of the meaning behind the phrase.

The Carolingian dynasty was as stated above a Frankish noble family. The name Carolingian derives from the Latinized name of Charles Martel: Carolus. The family consolidated its power in the late 7th century and became the real powers behind Merovingians. By 751 AD, the first Carolingian king was crowned; Pepin the Short. The traditional historiography view on the Carolingian assumption of kingship has been that it derived as the product of a long rise to power. The phrase Carolingian kingship theory reflects the view on how the Carolingian came to claim the throne a.k.a. the game of thrones – a power struggle between king, the noble families and the church – a long term plan or the aspirations of one or a few men.

Or at least that was what the title lead me to believe – instead its a work on political language and the gap between the written word (latin) and the spoken word. A barrier to separate, exclude and include. – a way of using the language to your advantage. During the middle ages a lot of the languages that are around today where forming, in that transformation what position had Latin? In written sources it’s the main language at least up until the 13th century – though still important the national languages becomes more an more so. From this written sources can we find the the oral or political language of the time, how was it used and by whom – what did the development of new languages mean and to what degree did that change the political landscape? What can we find of this in the medieval texts? Jan Rüdiger does not provide all the answers – though he suggests a few, but gives some keys to seek answers concerning this and some questions to get us started.

In many ways this describes a time with parallel languages, e.g. we can guess that most spoke the national language, some Latin, most knew about Latin but didn’t need to know it – in political language there’s also conventions, your supposed to speak in a certain way, in a certain language etc. This world really isn’t that different from today; we all speak our national language but many of us can’t survive without knowing at least one more – at least if we want certain things; today it might be English but there is also new languages and codes being born through the use of internet, smart phones etc, some languages are more ones and zeroes other coded in form of smilies, new shorts such as LOL etc. New conventions, new languages in a world that seems to be on the verge of turning upside down by economic crises, political chaos, new technology and “new“ dynasties ready to take over the world whilst the old ones are crumbling – not all that unlike the time of Charlemange is it? So this might still be a book that hold keyes to the game of thrones – the real world.

Magnus Reuterdahl

Ps. If you’ve missed the TV-series Game of thrones or the books its based upon by George R.R. Martin – see it, read it!”

Seminar on crime against cultural heritage sites

Jag kommer twittra under seminariet – följ mig på #fornbrott (I’ll tweet the seminar though in Swedish #fornbrott)

On Wednesday I’ll be at the Swedish National Herritage boards (RAÄ) seminar on crime against cultural heritage sites. The seminar includes a brief on reported crime against cultural heritage sites 2000-2010, some examples on this and perhaps most interesting former Chief Prosecutor Sven Erik Alhem on how to to formulate police reports of suspected archaeological heritage crime, how they should be dealt with before, during and after the legal process and a discussion on this.

I hope for an interesting an informative seminar. From my point of view the most interesting part is the how to bridge the gap between the lawmen and us who work with cultural history – how to find a way where we understand each other, most often when I dealt with this there a big problem has been that neither the police or the prosecutor has knowledge of the cultural Heritage Act or what a ancient or historic monument are – or the process regarding understanding damages. In one part that is our fault – we fail to give them the right information; on the other hand they fail to make us understand what they need. I know that this differs in the country but a big part of it is that relatively few cases have been in our courts – and praxis is built via the courts. Perhaps this can be a good start.

The most important question according to me is how do we get the police and prosecutors to begin processing our police reports – they often lay there collecting dust until it’s barred.

Magnus Reuterdahl