Notes[i] from the seminar “Archeology in Stockholm County 2009” held at the County Administrative Board of Stockholm 2010[ii]. I’ve divided it into three parts in the order they were given.
The Neolithic landscape at Albyberg in Haninge.
Michel Guinard SAU (Societas Archaeologica Upsaliensis)
A report on the results from an archaeological investigation in 2009 in Haninge where 16 settlements (Stone Age), one rock with cup marks (dating Stone Age – Iron Age) and four cairns that mark boundaries (medieval or newer times) was found.
12 of the 16 settlements consisting of finds of quartz, these are dated roughly to about 9000-6000 BP. They are positioned high in the countryside, about 40-55 m above sea level, in small sheltered positions on the highest peak levels. These sites might be some kind of temporary hunting stations temporary for seal hunters, fishers or bird hunters.
These can be compared with the four Neolithic settlements found at 30-35 m above the sea level on sandy flat surfaces.
Comment;
- The report is not yet published.
Korsnäs Revisited – about an ongoing research project on middle Neolithic activities at Södertörn
Elin Fornander, the Archaeological Research laboratory, Stockholm University
Korsnäs is a pitted ware settlement (ca 3200 BC– ca 2300 BC) at Södertörn, Grödinge parish. The settlement is situated ca 25 m above the sea level on a flat sandy surface. The settlement was discovered 1903. Several minor excavations and surveys has been made since then; 1931 phosphate mapping, 1933 minor excavation, 1964 survey, 1970/1973/1979/1991/2003 minor excavations, 2005 screening of old dump piles, 2009 minor excavation).
The 2009 excavation was part in the research project at hand, the excavation will continue in 2010 as part of the field courses (Archaeology, Archaeological Sciences, Osteoarchaeology) held by the Department of Archaeology at Stockholm University.
The place has very good preservation conditions for bones. What makes the enviorment good for bone preservation has been debated, during the project soil samples will be taken for the purpose of answering that question. Among the animal bones seals and pigs dominate but bone analysis shows that an essentially part of the diet was marine which leaves question on what they did and how they regarded the pigs. There are also seven known graves, the latest found in 2009. The graves in the pitted ware culture are often elaborate and diverse. In one of the graves the individual has been laid on a bed of herring bones together with a dog skull and a clay bead in one of the eye sockets. Also interesting is a child burial.
The 2009 excavation gave evidence for the richness of the site, they excavated a surface of 17 m2 and found nearly 49 kg of ceramic shards, ca 19 % are decorated. There are also several shards from miniature vessels, they’ve been ca 2-3 cm – 5-10 cm in size. Besides the ornate ceramics the ceramics can be divided into two types; porous and solid cargoes.
Comments;
- this is an interesting project that include several archaeological methods; soil analysis, lipid analysis, bone chemistry (13C-analysis), ceramic analysis, osteology etc. The results will come in a report, but also as part of a student essays and be part of at least one thesis.
Mass burn sacrifice (flint and other stone tools that has been purposely exposed to fire and heat as a ritual act) in early agricultural society, Stensborg, Grödinge parish
Lars Larsson, Department of Archaeology Lund University
Settlements are often a too wide term to describe a site as it includes many diverse and divergent types of sites; human settlements, farms, manufacturing sites, hunting sites, activity areas, etc. In this case a better word might be gathering sites (Samlingsplaster). They are well defined places, often they can be described as some form of enclosed by natural or manmade barriers such as ravines, trenches, open water, hills etc. At these locations one finds large amounts of deposited burned, and deliberately broken objects; flint artifacts, slate artifacts, ceramics, exotic objects, human bones, etc., Known places of this sort includes Sarup in Demark on Fyn, the Alvastra pile-dwelling and a number of premises in southern Sweden. An interconnecting element is fire and the deliberated destruction of the objects. The items are usually deposited in small pits or small thin flakes.
At a golf course in Stenstorp, Grödinge parish, a small field between two courses has be saved. On this field archaeologist Sven-Gunnar Bostrom have picked up, measured, positioned and collected more than 3,000 objects by field walking. Among the objects are large quantities of rock axes (thin-and with a pointed ridge), flint axes, and much Funnelbeaker (TRB) ceramics. A high percentage of the ceramic shards are decorated. There are also a lot of exotic objects such as a slate knife and the artifacts made of Kristianstad Flint. These have artifacts have been deliberately destroyed by fire and by breaking. A lot of the objects have roughly the same size which shows that it’s important how to destroy them correctly. They could also be said to have been “baked” or cremated in a controlled way to make the destruction go a certain way for example the flints are often found as large pieces of white sheets of flint. Thereafter the destroyed objects have been “buried” in small pits that has been sealed with clay or in flat beds of clay that more resembles a form a sowing. Some artifacts, such as rock chisels are not destroyed, indicating that they instead have been used in the process of destruction.
In 2008 and 2009 excavations in the field and on the ridge which forms the northern boundary. During the excavation yet another interesting find was made, in the field, concentrations of burnt grain, more than 7000 grains were collected from three samples- The grain consist mainly of barley, spelt and bread wheat. The grain was well-stocked, severely burned and in combination with very little charcoal. This indicating that the grain exercised as fuel. 14C-dating of the grain gives dates to ca 4600 BP i.e. Funnelbeaker culture.
The excavations on the ridge resulted in more normal settlement finds.
Comments;
- So far this place is unique in this part of Sweden, though not unique in Scandinavia. It shows extraordinary similarities to their southern counterparts, which indicates arather close connection between the South Scandinavian Stone Age cultures and between middle Swedish owns. Among the finds are also artifacts that show contacts to the north, such as a slate knife, also broken. The similarity between these sites indicates that there is a consciousness and organization within the society that reaches far beyond the tribe or the closest neighbors, that borders on the concept of organized religion.
Magnus Reuterdahl
[i] These notes should not be used as references, if you’re interested I’m sure the people behind the seminars are happy to help you.
[ii] These are memory notes so there might very well a few faults or misunderstandings among them, if you find anything that is wrong or out of place please contact me so that I can fix it.
Testimony of the Spade will host the Four Stone Hearth blog carnival on Wendsday, February 10th. If you would like to contribute any anthropology-themed posts that you’ve written or you’ve seen please send me a mail; inventerare[at delete_this]hotmail[dot]come.
Best wishes
Magnus Reuterdahl
The county administrative board of Stockholm holds a seminar on archaeology in Stockholm County on Thursday February 4th that I’ll attend.
Seminars
- The Stone Age landscape at Albyberg, Haninge by Michel Guinard, SAU
- Korsnäs revisited – an ongoing research project on middle neolithic activities at Södertörn by Elin Fornander, the Archaeological Research Laboratory (AFL), Stockholm University
- Mass burn sacrifice (flint and other stone tools that has been purposely exposed to fire and heat as a ritual act) in early agricultural society, Stensborg, Grödinge parish by Lars Larsson, Department of Archaeology Lund University
- At Jarlabankes home – are the people buried at Broby, Täby parish, related? by Lars Andersson, Stockholm County Museum
- Prehistoric ceramic usage in the eastern part of middle Sweden – a result of university- and assignment (exploration) archaeology by Sven Isaksson, the Archaeological Research Laboratory (AFL), Stockholm University
- Karsvik in Bromma – a plateau house environment, Norra Ängby by Anna Arnberg, Johan Runar & Bengt Windelhed, Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies, Stockholm University
- On the marine archaeological work at the harbour of Birka by Johan Rönnby, Department of Culture and Communication; Archaeology, Södertörn University
- Excavtaions at Spånga church – a completed project by John Wendesjö, Stockholm city museum
- The Dominican convent in Sigtuna by Anders Wikström, Sigtuna Museum
An interesting mix of university scholars and archaeologist working with assignment/exploration archaeology and an interesting mix of subjects – I’ll write a few lines on them later on.
Magnus Reuterdahl
I got older a few days ago, one of the presents managed to find its way over here; a deck of cards. Now this might not seem like much but there was some though behind this, I’ll get back to that. The game is called Killespelet which if I understand it right is derived from the game Coucou, a French game from the 16th century that quickly became popular all over central Europe. In the end of the 18th century a special deck of cards were invented for the game. During the 18th century the game the game became popular in Germany, Austria, Switzerland etc as Hexenspiel (The witch game) and Vogelkarten (the bird cards). The first time the game is mentioned in Sweden is in 1741 as campio. The name changed to Kille sometime during the first half of the 19th century, the first time it is mentioned is in 1833. The game in itself can be played in several variants all used in gambling.
The deck only holds one colour with 21 denominations; these are in doublets making the deck hold a total of 42 cards.
I wrote that there was some thoughts behind this present, an it is not that I am known for gambling or a certain love for card games, but another peculiar fact; This particular deck of cards is a facsimile from a deck printed in the middle of the 19th century by my ancestor Carl Fredrik Reuterdahl who owned a printing company that in Malmö.
Carl Fredrik Reuterdahl, brother of Henrik Reuterdahl (archbishop 1856-1870), born 1797 and died 1876. He became a merchant and started several businesses such as a printing shop and a wine importing company or shop (I’m not sure which) which according to Henrik Reuterdahl went bad and costed him a lot of money as he had guaranteed several loans in his brothers name.
Magnus Reuterdahl
J.D. Salinger has past away at age 91, an eccentric and legendary author best known for his Cather in the Rye (1951). Catcher is a great read but my favourites are his debut novel A Perfect Day for Bananafish (1948) and Franny and Zooey (1961).
Now Salinger is one of those authors that I got know long before I read anything of his work. My first real contact was in fact Ian Hamilton’s biography In Search of J.D. Salinger: A Writing Life (1935–65) from 1988 telling the tale of the author that did not want to be published disturbed or be known. This got me to read and buy and read Salinger’s body of work. It’s a fascinating tale that I’ll have to reread some day.
Rumours have it that Salinger never stopped writing and that several novels and as in any death speculations will arise if or when they’ll be published, there is also a risk or chance (depending on stand point) that Cather in the Rye makes it to the movies. In one way I would love to read more stories from Salinger on the other hand he choose not to publish them and to live out his life away from the public eye.
I hope he got the life he wanted – now R.I.P. – J.D.
//Magnus Reuterdahl
The entrance to the Museum of Medieval Stockholm, in the background to the left is the royal castle and the Old town and to the right Sveriges Riksdag (the Swedish Parliament building).
For those of you that are not familiar with Stockholm, it’s the capitol of Sweden; the city was founded during the 12th or 13th century and became the capitol during the 15th century. Still there are lots of traces of the medieval town to been seen, in the Old City, in some of the churches and of course in museum exhibits and collections. The Museum of Medieval Stockholm is build around a part of the city wall that was found during excavations at Helgeandsholmen (The Island of the Holy Spirit) between 1978 and 1980 and opened in 1986.
The city wall, or what’s left of it
The museum has undergone renovations and been closed since 2007. This weekend the Museum of Medieval Stockholm reopened. I took a few pictures and rather than a long post I’ll let them do most of the talking. A few notes; the museum has gotten a facelift, a few modifications on the old exhibit and a few new installments. I feel it’s all for the better, it’s less crowded and bit more airy and concentrated. A new feature is a “science fair” where archaeologists and specialists such as osteologists talks (on small video screens) on their work, on methods and results or so I was told – there a bit noisy with all the visitors – so I’ll take a rain check on them but it seemed interesting enough for a re-visit, that and the fact that I know a couple of the people on those screens. A few things are still missing such as information signs and such – but I’m sure it’ll all work out just fine.
Life in a bubble?
Welcome to the abandoned land,
come on in child,
take my hand…
Now life in medival time time was hard but probably not quite as grim, though these bones tells a story of some that had a pretty hard life
these bones, belonged to someone that wasn’t all that well (the second from the front displays a femur (thigh bone)), thank God for modern day medicine and doctors.
This is a human spine which have ossified due to disease, possibly some kind of arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis
and for those unlucky enough it all ended here…
…at the gallows end
others lived out there life within the city
as working men or women
-Wanna buy some bread!
…others choose a different life, a new part of the exhibit is about cloisters, devoting their lives to the almighty and his works
here is the cloister garden
while yet others served the more worldly powers
Stockholm on display!
Stockholm as it looked to a medieval artist
Here a more modern approach on how the medieval town was layed out
If you’re in Stockholm looking for a good museum or to kill a few hours the Museum of Medieval Stockholm is a good choice.
I’ll close it all up with a few words from those who were Stockholmare then, and made this rune stone
//Magnus Reuterdahl
Tomorrow I’ll attend the reopening of the Medieval Museum of Stockholm. Officially it opens at 1400 but I got an invitation, btw thanks, to the opening ceremony at 1200 so if you’re attending- see you there!
Magnus Reuterdahl
I’ve just opened up the covers of Thomas McGuane – Ninety-Two in the shade (1973).
A long time ago, at least it seems that way, I worked in a second hand record and book shop in Jönköping. It’s closed now but I am still in contact with the owner and my previous employer when I get home. This in turn leads to a thinning wallet, as he knows my vices. But then again we also share a similar taste in literature and he use to recommed this and that when we meet, this time he recommend and lent me this one – with the words as if Hemingway wrote a detective, noir or pulp novel and did it good. For your information it may be interesting to know that Hemingway is not one of my favourite authors. I find him a bit too chatty, descriptive and a bit to forced in an old fashioned masculine way, which probably is due to the fact that he was a man of his age and I am one of mine. Therefore it shall be interesting to see how I feel about this one.
Magnus Reuterdahl
This time I was greeted by a cloud of smoke, ca 200-300 m NNW of my living quarters a fire is raging. Well, raging is perhaps a somewhat strong word as the fire department believes that they have the situation under control. But the smell of warm metal, charcoal and smoke is eminent and I live in a house built sometimes during the end of the 19th century and what is the main material – you guessed right – wood.
Well I’ll try to sleep but I guess that might sleep a bit light, partly as it’s not all that pleasent to have a fire close by partly due to the smell.
Länstidningen Östersund (article in the local paper in Swedish)
Magnus Reuterdahl
Sometimes you get mysterious backlinks, some awakes the curiosity in me; I got a back link to this pdf that caught my attention which in turn led me to the Apple Valley Unified School, California, USA, and the Granite Hills High School .
The pdf is regarding the human skeleton and there is a photograph on a cranium with wormian bones that I took a couple of years ago and posted here, see this post . I think it’s great that the picture has come to use and I hope ms Jones are a returning visitor to my blog and I wish the best of luck to you and your students.
Kranium med inca ben, os incae
All photos on this blog are taken by me (Magnus Reuterdahl) if not otherwise specified. All pictures taken by me and published on this blog are free to use, all I ask is that you give me and the blog credit for it and that they are not used in political or religious propaganda. If you want a picture with a higher resolution please contact me via e-mail or the comment function. In this case there was a reference link to the blog – thanks!
Magnus Reuterdahl
