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Archaeological Narratives of Rural Subalterns

Hansson, Martin LU orcid ; Williamsson Lind, Sara LU orcid ; Rosén, Christina ; Svensson, Eva and Nilsson, Pia (2026) p.379-396
Abstract
In recent years, Sweden has seen an increase in archaeological investigations regarding subaltern settlements from the recent past. This chapter advocates using a triangulation approach with written documents, historical maps, and archaeological data as a preferred method for investigating rural subalterns. This approach enables archaeology to play a significant role in uncovering subaltern multi-vocality and coping strategies. The chapter offers an overview of recent archaeological research on rural subalterns in Sweden and uses the analytical tools powerscape, matterscape, livelihood, dwelling, and skill as starting points for the discussion. The first case study encompasses a landscape study of crofts connected to the Hovdala estate in... (More)
In recent years, Sweden has seen an increase in archaeological investigations regarding subaltern settlements from the recent past. This chapter advocates using a triangulation approach with written documents, historical maps, and archaeological data as a preferred method for investigating rural subalterns. This approach enables archaeology to play a significant role in uncovering subaltern multi-vocality and coping strategies. The chapter offers an overview of recent archaeological research on rural subalterns in Sweden and uses the analytical tools powerscape, matterscape, livelihood, dwelling, and skill as starting points for the discussion. The first case study encompasses a landscape study of crofts connected to the Hovdala estate in southern Sweden. The second example showcases the excavation of a croft located in Tjuvkil, in western Sweden, where the crofters were seen to have used a variety of skills and practices, such as metalworking, animal husbandry, and the extraction of seafood. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
In recent years, Sweden has seen an increase in archaeological investigations regarding subaltern settlements from the recent past. This chapter advocates using a triangulation approach with written documents, historical maps, and archaeological data as a preferred method for investigating rural subalterns. This approach enables archaeology to play a significant role in uncovering subaltern multi-vocality and coping strategies. The chapter offers an overview of recent archaeological research on rural subalterns in Sweden and uses the analytical tools powerscape, matterscape, livelihood, dwelling, and skill as starting points for the discussion. The first case study encompasses a landscape study of crofts connected to the Hovdala estate in... (More)
In recent years, Sweden has seen an increase in archaeological investigations regarding subaltern settlements from the recent past. This chapter advocates using a triangulation approach with written documents, historical maps, and archaeological data as a preferred method for investigating rural subalterns. This approach enables archaeology to play a significant role in uncovering subaltern multi-vocality and coping strategies. The chapter offers an overview of recent archaeological research on rural subalterns in Sweden and uses the analytical tools powerscape, matterscape, livelihood, dwelling, and skill as starting points for the discussion. The first case study encompasses a landscape study of crofts connected to the Hovdala estate in southern Sweden. The second example showcases the excavation of a croft located in Tjuvkil, in western Sweden, where the crofters were seen to have used a variety of skills and practices, such as metalworking, animal husbandry, and the extraction of seafood. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Subaltern, Sweden, Historical archaeology, archaeology of subalterns, triangulation, crofts, landscape, Sweden
host publication
The Oxford Handbook of Post-Medieval Archaeology in the Nordic Countries
editor
Lipkin, Sanna and Kallio-Seppä, Titta
pages
18 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
ISBN
9780197756669
9780197756690
DOI
10.1093/9780197756690.003.0026
project
The Heritage of Suablterns in Sweden, 1700-1900 (De osynligas kulturarv)
Crofts in Southern Sweden - a microhistorical approach to dwelling and agency
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
19893963-3946-414c-917d-3795e0ef3c05
date added to LUP
2026-05-28 13:31:07
date last changed
2026-06-12 03:22:11
@inbook{19893963-3946-414c-917d-3795e0ef3c05,
  abstract     = {{In recent years, Sweden has seen an increase in archaeological investigations regarding subaltern settlements from the recent past. This chapter advocates using a triangulation approach with written documents, historical maps, and archaeological data as a preferred method for investigating rural subalterns. This approach enables archaeology to play a significant role in uncovering subaltern multi-vocality and coping strategies. The chapter offers an overview of recent archaeological research on rural subalterns in Sweden and uses the analytical tools powerscape, matterscape, livelihood, dwelling, and skill as starting points for the discussion. The first case study encompasses a landscape study of crofts connected to the Hovdala estate in southern Sweden. The second example showcases the excavation of a croft located in Tjuvkil, in western Sweden, where the crofters were seen to have used a variety of skills and practices, such as metalworking, animal husbandry, and the extraction of seafood.}},
  author       = {{Hansson, Martin and Williamsson Lind, Sara and Rosén, Christina and Svensson, Eva and Nilsson, Pia}},
  booktitle    = {{The Oxford Handbook of Post-Medieval Archaeology in the Nordic Countries}},
  editor       = {{Lipkin, Sanna and Kallio-Seppä, Titta}},
  isbn         = {{9780197756669}},
  keywords     = {{Subaltern; Sweden; Historical archaeology; archaeology of subalterns; triangulation; crofts; landscape; Sweden}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  pages        = {{379--396}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  title        = {{Archaeological Narratives of Rural Subalterns}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/9780197756690.003.0026}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/9780197756690.003.0026}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}