Under Terra Novas Stenar : en osteologisk- & arkeologisk analys av ett bronsåldersröse på Gotland

• Main Author: Westerberg, Felicia
• Format: Others
• Language: Swedish
• Published: Högskolan på Gotland, Institutionen för kultur, energi och miljö 2012
• Subjects: Terra Nova; Bronze Age; grave-goods; ritual; continuity; osteology; Bronsålder; gravfynd; kontinuitet; osteologi
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hgo:diva-1501

This paper discusses an osteological- and archeological analysis of a cairn from the Bronze Age on Gotland. The osteological material consists of both burnt and and unburnt bones from both human and animal. The objective of this paper is to shed light on the individuals who were buried in the cairn. It is also to generate information about continuity in its use and patterns of distribution of the bones and grave-goods in the cairn. The osteological analysis show that a minimum of five human individuals is present in the osteological material. The result also indicate that a wide range of agegroups are represented in the human bonematerial, ranging between; Infans 2 (5-14 years), Adultus (18-44 years) and Adultus/Maturus (18-64 years). The osteological analysis also show a presence of horse, pig, sheep/goat, dog and rabbit in the cairn. Due to high fragmentation and erosion no gender assessment based on the human bonematerial was made. Grave findings connected to the cairn include among other things a razor in bronze,  a pin in bronze with a spiralshaped head, a tweezer- and a miniaturesword in bronze, ceramics, coal and flint. Some of the bronze findings indicate that one of the buried individuals in the grave is of male gender. The possible meaning and role of the grave-goods in connection to the cairn and the buried individuals is discussed further in the paper. The continuity of the cairn and its roll and meaning in the society is also discussed in this thesis.