Real world postPhD

Welcome Elin Fornander to the real world and congratulations, just yesterday her thesis was printed and she got to hold it in her hands. The title is Consuming and communicating identities – Dietry diversity and interaction  in Middle Neolithic Sweden. It still has to be defended – but I share no fears it will go smoothly – now it is just the question of finding your place in the archaeological real world postPhD, best of luck (I share no fears here either).

I look forward to give it a good read through as I have high hopes for this next chapter in research regarding the Neolithic’s (and pitted ware culture) and will come back to the subject as I’ve read the thesis and after the dissertation.

Big congratulations to Elin

Magnus Reuterdahl

On display – Inca gold (?)

Today I’ll visit the exhibition Inca gold – treasures in the vault, an exhibition by Världskulturmuseerna (the museums of world culture) on display in Stockholm September 10th 2011– February 12th 2012.

The exhibition is on archaeological finds from South America, for example from the Incas and earlier Peruvian cultures, and tells the tale on the search for El Dorado, the golden land, and the Spanish conquest of the Incas.

About 300 objects from 15 Peruvian museums are on display. The objects are from the Incas and the cultures preceding them, the oldest from ca 2000 BC and then reaching to the 1530s AD. Besides gold there are also textiles, ceramics and mummies on display.

Not all are pleased with the exhibit, one disgruntled visitor filed a complaint to the National Consumer Agency, according towww.dagensmedia.se he said :

“…an exhibition called the Inca gold. The problem is that , as far as I could see, when visiting yesterday, is that only two objects made of gold where from the Incas (though he says he might have missed yet another). All other objects were from other Peruvian cultures…“

We’ll see what I think when I’ve seen it. Now I have:

There wasn’t much Inca gold but lots of interesting objects and stories. For most parts I liked this exhibit, though South American prehistory isn’t my forte it seemed a good introduction – with nice finds, good texts and a well balanced exhibit, though a bit expensive (ca 16 €). On a whole its a good exhibit well worth a visit!

I like an exhibit when I feel I learned something – and that I did. On the minus side is a few question marks – I would have liked a culture explanation on the pre-Inca cultures earlier and a more consequent mentioning on that in the info texts. Regarding the info signs for the finds – they’re often confusing and difficult to find in regards to objects.

Especially two things concerned me – first an information sign concerning Hjalmar Stolpe, a Swedish archaeologist/ethnographic (1841-1905). A picture shows him with his associates and co-workers at a South American expedition – together with finds and three craniums. It is very possible that I’ve handled one or all of them at the Osteological research laboratory in Stockholm at one time or another – but no mention is made on that material being brought to Sweden or the question regarding handling human remains, brought to at the time and being kept in Sweden currently. As much focus are on the Spanish invasion and the consequeses of that less so are focused on the late 19^th and early 20^th century “collectors”/researchers such as Stolpe, though they are mentioned. The next are two mummies, if I understand correctly collected by Stolpe, that are on display – they work within the exhibit and don’t feel off – but I wish there would have been a larger focus on why they are there, on the thoughts on displaying mummies and perhaps also a discussion if they should be shown at all. I don’t say they shouldn’t be but it would have been interesting with a discussion concerning that instead of questions on gold and how we look on gold today.

Magnus Reuterdahl

Magnus Reuterdahl

New job

Starting sometime in october and 6 months forth I’ll be working at Västerbotten county administrative board. My office will be in Härnösand.

Magnus Reuterdahl

Gaze into my crystal ball

See what lies behind the wall

Can’t you feel the wonder of it all…

The future is becoming more clear by the minute, at least it seems like I’ll have a job during the winter months, not the easiest thing for a hobo archaeologist, though I’ll change employer. I really enjoyed Kalmar County museum and all great colleagues and hope to return one day or another but for now it seems my most immediate future lays elsewhere. I’ve been lucky this fall and gotten several call backs to job interviews which has now lead to decision time – on Monday I’ll give you further details.

It seemed a little bit of a mess for awhile but after a few hours of thinking the decision came quite easy. So now awaits a nice weekend with some good wine, some good food and lots of rest.

Before that start there still some weeks of digging to be done in Blekinge

Have a nice weekend all!

Magnus Reuterdahl

Going places

A constant in life is that time is passing – at present the days seems to go with the speed of light. Since a week back I’m part of the excavating crew at the E22 in Blekinge, in the south part of Sweden, still employed by Kalmar County museum. The excavation concerns several areas, among them several Mesolithic settlements and activity sites, and some later Stone Age burials, Iron Age burial sites etc., etc. Lots of exciting stuff – though this post is not about that.

This has though meant that I transferred my living quarters to Sölvesborg – a new town means new things to see – among them are two rune stones. One is placed inside S:t Nicholai church in Sölvesborg. the oldest parts are from the 13^th century. Inside the church are several interesting paintings from the 15^th cen

  

Back to the rune stones. Its not everyday you see rune stones from the 6^th – 8^th century, e.g. rune stones with runes from the older futhark, and fewer still that you see two.

Just outside the church is the rune stone DR 356 (Sölvesborg 18:1).

The inscription on the stone in the church is:

Orti Vað[i] [ept] Ásmund, son sinn.

English translation should read some like; Vaði wrought (in memory of ) Ásmundr, his son.

The other rune stone, DR 357 (Sölvesborg 18:2) is placed inside the church and has been moved to Sölvedborg from Gammeltofta parish and is called the Stentofta rune stone.

<niuha>borumz <niuha>gestumz Haþuwulfz gaf j[ar], Hariwulfz … … haidiz runono, felh eka hedra, niu habrumz, niu hangistumz Haþuwulfz gaf j[ar], Hariwulfz … … haidiz runono, felh eka hedra, ginnurunoz. Hermalausaz argiu, Weladauþs, sa þat, briutiþ.

English translation: (To the) <niuha>dwellers (and) <niuha>guests Haþuwulfar gave ful year, Hariwulfar … … I, master of the runes(?) conceal here nine bucks, nine stallions, Haþuwulfar gave fruitful year, Hariwulfar …

I’ll try to take a few hikes and see some more ancient monuments in Bleking the coming weeks, my current employment last till the end of September so its also time to look for new employments – I’ve been on a couple of interviews the last weeks so its possible that its soon time for a new move.

Magnus Reuterdahl