| 1. |
- Ahlgren, Hans, 1984-
(författare)
-
Prehistoric human impact on wild mammalian populations in Scandinavia
- 2021
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis aims to study the interactions of pre-agricultural societies in Scandinavia with wild mammals, for example in terms of hunting and translocation. More specifically, the aim is to investigate the possibility of identifying examples of overexploitation, targeted hunting or translocation of wild mammals in prehistoric Scandinavia, and to discuss the implications this could have had for both the wild animals and the humans. The thesis also studies translocation to evaluate the feasibility of using it as a proxy for prehistoric human mobility, and to understand the motivation for this action. Although the focus is on the animals in this thesis, the ultimate purpose is to study humans and their interactions with animals in prehistory. The thesis applies genetic analyses to zooarchaeological material of various mammalian species from different Scandinavian sites, in order to study whether the genetic structures have changed in these species over time, and to assess whether these changes were induced by different human actions. The species studied in this thesis were selected on the basis of the importance they are considered to have had for prehistoric people.The dissertation comprises five studies. The first study investigates the occurrence of mountain hares on the island of Gotland, and discusses how they got there and where they came from. The second study explores the temporal genetic structure of the grey seal in the Baltic Sea, and discusses whether humans and/or climate were the drivers for the sudden disappearance of grey seals from the island of Stora Karlsö. The third study concerns a shift where moose apparently became less important as prey in northern Sweden at the end of the Neolithic period, and discusses whether humans targeted female moose in hunting. The fourth study analyses and discusses the history of the harp seal in the Baltic Sea. The fifth study is a methodological paper which involves identifying seals according to sex, using the dog genome.The overall result of the different case studies shows that there were major population fluctuations over time in all the species studied, and that in some cases, humans are likely to have contributed to this, e.g. through overhunting and translocation. The study also shows that the population fluctuations often occurred in connection with certain climatic events, though it was not possible to separate climatic effects from human impact in terms of the cause.
|
|
| 2. |
- Dury, Jack, 1993-
(författare)
-
Dealing With Reservoir Effects in Human and Faunal Skeletal Remains : Understanding the radiocarbon dating of aquatic samples
- 2021
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Archaeology relies on the ordering of past events to study cultural developments. This has traditionally been achieved by looking at the stratigraphic depths of materials relative to one another. In this way, chronologies of past technological progressions and stylistic changes can be built. The introduction of radiocarbon dating in the 1950s revolutionised archaeology, allowing for direct, numerical estimates of a sample’s age. This allowed for more detailed past chronologies than was previously possible. Radiocarbon dating utilises the radioactive decay of carbon-14 (radiocarbon, 14C) to estimate a sample’s age with older samples having less 14C. Shortly after the introduction of radiocarbon dating, however, it was demonstrated that 14C is not evenly distributed globally. Typically, there is less 14C in marine (and sometimes freshwater) systems compared to the atmosphere. This results in aquatic samples appearing older than they are, a phenomenon known as a ‘reservoir effect’. When radiocarbon dating material from archaeological sites with marine activity, this is an important consideration. With aquatic resources being vital for human populations across the globe and for millennia, the ability to interpret aquatic radiocarbon dates is incredibly important. Making use of radiocarbon dates without properly handling any reservoir effects have proved problematic, sometimes resulting in archaeologically incorrect chronologies being constructed. Reservoir effects can, however, be managed. This thesis demonstrates how archaeologists should interpret radiocarbon dates from aquatic samples, avoiding erroneously-old age estimates. Through careful sample selection, considering complicated carbon source mixing, measuring the scale and variability of reservoir effects within a single ecosystem and using prior knowledge about a sample’s age, the dating of aquatic material can be greatly improved. This thesis also details a novel method of dating teeth, reducing uncertainty, and concomitantly estimating the extent of the reservoir effect. This was achieved by dating dental increments, combined with complex modelling. It is clear that there is no single method of handling reservoir effects, and methods for dealing with reservoir effects will differ depending on the archaeological site and specific research question. In this thesis, novel and existing methods of dealing with reservoir effects are demonstrated by considering five case studies from four archaeological sites:At the site of Hamanaka 2 (Rebun Island, Japan), it is demonstrated that by carefully selecting samples without reservoir effects, the dating of the stratigraphy of the site can be accurately modelled. Concerning the cemetery site of Rounala (northern Sweden), it is demonstrated that by carefully reconstructing complex human diets, the dating of humans can be modelled to a high resolution. This has implications for the understanding of the Church’s relationship with the cemetery. At the site of Ekven (Chukotka, Bering Strait) reservoir effect variability between species is carefully described. A more detailed understanding of regional reservoir effects allows for more accurate dating of human remains from the marine hunting Old Bering Sea culture. More accurate dating of human remains allows for the refining of existing Old Bering Sea culture chronologies. Finally, concerning the material from Resmo (Ӧland, Sweden), a novel dental wiggle matching model is presented as a possible method for reducing dating uncertainty in individuals with a marine dietary component.
|
|
| 3. |
- Feuerborn, Tatiana Richtman, 1993-
(författare)
-
Genomic insights into the population history of circumpolar Arctic dogs
- 2020
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The Siberian and North American Arctic have both borne witness to numerous migrations of humans and with them their dogs. This PhD thesis is based on whole genome data from 22 Siberian dogs and 72 North American Arctic dogs, in addition to 186 mitochondrial genomes Siberian and North American Arctic dogs. Mitochondrial genome data allowed for the identification of migration events that introduced distinct dog populations to North America, associated with different cultural complexes arriving to the region. A novel mitochondrial clade was also identified in dogs from eastern Siberia and Alaska. Genetic analysis was performed to confirm the macroscopic identification of fur used to make clothing in the Arctic in conjunction with stable isotope analyses to explore dietary differences of dog populations across the circumpolar region. The whole genome data generated for this PhD also detected and explored evidence for several gene flow events from West Eurasian dogs into the dogs of Siberia starting 10,900 BP. There was an additional gene flow event that introduced Near East related ancestry to the dogs of the Siberian Steppe before the Late Bronze Age. Dogs carrying this West Eurasian ancestry spread throughout Siberia, reaching northwestern Siberia by the Iron Age, by 2,000 BP. Further gene flow was detected later in Siberia from West Eurasia a thousand years later. North American Arctic dogs universally carry the Near East related ancestry that is seen in Siberian dogs starting in the Bronze Age, showing it had reached the Bering Strait before the ancestors of the Inuit departed Siberia for Alaska. Once in North America Inuit dogs experienced several other gene flow events from pre-contact subarctic dogs, modern European dogs, and wolves. The population structure seen in North American Arctic dogs reflects geography and the subsequent isolation as well as population turnover events associated with catastrophic epidemics in the dog populations. Finally, a simple method was developed to evaluate and remove human contamination from ancient DNA datasets originating from faunal taxa. All together this thesis has compiled genomic information from 94 Arctic dogs to shed light upon the genetic history of these dogs from the early Holocene through to the present day. This dataset has been able to provide insight not only into past dynamics of Arctic dogs but also a much needed resource for understanding and preserving the indigenous dog populations still present in the Arctic that face continued challenges of globalisation and climate change.
|
|
| 4. |
- Malmius, Anita, 1945-
(författare)
-
Burial textiles : Textile bits and pieces in central Sweden, AD 500–800
- 2020
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis concerns the role and use of archaeological textiles (AT) deposited in inhumation and cremation burials in Sweden dating from 500–800 AD. The AT are studied in their burial context, including all other grave goods, emphasizing that they were as important as a source for understanding society in prehistory as they are today. Textiles take a long time to produce, from the collection and gathering of raw materials such as wool, flax, silk, seaweed, birch bark, bast, bulrush, down and feathers and dyestuffs, to spinning, fulling, dyeing, weaving and skin and fur preparation, and finally to garment production. Furthermore, weaving and other types of handicraft demand logical thinking and creativity, in order to transform an idea into reality.Despite the fact that textile reconstructions are so time-consuming and require both knowledge and know-how, reconstructions of prehistoric clothing in publications or in museums are often based on very few facts, and these are mostly obtained from the small fragments of prehistoric burial textiles that have been preserved.A total of 108 Swedish graves containing AT are discussed in this thesis, dating from the Bronze Age up to the beginning of the Viking Age. During the period in question there was a gradual change in the material culture and burial customs, although two major changes in AT can be observed, around 550 and 800 AD. Around 550 AD a new elite boat-burial tradition started in the Mälaren Valley in Uppland in which the textiles included new non-figurative patterned fabrics such as soumak, honeycomb and warp or weft float. These fabrics occurred most frequently in the Early and Middle Merovingian Periods, and many of them probably came from the Continent as gifts, exchange goods, status articles, etc. It is also possible that skilled, imaginative weavers in Sweden invented some of the textile techniques.To understand burial customs and textile habits in Scandinavia during the period analysed here, one has to be aware that Frankish and Alemannic burial concepts were adopted. The textiles preserved from that time, the grave forms and the burial rituals show that the Scandinavian elite belonged to the same cultural sphere.Around 800 AD, at the transition from the Merovingian Period to the Viking Age, a change is noted in AT, including the introduction of silk, but also a shift in the use of metal threads from gold to primarily silver. This involved a shift in influences from Western Europe to the East.The AT used in the burials served three main functions: as clothing, bedding and covers or wrappings of various sorts (such as tarpaulins of birch bark, saddles or caparisons for horses and padding for shield handles). The results show that the AT used in the boat-graves were mainly identified as mattress covers, cushions, pillows, horse equipment, linings and other forms of covers and wrappings. This is in contrast to the AT in other inhumation and cremation graves from the Merovingian Period, which above all belonged to the clothing category. Detailed studies of individual boat-burials have made it possible to show that the tradition varied within Uppland, the only common denominator being the boat.
|
|
| 5. |
- Viberg, Andreas, 1981-
(författare)
-
Remnant echoes of the past : Archaeological geophysical prospection in Sweden
- 2012
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim of this thesis has been to investigate the benefits, pitfalls and possibilities of using geophysical methods in archaeological projects. This is exemplified by surveys carried out at archaeological sites in different geographical and chronological contexts. The thesis also aims at investigating the cause for the under-use of the methods in Swedish archaeology by looking at previously conducted surveys. The methods used during these surveys have been Ground-penetrating radar (GPR), magnetometer, slingram and a kappameter. The surveys in the mountain tundra region of Lapland show that magnetic susceptibility surveys is a valuable aid in discovering heaps of fire-cracked stones and when combined with magnetometry, also hearths. GPR and magnetometer surveys within the Migration Period ringfort Sandbyborg provided the spatial layout of the fort and indicated, along with results from recent excavations and metal detections, many similarities with the ringfort Eketorp II. The non-magnetic character of the sedimentary bedrock on Öland and Gotland is suitable for magnetometer surveys and the method is also highly appropriate for the detection of the remains of high-temperature crafts. GPR surveys at St. Mary’s Dominican convent in Sigtuna produced the spatial layout of the central cloister area. The investigations also show that the geology, pedology, land use and the character of commonly occurring prehistoric remains in Sweden, in certain circumstances and in certain areas, have restricted the possibility of successfully carrying out geophysical surveys. Care must therefore be taken to choose the right instrument for the survey and to tailor the sampling density of each geophysical survey, according to the character and size of the expected archaeological remains, in order to maximize their information return. To increase the use of geophysical methods in Sweden the educational opportunities, both for surveyors and professional archaeologists, need to improve.
|
|
| 6. |
- Wathen, Crista Adelle, 1990-
(författare)
-
Our Bones, who art contaminated : Glues, strontium isotopes, and mobility in early Swedish Christians
- 2022
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis aims to build upon previous research into contamination and its effects on isotopes by focusing on the strontium isotopic ratio (87Sr/86Sr), which is used in mobility studies to study the movements of past humans and animals and to build past economic trading networks. Contamination is a broad topic, and in the scope of this thesis, it concerns the introduction of contaminants from the soil after interment and the post-excavation preservation efforts. Due to these effects, this thesis analyzed three types of adhesives and consolidants that were or are still in use. These include strontium-containing glues, specifically animal-based glues, as well as “Karlsons klister,” which was identified as polyvinyl acetate, and epoxy resins. The latter are used to stabilize and mount small materials, such as otoliths. In addition, this thesis aims to focus on the methodological development of pretreatment methods for bones, using the Swedish Early Christians as a focus and comparing the results to the tooth enamel of the same individuals.The Christianization period in Sweden overlaps the Late Viking Age and the Early Medieval period, between the 8th and the 11th centuries. This period saw dynamic changes, which initiated the movement of people to Christianized areas. Two sites were the primary focus of this thesis, Varnhem in southwestern Sweden, which contains one of the earliest Christian communities in Sweden, and Västerhus, a well-studied site in northern Sweden, which was constructed during a period of rapid infrastructure growth. These two sites not only differ in period of use, and cemetery size, but also in regard to whether individuals were local or non-local based on their 87Sr/86Sr results. In addition, this thesis introduces the differences in individual diets using carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur. Four experiments were conducted for this thesis: two were manual contamination experiments on uncontaminated modern skeletal tissues, horse bone and cod otoliths, which were contaminated with animal-based glues and epoxy resin, respectively. These experiments tested the effects of the contamination on the biogenic 87Sr/86Sr values. The final two experiments focused on the two early Christian sites and evaluated these individuals' mobility using their enamel and bone. The enamel recorded the intra-individual strontium consumption during tooth formation so that they could be aged to site arrival. The bones from these sites were tested for diagenesis, and the coating on the Västerhus bones was identified. Then the efficacy of two pretreatment methods was tested against these types of contamination.The adhesives produced varying effects on the 87Sr/86Sr values. The strontium-containing glues affected the biogenic values of the horse bone, the resin did not appear to affect the otolith values, and the “Karlsons klister” did not appear to affect the 87Sr/86Sr values in the Västerhus bones. Neither the ashing nor the washing method effectively removed the contamination from the animal-based glues; however, it did appear to affect the values in the diagenetically altered bones.
|
|
| 7. |
- Bro-Jørgensen, Maiken Hemme, 1990-
(författare)
-
Ancient genomics of Baltic seals : Insights on the past Baltic grey seal and harp seal populations
- 2021
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis aims to study and describe the ancient populations of grey and harp seals in the Baltic Sea, and to present new methodological approaches for general use in ancient DNA studies.The dissertation is comprised of five studies: a review of the use of paleogenetics in studying ancient human-marine mammal interactions; a method paper investigating patterns of DNA preservation in ancient pinniped samples; a method paper presenting a genetic sex identification method for ancient pinnipeds; a population genomic study of the Baltic grey seal; and a population genomic study of the now extinct Baltic harp seal.Guidelines for ancient DNA sample selections were deduced from broad-scale statistical modelling of factors influencing DNA preservation in pinniped bones, the most significant of which included type of bone element, collagen content, and whether the bone derive from a cave context. Modern ringed seal samples with known sex were used to test an alternative pinniped sex identification method using the annotated dog genome as a reference for quantification of the relative representation of X chromosome reads. Reliable sex identification was shown to require a minimum of 5,000 total reads mapped to the reference genome. A total of 69 mitochondrial control regions were generated for Baltic grey seals, which revealed that the Mesolithic data largely represent extinct haplotypes, the main of which continued until the Early Neolithic. A population replacement prior to the early Bronze Age introduced mitochondrial variation resembling that of modern Baltic greys seals. The level of genetic differentiation between the Baltic harp seal population and the three contemporary breeding populations, suggests that the White Sea population is the most likely ancestor of the Baltic harp seal breeding population. An increase in genetic diversity, following a hiatus with no Baltic harp seals, combined with the measures of genetic differentiation from this period, further suggests that a second colonization likely occurred from the White Sea during the early Bronze Age.
|
|
| 8. |
- Fjellström, Markus, 1987-
(författare)
-
Food Cultures in Sápmi : An interdisciplinary approach to the study of the heterogeneous cultural landscape of northern Fennoscandia AD 600–1900
- 2020
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim of this thesis is to highlight the heterogeneous cultural landscape in Sápmi through the study of food. By studying food and the choices of specific foodstuffs in Sápmi AD 600–1900, a greater understanding can be gained on the history of this area during the period. A number of well-known archaeological sites in Sápmi have been chosen as the focus, dating from the Late Iron Age in north-central Sweden to the late-19th century in northern Norway. By means of stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S and 87Sr/86Sr) and elemental analysis on human and animal skeletal remains, the diversity in food culture has been studied. The chronological range in this thesis is rather broad but has been determined by the available archaeological skeletal material from the area. The overarching questions are how cultural diversity is reflected in different food practices, how individual life history and studies of mobility contribute to the understanding of life in Sápmi, what role the reindeer had in the diet in Sápmi during the period studied, and finally, what impact mining activities had on the local population in Sillbajåhkå/Silbojokk in terms of lead poisoning?Through the different case studies, it has been demonstrated that food consumption was by no means uniform and static during the period, and that the differences in food consumption reflect a multicultural landscape. Individuals buried in Vivallen had a diet based on terrestrial and freshwater resources, in contrast to individuals from Guollesuolu/Gullholmen and Kirkegårdsøya, who had diets based predominantly on marine protein. However, the diet of individuals buried at Gullholmen was much more varied than at Kirkegårdsøya, indicating a multi-ethnic presence. The intra-individual analysis of diet and mobility provided information on a more complex society. Whether they were Sámi or non-Sámi is difficult to assess, but they were clearly a culturally heterogeneous group of people. The individuals that were buried in Rounala and Sillbajåhkå/Silbojokk in northern Sweden had a mixed diet, including foodstuffs from terrestrial, freshwater and/or marine environments. The sites overlap chronologically, with Rounala dating from the 14th to the 18th century, and Silbojokk from the 17th to the 18th century. While individuals buried in Rounala had a mixed diet, focused on freshwater fish, individuals buried in Silbojokk had a much more varied diet. Through the analysis of sulphur and strontium isotopes, it was possible to investigate intra-individual change in diet and mobility. Further, the results indicated that reindeer protein was not a major food source at the sites studied.The mining activities at Silbojokk can be seen as the result of colonial infraction on nature and people in Sápmi by the Swedish state, with an immense and negative impact on the environment and for people there. This thesis includes the analysis and handling of human skeletal remains, which always has ethical implications: even more so in areas subjected to colonialism, such as Sápmi. My aim has been to highlight the importance of discussing reburial and repatriation and offer some thoughts on how this may be handled in the future.
|
|
| 9. |
- Fornander, Elin, 1981-
(författare)
-
Consuming and communicating identities : Dietary diversity and interaction in Middle Neolithic Sweden
- 2011
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Isotope analyses on human and faunal skeletal remains from different Swedish Neolithic archaeological contexts are here applied as a means to reconstruct dietary strategies and mobility patterns. The chronological emphasis is on the Middle Neolithic period, and radiocarbon dating constitutes another central focus. The results reveal a food cultural diversity throughout the period in question, where dietary differences in part correspond to, but also transcend, the traditionally defined archaeological cultures in the Swedish Early to Middle Neolithic. Further, these differences, and the apparent continued utilisation of marine resources in several regions and cultural contexts, can only in part be explained by chronology or availability of resources depending on geographic location. Thus, the sometimes suggested sharp economic shift towards an agricultural way of life at the onset of the Neolithic is refuted. Taking the potential of isotope analyses a step further, aspects of Neolithic social relations and identities are discussed, partly from a food cultural perspective embarking from the obtained results. Relations between people and places, as well as to the past, are discussed. The apparent tenacity in the dietary strategies observed is understood in terms of their rootedness in the practices and social memory of the Neolithic societies in question. Food cultural practices are further argued to have given rise to different notions of identity, some of which can be related to the different archaeological cultures, although these cultures are not to be perceived as bounded entities or the sole basis of self-conceptualisation. Some of these identities have been focused around the dietary strategies of everyday life, whereas others emanate from practices, e.g. of ritualised character, whose dietary importance has been more marginal. Isotope analyses, when combined with other archaeological indices, have the potential to elucidate both these food cultural aspects.
|
|
| 10. |
- Howcroft, Rachel, 1984-
(författare)
-
Weaned Upon A Time : Studies of the Infant Diet in Prehistory
- 2013
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis is concerned with how prehistoric infants were fed in different physical and cultural environments, and in particular what impact the economic, social, and epidemiological changes associated with the development of agriculture had on infant feeding practices. In order to examine these effects, stable isotope ratio analysis has been used to assess the duration of breastfeeding and weaning in a variety of prehistoric contexts. The first study is of Pitted Ware Culture hunter-gatherers at the site of Ajvide on Gotland, Sweden. Breastfeeding usually continued for at least two years, but there was some variation in supplementary foods, which is attributed to seasonal variations in resource availability. The second study analysed a number of Neolithic and early Bronze Age sites from south-east Poland. Breastfeeding duration varied both within and between sites and ranged from six months to five years. The third study found that the infant feeding practices of two Iron Age populations on Öland, Sweden, were very varied, and infants may have been fed differently depending on their social status. The fourth study is of the childhood diet in the Únětice Culture of south-west Poland. Individual diets changed little during the lifetime, suggesting that eventual adult identity was determined early in life. A small number of infants in the study were found to have breastfed for differing lengths of time. The final paper considers the health consequences of introducing animal milks into the infant diet in a prehistoric context, and finds that their availability is unlikely to have made it possible to safely wean infants earlier.Comparison of the results from the four stable isotope studies to those of other published studies reveals that the modal age at the end of weaning was slightly lower in agricultural communities than hunter-gatherer communities, but the range of ages was similar. Weaning prior to the age of eighteen months was rare before the post-medieval period. It is argued that the gradual reduction in breastfeeding duration since the Neolithic, and the replacement of breastmilk with animal milk products, means that on the whole the development of agriculture probably served to increase infant morbidity and mortality.
|
|
