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The potential of overlooked material in museum repositories : Revisiting grave materials in Falbygden through multiproxy analyses

Blank, Malou ; Tornberg, Anna LU orcid and Mark, Chris (2025) In Danish Journal of Archaeology 14(1). p.1-23
Abstract
In this article we aim to highlight the potential of forgotten grave materials in our museum depositories for gaining insights into prehistoric life. By applying a multi-proxy approach to the skeletal remains of two graves of uncertain types from Falbygden in western Sweden, we were able to acquire new knowledge of burial practices, subsistence, health and mobility in Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age communities. One of the studied graves proved to be the earliest attested gallery grave in the area, while the other is one of the few known graves from the first period of the Bronze Age. The results indicate that some overlooked excavated materials in our depositories might stem from certain time periods from which we think archaeological... (More)
In this article we aim to highlight the potential of forgotten grave materials in our museum depositories for gaining insights into prehistoric life. By applying a multi-proxy approach to the skeletal remains of two graves of uncertain types from Falbygden in western Sweden, we were able to acquire new knowledge of burial practices, subsistence, health and mobility in Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age communities. One of the studied graves proved to be the earliest attested gallery grave in the area, while the other is one of the few known graves from the first period of the Bronze Age. The results indicate that some overlooked excavated materials in our depositories might stem from certain time periods from which we think archaeological remains are lacking and/or from practices which are not fully understood. These remains may prove to be important for our understanding of prehistoric societies when thoroughly studied combining archaeological, osteological, biochemical and geochemical methods. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
In this article we aim to highlight the potential of forgotten grave materials in our museum depositories for gaining insights into prehistoric life. By applying a multi-proxy approach to the skeletal remains of two graves of uncertain types from Falbygden in western Sweden, we were able to acquire new knowledge of burial practices, subsistence, health and mobility in Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age communities. One of the studied graves proved to be the earliest attested gallery grave in the area, while the other is one of the few known graves from the first period of the Bronze Age. The results indicate that some overlooked excavated materials in our depositories might stem from certain time periods from which we think archaeological... (More)
In this article we aim to highlight the potential of forgotten grave materials in our museum depositories for gaining insights into prehistoric life. By applying a multi-proxy approach to the skeletal remains of two graves of uncertain types from Falbygden in western Sweden, we were able to acquire new knowledge of burial practices, subsistence, health and mobility in Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age communities. One of the studied graves proved to be the earliest attested gallery grave in the area, while the other is one of the few known graves from the first period of the Bronze Age. The results indicate that some overlooked excavated materials in our depositories might stem from certain time periods from which we think archaeological remains are lacking and/or from practices which are not fully understood. These remains may prove to be important for our understanding of prehistoric societies when thoroughly studied combining archaeological, osteological, biochemical and geochemical methods. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Multi-proxy approach, Osteology, Archaeology, Stable isotope analysis, Radiocarbon dating, Peptide analysis, Strontium isotope analysis, Late Neolithic, Early Bronze Age
in
Danish Journal of Archaeology
volume
14
issue
1
pages
1 - 23
publisher
Taylor & Francis
ISSN
2166-2282
DOI
10.7146/dja.v14i1.151065
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d8020244-855d-43ee-9625-835d787475fa
date added to LUP
2025-03-01 12:45:22
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:43:13
@article{d8020244-855d-43ee-9625-835d787475fa,
  abstract     = {{In this article we aim to highlight the potential of forgotten grave materials in our museum depositories for gaining insights into prehistoric life. By applying a multi-proxy approach to the skeletal remains of two graves of uncertain types from Falbygden in western Sweden, we were able to acquire new knowledge of burial practices, subsistence, health and mobility in Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age communities. One of the studied graves proved to be the earliest attested gallery grave in the area, while the other is one of the few known graves from the first period of the Bronze Age. The results indicate that some overlooked excavated materials in our depositories might stem from certain time periods from which we think archaeological remains are lacking and/or from practices which are not fully understood. These remains may prove to be important for our understanding of prehistoric societies when thoroughly studied combining archaeological, osteological, biochemical and geochemical methods.}},
  author       = {{Blank, Malou and Tornberg, Anna and Mark, Chris}},
  issn         = {{2166-2282}},
  keywords     = {{Multi-proxy approach; Osteology; Archaeology; Stable isotope analysis; Radiocarbon dating; Peptide analysis; Strontium isotope analysis; Late Neolithic; Early Bronze Age}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{1--23}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Danish Journal of Archaeology}},
  title        = {{The potential of overlooked material in museum repositories : Revisiting grave materials in Falbygden through multiproxy analyses}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.7146/dja.v14i1.151065}},
  doi          = {{10.7146/dja.v14i1.151065}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}