Cooking fish and drinking milk? Patterns in pottery use in the southeastern Baltic, 3300–2400 cal BC

yesA study of pottery vessel contents and use was undertaken in order to obtain information on food processed in Subneolithic and Neolithic vessels from Nida and Šventoji (3300–2400 cal BC). The aim is to assess pottery use during major changes in the coastal environment and in material culture. Bulk carbon and nitrogen isotope, lipid biomarker and compound specific carbon isotope analysis was undertaken on ‘foodcrusts’, charred deposits adhering to vessel surfaces, and absorbed residues from different vessel types. In addition, three archaeological seal bones were analysed for bulk collagen and compound specific carbon isotope analysis to establish collagen-lipid offsets to inform interpretation of the data. The results show that the majority of the vessels were used for processing aquatic products. At Nida the data suggest exploitation of freshwater resources and, in the later stages of occupation, dairying. Analysis of a small number of Subneolithic vessels from Šventoji produced results that are also consistent with processing of aquatic products. Other substances identified include Pinaceae sp. resin or tar and beeswax. These data demonstrate that identifying patterns in pottery use contributes to understanding Neolithisation processes

The genetic history of Scandinavia from the Roman Iron Age to the present

The authors acknowledge support from the National Genomics Infrastructure in Stockholm funded by Science for Life Laboratory, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and the Swedish Research Council, and SNIC/Uppsala Multidisciplinary Center for Advanced Computational Science for assistance with massively parallel sequencing and access to the UPPMAX computational infrastructure. We used resources from projects SNIC 2022/23-132, SNIC 2022/22-117, SNIC 2022/23-163, SNIC 2022/22-299, and SNIC 2021-2-17. This research was supported by the Swedish Research Council project ID 2019-00849_VR and ATLAS (Riksbankens Jubileumsfond). Part of the modern dataset was supported by a research grant from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), grant number 16/RC/3948, and co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund and by FutureNeuro industry partners.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Fortsättning följer : Arkeologisk undersökning i Gamla Skogsby september och oktober 2022

Denna rapport presenterar resultaten från Linnéuniversitetets arkeologiska Papmehl-Dufay (red.)undersökningar i Gamla Skogsby på västra Öland, som genomfördes i septemberoch oktober 2022. Deltog gjorde studenter från kurserna Arkeologi III ochAvancerad fältarkeologi samt arkeologen Sandra Lundholm från Kalmar länsmuseum. Ansvarig för undersökningen var universitetslektor Ludvig PapmehlDufay från Linnéuniversitetet. Resultaten ger nya inblickar i platsens forntidahemligheter, både rörande det hus från folkvandringstiden som undersöktssedan 2019 och andra delar av fornlämningsområdet.

Heritage value from below. : A local community perspective on conservation, preservation and authenticity in SE Sweden

This paper discusses how archaeological heritage can function as a focus of community identity in a rural setting, and what happens when an original monument is replaced by a copy. The case study presented deals with a visually striking ancient monument on the island of Öland, SE Sweden, that was accidentally broken in 2014 and later reconstructed. This case thus touches upon concepts such as authenticity, age value and aura of ancient objects and monuments, but also community engagement in local heritage and the ability of archaeology in adding value to existing sites and monuments. It is concluded that a dissonance often exists between the official assessment of heritage value, and values appreciated by the local community. In the latter, social value can be seen as connected to the concept of pastness, where a range of factors both material and immaterial combine to render a monument or a site its perceived significance.Este artigo discute como o patrimônio arqueológico pode funcionar como um foco de identidade comunitária em um ambiente rural, e o que acontece quando um monumento original é substituído por uma cópia. O estudo de caso apresentado trata de um monumento antigo visualmente impressionante na ilha de Öland, sudeste da Suécia, que foi quebrado acidentalmente em 2014 e posteriormente reconstruído. Este caso, portanto, aborda conceitos como autenticidade, valor de idade e aura de objetos e monumentos antigos, mas também o envolvimento da comunidade no patrimônio local e a capacidade da arqueologia em acrescentar valor aos monumentos locais e sítios existentes. É concluído que existe uma dissonância muitas vezes entre a avaliação oficial do valor patrimonial e os valores apreciados pela comunidade local. Neste último caso, o valor social pode ser visto como conectado ao conceito de passado, onde uma gama de fatores tanto materiais quanto imateriais se combinam para dar a um monumento ou local seu significado percebido

Ett senneolitiskt flatmarksgravfält? : Arkeologisk förundersökning, särskild arkeologisk undersökning : Björnhovda 1:27, Raä 178, 180 och 270, Torslunda socken, Mörbylånga kommun

This report presents the results of an archaeological site evaluation and a subsequent archaeological excavation performed by Kalmar county museum in August and November 2008, at Björnhovda 1:27, parish of Torslunda, Öland, southeast Sweden. The aim was initially to establish the spatial distribution within the appointed area of two previously recorded Stone Age settlement sites, but it was soon realised that activities in historical times to a large extent have erased the traces of Stone Age settlement. However, in a low-lying area between the two sites two rock axes were found deposited close together, in what turned out to be a late Neolithic flat earth burial in which no skeletal remains were preserved. The find resulted in a following excavation aiming at finishing the excavation of the newly found burial and by means of further soil stripping establishing its archaeological context. The excavation resulted in the detection of another 4 features of possible burial character, none of which contained grave goods or skeletal remains. All features interpreted as possible burials were sampled for phosphate analysis, and the results were expexted to facilitate the interpretation of the function of the features. Most of the samples turned out to contain low phosphate amounts, however. Variation was low and the resulting pattern was not in any straightforward way possible to connect to the spatial outline of the features. Thus the phosphate analysis did not present the full answer, but based on a number of related circumstances it is argued that the excavated features most probably represent a cemetery containing (at least) 5 burials from the late Neolithic. As a background to this information a compliation of earlier excavated late Neolithic burials on Öland is presented

Mellanneolitikum vid Ottenby Kungsgård : Arkeologisk undersökning av raä 40, Ås socken, Ölands sydspets, april - september 2004

Us and Them. Cultural Identity during the Neolithi

Mellanneolitikum vid Ottenby Kungsgård : Arkeologisk undersökning av raä 40, Ås socken, Ölands sydspets, april - september 2004

Us and Them. Cultural Identity during the Neolithi

Those who dig will find out : Reflections on archaeological knowledge and public outreach

In this paper, the critical role of the archaeological excavation as a source of scientific knowledge is emphasised. The point of departure is the Neolithic on the island of Öland in the Baltic Sea. Examples from three recently performed small-scale excavations on the island are presented, in an attempt to illustrate that not only large-scale excavations in typical locations have a large scientific potential. In connection to this discussion, the concepts of deductive and inductive excavation strategies are presented. Furthermore, the importance of public outreach in connection to excavations is stressed, and it is argued that in order to reach a broader audience, we need to think outside the box and dare tread new paths in terms of communication media as well as in terms of the message we deliver. At one of the excavations exemplified, some effort was put into public outreach, and among other things participant public archaeology was conducted. This was very successful, and it is argued that most excavations situated close to settled areas have the potential of presenting to the public an exciting glimpse of archaeology as an important and valuable enterprise

Kalven i gropen : Arkeologisk förundersökning, Pettersholm 1:7 och 1:8, Högsrum sn, Öland, Kalmar län

This report presents the results from an archaeological trial excavation performed by Kalmar County Museum during two days in August 2008 at Pettersholm, western Öland, southeast Sweden. The area is planned for the construction of two houses, and the investigation aimed at delimiting the occurrence of prehistoric and historic remains within the area and document the features encountered. The excavation resulted in one single sunken feature, consisting of a pit c 0,65 m in diameter and containing the almost complete skeletal remains of a calf and in addition six flint flakes and a handful of fragments of burnt bone. The calf was 14C-dated to c 3500-3100 cal BC, corresponding to the late Early and early Middle Neolithic. This makes it the oldest securely dated find of cattle on Öland, and actually the oldest complete skeleton of a cow encountered in all of Sweden. Since no other sunken features were found within the area and since the ”cow pit” was completely excavated, no further archaeological work is suggested. The find however makes the area adjacent to the west a potential hotspot for future excavations, since the pit probably is connected to a larger context extending in this direction