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Flat White or With A Round Character? : New light on stone funerary slabs and orbs from south Sweden

Back Danielsson, Ing-Marie LU orcid (2026) In World Archaeology p.1-12
Abstract
Stone funerary orbs with carved ornamentation, along with similarly decorated
stones, but in the form of slabs, are a distinctive yet underexplored category of
archaeological objects from Late Iron Age Sweden. These carved stones are
originally found in burial contexts from the Migration Period (c. 400–550 CE)
and at times early Vendel Period (c. 550–800 CE). In later centuries, they are
known to have been removed from their original context, and re-used for other
purposes. This paper discusses stone funerary orbs and slabs from the Mälar
Valley, south Sweden, and sheds light on their different object itineraries
throughout time. In doing so, it focusses on the making of their ornamentation,
and its... (More)
Stone funerary orbs with carved ornamentation, along with similarly decorated
stones, but in the form of slabs, are a distinctive yet underexplored category of
archaeological objects from Late Iron Age Sweden. These carved stones are
originally found in burial contexts from the Migration Period (c. 400–550 CE)
and at times early Vendel Period (c. 550–800 CE). In later centuries, they are
known to have been removed from their original context, and re-used for other
purposes. This paper discusses stone funerary orbs and slabs from the Mälar
Valley, south Sweden, and sheds light on their different object itineraries
throughout time. In doing so, it focusses on the making of their ornamentation,
and its (desired) affects and effects, as well as the possible qualities that were
associated with the stone itself (e.g. form, colour, descent) and how these
aspects may have played pivotal roles in their removal from burial contexts
to new ontological realms. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Stone funerary orb, stone funerary slab, Iron Age, Sweden, object itinerary, societal transitions
in
World Archaeology
pages
12 pages
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • scopus:105035227878
ISSN
0043-8243
DOI
10.1080/00438243.2026.2650141
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5f65b1a9-575f-4a19-a3f0-499b3bee8d58
date added to LUP
2026-04-09 18:37:20
date last changed
2026-04-27 04:01:49
@article{5f65b1a9-575f-4a19-a3f0-499b3bee8d58,
  abstract     = {{Stone funerary orbs with carved ornamentation, along with similarly decorated<br/>stones, but in the form of slabs, are a distinctive yet underexplored category of<br/>archaeological objects from Late Iron Age Sweden. These carved stones are<br/>originally found in burial contexts from the Migration Period (c. 400–550 CE)<br/>and at times early Vendel Period (c. 550–800 CE). In later centuries, they are<br/>known to have been removed from their original context, and re-used for other<br/>purposes. This paper discusses stone funerary orbs and slabs from the Mälar<br/>Valley, south Sweden, and sheds light on their different object itineraries<br/>throughout time. In doing so, it focusses on the making of their ornamentation,<br/>and its (desired) affects and effects, as well as the possible qualities that were<br/>associated with the stone itself (e.g. form, colour, descent) and how these<br/>aspects may have played pivotal roles in their removal from burial contexts<br/>to new ontological realms.}},
  author       = {{Back Danielsson, Ing-Marie}},
  issn         = {{0043-8243}},
  keywords     = {{Stone funerary orb; stone funerary slab; Iron Age; Sweden; object itinerary; societal transitions}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  pages        = {{1--12}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  series       = {{World Archaeology}},
  title        = {{Flat White or With A Round Character? : New light on stone funerary slabs and orbs from south Sweden}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/247002253/Flat_white_or_with_a_round_character_New_light_on_stone_funerary_slabs_and_orbs_from_south_Sweden.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/00438243.2026.2650141}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}