My name is Magnus Reuterdahl; a presentation
As some of you may have noticed I have borrowed the name of this blog from Geoffrey Bibby´s book from 1956; The Testimony of the Spade – Life in Northern Europe from 15,000 B.C. to the Time of the Vikings.
In the Swedish edition of the book there is a quotation: To Vibeke. Whose question makes archaeology alive: “How does it feel to be prehistoric?” And I think that the answer is part of what got me interested in archaeology. What was life like then?
Since I first read the book in late 80’s I have studied Archaeology, Osteoarchaeology (both human Osteology and Zooarchaeology), Specialised Course in Scandinavian Languages with a Historical Profile and Cultural heritage and environment; laws and customs among other things at Stockholm University. In 2004 I got my master of arts in Archaeology and Osteoarchaeology. During my studies my questions have changed from the quite basal question to more specialised questions. But the answer to most of those questions still reflects to the basics: What was it like then?
Ottenby kungsgard excavations 2004. Photo: Magnus Reuterdahl.
Since 2004 I have worked as an Archaeologist/Zooarchaeologist/Osteologist on several projects among them: The excavations of a Pitted Ware site at Ottenby kungsgård, Öland in the south of Sweden. The Pitted Ware Culture is the name given to a Neolithic period people living in Scandinavia in the 3rd millennia BC. The report is available online but only in Swedish. For this I did the Osteological analysis.
Seal mandibula and a shard of Pitted Ware ceramics found at Ottenby Kungsgard 2004. Photo Magnus Reuterdahl.
Me and a colleague has since 2003 been working on a project called the Yangshao project which has resulted in two fieldtrips to China, and a manuscript for an article that hopefully will be printed this spring. We have a blog about the project, the blog is written in Swedish but there is an English section.
During 2005, 2006 I’ve worked as an Archaeologist at the County administrative board of Kronobergs County, Sweden, this work will continue during 2007. My assignment has been connected with the damages made by the storm Gudrun that hit the southern parts of Sweden January 8th 2005.
To the left: A grave damaged by the upheaval of the roots of a tree. To the right: a gravefield coverd by stormfelt trees. Photos by Magnus Reuterdahl 2005.
During the fall of 2005 we began a survey to estimate the damages to the cultural heritage. Partly to document the damages and partly to form an opinion of how many monuments needed to be excavated or restored due to the damages, the report is written by Kjell Edvinger (in Swedish). During 2006 we continued the work, partly with more surveys and partly throw reconstruction and restoration, a few had to be excavated, a report written by myself is published called: I rotvältors land: Länsstyrelsens meddelande nr 2007:03 (only in Swedish). During 2005 and 2006 a total of 2170 monuments and places were visited. 942 of these were in some way effected by the storm of which 181 were considered to have been seriously damaged, (webpage in swedish). During 2006 147 monuments were restored. In May of this year the project picks up again, this time with the main purpose to analyze the restoration done in 2006. If possible we also aim to restore yet more monuments and to research the effects done by reforesting.
My plan with this blog is mainly to discuss Archaeology, Prehistory, Osteology etc. In the coming months I assume that it will mostly concern Kronobergs County in Smaland Sweden and the monuments and such that I will visit during this project.
Magnus Reuterdahl
