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Kontextualisering av metallhantverk på landsbygden - arkeometallurgi och landskapsstudiemetodik

Svensson, Andreas LU orcid (2015) 5. p.131-137
Abstract
The research project "Exclusive metalworking in rural settings" was instigated in 2013 with funding from Berit Wallenbergs foundation. The projects objective is to survey sites housing remains of multimetal

craftsmanship of the late Iron Age and medieval periods

outside urban contexts. This article aims to contextualize preliminary results from the project by evaluating its chosen source material and methodology and relating it to a wider chronological sphere.

Multimetal craftsmanship or complex smithing can be traced in the archaeological record through composite objects incorporating more the one metal,mostly iron or steel and copper alloys. The craft can also be discerned through metallurgical waste material... (More)
The research project "Exclusive metalworking in rural settings" was instigated in 2013 with funding from Berit Wallenbergs foundation. The projects objective is to survey sites housing remains of multimetal

craftsmanship of the late Iron Age and medieval periods

outside urban contexts. This article aims to contextualize preliminary results from the project by evaluating its chosen source material and methodology and relating it to a wider chronological sphere.

Multimetal craftsmanship or complex smithing can be traced in the archaeological record through composite objects incorporating more the one metal,mostly iron or steel and copper alloys. The craft can also be discerned through metallurgical waste material like slag cakes from smithing showing traces of the handling of copper alloys.

The material used in the survey stems exclusively from Swedish contract archaeology of the last decades. Raw results from contract archaeology are far too rarely used to their full potential in contemporary archaeological research. The survey project hence serve as a good example of how these results can be utilized in contemporary research. A few essential problems were identified in the survey process. Most notable of these was the lack of basic interpretation of

the metallurgical remains that was sometimes displayed

in contract archaeology basic reports.¨

This is partly ndue to insufficient time and resources given to certain projects but it’s also concluded that the archaeometallurgical knowledgebase may be inadequate in a few instances. These problems are

also argued to be a factor in the miscommunication between present contract archaeology and academia, causing harmful mistrust on both sides.

The analysis of the positioning of multimetal craftsmanship in the cultural landscape has yielded results as to the resource management, economic and social structure requirements and spatial make-up of Late Iron Age and early medieval metalworking. This article argues that the methodology used in the project "Exclusive metalworking in rural settings" could be fruitfully employed across wide chronological and thematic spans. By viewing the metalworking sites as active source material in archaeometallurgical research, new insights can be gained regarding both metalworking as a craft and and its defining agent - the metalworkers. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Metallhantverk, Landskapsstudier, Multimetallitet, Järnålder, Bronsålder
host publication
Bronzestöbning i yngre bronzealders lokale kulturlandskab
volume
5
pages
131 - 137
publisher
Viborg Museum & Holstebro Museum
ISBN
978-87-92778-39-0
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
id
c096c8ce-fa76-40b8-8b30-bfd0f8d356e2 (old id 7994434)
alternative location
http://faberarkeologi.se/images/pdf/kontext2015.pdf
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:29:04
date last changed
2023-04-26 13:41:21
@inbook{c096c8ce-fa76-40b8-8b30-bfd0f8d356e2,
  abstract     = {{The research project "Exclusive metalworking in rural settings" was instigated in 2013 with funding from Berit Wallenbergs foundation. The projects objective is to survey sites housing remains of multimetal<br/><br>
craftsmanship of the late Iron Age and medieval periods<br/><br>
outside urban contexts. This article aims to contextualize preliminary results from the project by evaluating its chosen source material and methodology and relating it to a wider chronological sphere.<br/><br>
Multimetal craftsmanship or complex smithing can be traced in the archaeological record through composite objects incorporating more the one metal,mostly iron or steel and copper alloys. The craft can also be discerned through metallurgical waste material like slag cakes from smithing showing traces of the handling of copper alloys.<br/><br>
The material used in the survey stems exclusively from Swedish contract archaeology of the last decades. Raw results from contract archaeology are far too rarely used to their full potential in contemporary archaeological research. The survey project hence serve as a good example of how these results can be utilized in contemporary research. A few essential problems were identified in the survey process. Most notable of these was the lack of basic interpretation of<br/><br>
the metallurgical remains that was sometimes displayed<br/><br>
in contract archaeology basic reports.¨<br/><br>
This is partly ndue to insufficient time and resources given to certain projects but it’s also concluded that the archaeometallurgical knowledgebase may be inadequate in a few instances. These problems are<br/><br>
also argued to be a factor in the miscommunication between present contract archaeology and academia, causing harmful mistrust on both sides.<br/><br>
The analysis of the positioning of multimetal craftsmanship in the cultural landscape has yielded results as to the resource management, economic and social structure requirements and spatial make-up of Late Iron Age and early medieval metalworking. This article argues that the methodology used in the project "Exclusive metalworking in rural settings" could be fruitfully employed across wide chronological and thematic spans. By viewing the metalworking sites as active source material in archaeometallurgical research, new insights can be gained regarding both metalworking as a craft and and its defining agent - the metalworkers.}},
  author       = {{Svensson, Andreas}},
  booktitle    = {{Bronzestöbning i yngre bronzealders lokale kulturlandskab}},
  isbn         = {{978-87-92778-39-0}},
  keywords     = {{Metallhantverk; Landskapsstudier; Multimetallitet; Järnålder; Bronsålder}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  pages        = {{131--137}},
  publisher    = {{Viborg Museum & Holstebro Museum}},
  title        = {{Kontextualisering av metallhantverk på landsbygden - arkeometallurgi och landskapsstudiemetodik}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5549904/7994456.pdf}},
  volume       = {{5}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}