ARCHAEOLOGY and ENVIRONMENT 1 By Per H. Ramqvist Department of Archaeology

236 Pages·2013·49.08 MB·English

ARCHAEOLOGY and ENVIRONMENT 1
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By
Per H. Ramqvist
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ARCHAEOLOGY and ENVIRONMENT 1
Distribution: Department of Archaeology, University of Umeå
S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Per H. Ramqvist
Fil. kand.
GENE
On the origin, function and development of sedentary
Iron Age settlement in Northern Sweden
Akademisk avhandling, som för avläggande av filosofìe doktors­
examen vid universitetet i Umeå kommer att offentligt för­
svaras i hörsal E, Humanisthuset, Umeå universitet,
fredagen den 16 december 1983 klockan 10.00.
Abstract
This thesis deals with questions concerning the sedentary settlement in central Norrland: its
origins, function and development. This type of settlement appears at the start of our calendar.
The material comprises an almost fully excavated farmstead from the Early Iron Age (1-600
A.D.), situated on Genesmon in the parish of Själevad, northern Ångermanland. Particular stress
has been put on the description of the individual structures and on questions concerning the
construction and room-division of the houses. The farm's resource utilization, handicrafts and
development are also analysed and discussed.
The basic material for the thesis has been obtained through archaeological excavations. To a
limited degree a comparative method has been used with regard to the form and content of the
farm settlement. In addition data has been extracted from the presence, distribution and species
of carbonized seeds, which were collected from post-holes, hearths and other features in and
around the nine house foundations found hitherto.
Contrary to the views of previous research, the results show that even northern Ångerman­
land obtained sedentary settlement at about the same time as Hälsingland and Medelpad. With
regard to the origin of this settlement a critical examination is made of previous research, which
has largely been in agreement that it was a result of colonization from the Mälar Valley. Some
circumstances are presented which can be interpreted rather as internal development under
influence. The settlement on the excavated site at Gene consists of a farmstead, with a three-
aisled long-house and smaller three-aisled houses nearby with special functions. The number of
small houses increases with time. Only a few remnants of dividing walls have been encountered.
Room analyses show that the long-house was probably divided into six rooms or sections, each
with its own function. The general layout and this room-division corresponds well with other
contemporary houses in, for example, S.W. Norway and on Jutland. There are however tenden­
cies towards regional differences. During the Migration Period both iron-forging and bronze-
casting have taken place on the farm. These handicrafts were probably not carried out by pro­
fessional smiths. The remains of bronze working show that relief brooches, keys, rings and pins
were cast. A preliminary going-through of the literature also shows that bronze-casting was
considerably more common on the Migration Period farms in Norden than one generally
assumed. The farm on Genesmon is suggested to have been relocated during the 6th or 7th
century A.D. Since a similar restructuring or movement of settlement can be noted over large
parts of Norden during this period, the explanations for the relocation of the Gene farm must
be sought in changes in a long-established inter-regional structure.
Key words: sedentary, settlement, colonization, internal development, origin, development,
three-aisled long-houses, house construction, room division, inter-regional structure, iron forging,
bronze casting.
Per H. Ramqvist, Department of Archaeology, University of Umeå, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
Umeå 1983 ISBN 91-7174-145-3 ISSN 0281-5877 X + 220 pp.

ARCHAEOLOGY and ENVIRONMENT 1
A dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
University of Umeå 1983
Department of Archaeology
S—901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Per H. Ramqvist
GENE
On the origin, function and development of sedentary
Iron Age settlement in Northern Sweden
Abstract
This thesis deals with questions concerning the sedentary settlement in central Norrland: its
origins, function and development. This type of settlement appears at the start of our calendar.
The material comprises an almost fully excavated farmstead from the Early Iron Age (1-600
A.D.), situated on Genesmon in the parish of Själevad, northern Ångermanland. Particular stress
has been put on the description of the individual structures and on questions concerning the
construction and room-division of the houses. The farm's resource utilization, handicrafts and
development are also analysed and discussed.
The basic material for the thesis has been obtained through archaeological excavations. To a
limited degree a comparative method has been used with regard to the form and content of the
farm settlement. In addition data has been extracted from the presence, distribution and species
of carbonized seeds, which were collected from post-holes, hearths and other features in and
around the nine house foundations found hitherto.
Contrary to the views of previous research, the results show that even northern Ångerman­
land obtained sedentary settlement at about the same time as Hälsingland and Medelpad. With
regard to the origin of this settlement a critical examination is made of previous research, which
has largely been in agreement that it was a result of colonization from the Mälar Valley. Some
circumstances are presented which can be interpreted rather as internal development under
influence. The settlement on the excavated site at Gene consists of a farmstead, with a three-
aisled long-house and smaller three-aisled houses nearby with special functions. The number of
small houses increases with time. Only a few remnants of dividing walls have been encountered.
Room analyses show that the long-house was probably divided into six rooms or sections, each
with its own function. The general layout and this room-division corresponds well with other
contemporary houses in, for example, S.W. Norway and on Jutland. There are however tenden­
cies towards regional differences. During the Migration Period both iron-forging and bronze-
casting have taken place on the farm. These handicrafts were probably not carried out by pro­
fessional smiths. The remains of bronze working show that relief brooches, keys, rings and pins
were cast. A preliminary going-through of the literature also shows that bronze-casting was
considerably more common on the Migration Period farms in Norden than one generally
assumed. The farm on Genesmon is suggested to have been relocated during the 6th or 7th
century A.D. Since a similar restructuring or movement of settlement can be noted over large
parts of Norden during this period, the explanations for the relocation of the Gene farm must
be sought in changes in a long-established inter-regional structure.
Key words: sedentary, settlement, colonization, internal development, origin, development,
three-aisled long-houses, house construction, room division, inter-regional structure, iron forging,
bronze casting.
Per H. Ramqvist, Department of Archaeology, University of Umeå, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
Umeå 1983 ISBN 91-7174-145-3 ISSN 0281-5877 X + 220 pp.
ARCHAEOLOGY and ENVIRONMENT 1
GENE
On the origin, function and development
of sedentary Iron Age settlement
in Northern Sweden
By
Per H. Ramqvist
Department of Archaeology
University of Umeå
Composer transcript by
Marianne Nejati
Illustrations, lay-out and montage by
Per H. Ramqvist
ISBN 91-7174-145-3
ISSN 0281-5877
© Per H. Ramqvist
Reproduktionscentralen,
Humanisthuset,
S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Umeå 1983
v
PREFACE
The Gene investigation was begun in 1977 and work venance and manufacture of ceramic artifacts.
is still in progress. This thesis is therefore of course a During many seminars, coffee breaks and other
component part rather than a terminal point in a occasions, I have had fruitful discussions with my
research process. Early sedentary settlement in friends and colleagues, when ideas and their eventual
central Sweden in general and Norrland in particular application have been tested. For me these informal
is practically unknown at the present time, judging by discussions have been and remain very important
the published material. The department of Archaeo­ elements in the research process.
logy at Umeå university, however, has deliberately Hitherto about 75 locally-recruited workers have
allocated large resources to this problem complex, participated in the investigation and made an import­
resulting above all in two major investigations—one in ant contribution through the excavation and sieving
Trogsta in northern Hälsingland and the one of of over 1000 cubic metres of soil. These workers have
current interest here, in Gene. As major analyses and been renumberated by Vasternorrland's County
syntheses have not yet been carried out, this thesis Employment Board ÇLänsarbetsnämnden) which, at
must in this perspective be regarded as an introduc­ an early stage, recognized the dualism in this project,
tion to future work on problems concerning the i.e. the benefits both for the labour market and for
origins, function and development of the seden­ research.
tary settlement. Within the Gene investigation we Between 1957 and 1962, Evert Baudou excavated
have tried to reduce the "empirical mountain" that cairns in northern Ångermanland. These investi­
rapidly appears by submitting reports on the exca­ gations were made at the initiative of Själevad's Local
vated material as soon as possible. At present two Historical Society (Själevads Hembygdsförening),
such reports are available (Ramqvist 1981, Lindqvist whose members had long played active parts in
1983) and two more are in progress. researching the district's prehistory. In the final stage
My teacher in Archaeology and supervisor, Pro­ of Baudou's investigation three of the burial mounds
fessor Evert Baudou, showed great confidence in me on the Genesmon cemetery were also excavated. On
when, despite limited field experience, I was offered the basis of the interesting settlement indications that
the leadership of the archaeological excavations on appeared, a further investigation of the site was
Genesmon. This confidence has in many ways been considered desirable. Fifteen years later and as
an ecouragement throughout the course of this work. Professor of the Department of Archaeology at Umeå
During the preparation of the thesis, Evert has also University, Baudou was able to realize these plans and
made valuable comments from his wide experience the author was offered the leadership of the field
and has suggested the pruning of less important or investigations. Anna-Karin Lindqvist was also there
over-weight sections of the text. from the start and has led the field work during the
Dr. Roger Engelmark, the palaeo-ecologist in our last two seasons.
department, has carried out macro-fossil analyses on During the important introductory stage of the
soil material from Genesmon throughout the investi­ investigation, the financial support of the research
gation and, in doing so, has provided the basis for foundation Seth M. Kempes minne in Örnsköldsvik
new and important points of view in the inter­ was particularly welcome. At that time it was still
pretation of for example resource utilization and uncertain whether we would encounter settlement
house functions. remains. In fact the house foundations on Genesmon
Research engineer Rita Laije at the Osteological have the archaeological inconvenience of not being
Research Laboratory, University of Stockholm, has in visible on the surface prior to excavation; which
a patient way analysed the very fragmentary bone means that their actual localization took a great deal
material. Dr. Birgitta Hulthén, the Department of of time. On the other hand, this has the advantage
Quaternary Geology, University of Lund, has ana­ that surfaces between the foundations have been and
lysed raw clay and clay samples from the site, and will be thoroughly excavated.
thereby formed a basis for the interpretation of pro­ In order that an excavation of this size can be
vi
started up and run smoothly, positive and effective responsible for the composer transcript, has gone
administrative processing is required; in this respect very well—despite periods with many, much-altered
the County Antiquarian for Västernorrland, Bengt manuscript pages. She has also proof-read large parts
Häger, was of great importance for the investigation. of the text and thereby drawn attention to many
The positive attitude and support imparted by difficult-to-discover irregularities. Parts of the manu­
Örnsköldsvik's Local Authority has also been conciai script have been read and commented upon by Lena
to the Gene investigation. Mention must here be Holm, Ingela Bergman-Hennix and Margareta Backe-
made of the Principal Secretary to the Local autho­ Högberg, here at the department. Our departmental
rity Karl-Erik Axenström, who supported the excava­ secretary, Carina Lahti, has also helped by typing fair
tions with considerable personal interest, together copies of certain parts of the manuscript. The photo­
with the Real Estate Manager Bengt Lindholm and grapher at the Faculty of Arts, Åke Sörlin, has in
engineer Lars Dahlberg, who complied with our many ways been helpful with matters regarding my
occasionally fastidious requirements for excavating photos. The antiquarian at the County Museum in
equipment and special tools. Umeå, Lars-Göran Spång, helped me to diminish and
During the last two seasons financial support has reproduce several of the excavation plans.
also been given by the Council for Research in the The translation has been carried out by Dr. Ian
Humanities and Social Sciences {Humanistisk­ Layton (Chaps. 1-3, 5—7) and John Hall, lecturer
samhällsvetenskapliga Forskningsrådet, H SFR). (Chaps. 4, 8, 9, Excursus 1). Dr. Noel Broadbent
The good relationships that developed between the translated most of the captions to the figures and
public and archaeologists through, for example, tables, together with the first written version of
Baudou's activities in the area were passed on to the Chapter 5, which was later modified by the author.
Gene investigation. Arne Söderström, assistant at Besides translating, Ian Layton also made useful
Örnsköldsvik's Museum, has acted as a very important comments on sections of the text with human geogra­
intermediary and, with his great involvement and phical connections.
narrative skill, he has continually interested people in Last but not least I want to convey my apologies
the investigation. Furthermore, Arne has helped in to Anna-Karin for certain malechauvenistic tendencies
many ways with obtaining information for this thesis. that have been accentuated during the past year.
Co-operation with Marianne Nejati, who was And Lina: now, at last, the frog!
Umeå, 8th November 1983
Per H. Ramqvist