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Report on the Excavation of a Viking Period Boat Inhuma-
tion and a Pre-Roman Iron Age Settlement with Bronze
Casting Debris.

Skamby in Kuddby Parish (Raa 158), Ostergotland, Sweden, 2005.
By Martin Rundkvist & Howard Williams.
Final version 30 November 2006.

1. Introduction: Setting and Aims

The Swedish province of Ostergotland together with the Lake Malaren provinces to the
north forms one of the world's heaviest concentrations of visible ancient monuments.
Most of these monuments are cremation cemeteries of the 1st Millennium AD. A belt of
fertile plains stretches from Lake Vattern on the western border of the province to the
middle of the Vikbolandet peninsula on the Baltic shore. On this peninsula, near the
eastern end of the plains belt, is the parish of Kuddby, in which is found a little-known
example of Sweden's famous boat inhumation cemeteries.

A number of such cemeteries have been excavated since the late 19th century in the
provinces of Uppland and Vastmanland north of Lake Malaren, yielding splendid finds
of the later 1st Millennium. Solitary and less impressive boat inhumations have also
been found at otherwise normal cemeteries in the intervening province of Soderman-
land. The first boat inhumation cemetery in Ostergotland was identified 60 years ago,
and three are currently known from surface examination: Norra Berga in Mjolby parish.
Malm in Styrstad parish and Skamby in Kuddby parish. Yet none of them has seen any
excavations before 2005, nor are there any stray finds from these sites to provide any in-
sight into them.

Near the hamlet of Skamby is a low rocky ridge (registered ancient monument Raa
158) surrounded by ploughland. Along the spine of the ridge are ten large oval stone
settings with the diagnostic boat-shaped depressions at their centres. At the ridge's NW
end is a cluster of small round stone settings of the kind that is commonly seen at nor-
mal cremation cemeteries. This site looks very much like Valsgarde in Uppland did be-
fore the first excavations. Yet it is located in the tribal area of the Gotar, not in that of
the Svear like the previously excavated boat inhumation cemeteries. We were interested
in finding out whether Skamby might be a match in terms of burial investment for Ven-
del and Valsgarde, and more specifically whether or not burial at Skamby could be said
to follow the same symbolic code as those cemeteries. Should Skamby be interpreted as
a gesture of allegiance to the Svear, or as an appropriation and re-formulation of the
boat inhumation custom among the Gotar?

A metal detector survey of the ploughland around the Skamby cemetery in 2003 (re-
ported separately) gave no finds from the earlier Vendel Period phase of the boat in-
humation custom (late 6th through 8th centuries). It did, however, turn up a number of
Viking Period finds of the 9th and 10th centuries along the edges of the cemetery. Frag-
ments of bronze jewellery, a bronze caftan button and a silver-sheet pendant cross indi-
cate that the cemetery was once larger and that its original periphery has been ploughed
out. The dates of these finds correspond with the heyday of the boat inhumation custom.

Excavations under the auspices of the Ostergotland County Museum took place at
Skamby for seven weeks in July and August of 2005. Martin Rundkvist of Stockholm
and Howard Williams of the University of Exeter directed the work. On any given day,
our team consisted of six Exeter archaeology students plus one or two volunteers, the
most tenacious of whom was archaeologist Peter Rydberg of Norrkoping.

Our excavations uncovered three main phases of activity that will be described in the
following from top to bottom.

3. A 9th century AD boat grave (Early Viking Period).

2. A culture layer covering sunken features of the 2nd century BC (Late Pre-Roman
Iron Age).

1. A sunken feature radiocarbon-dated to the 13th century cal BC (Early Bronze Age)
and a re-used cupmark stone.

2. Phase 3. A Viking Period boat grave

For excavation we selected the smallest stone setting with a boat depression, number 15,
which would minimise the amount of work. Grave 15 was also one of only two boat
graves on the site that were entirely covered with turf We hoped that this might offer
the possibility of better preservation conditions than most graves at the site, where con-
ditions among the exposed stones in the central depressions are clearly extremely poor
with continual passage of rainwater. Centred on this structure, we de-turfed 149 sqm.

In the turf and topsoil a few recent artefacts were found: a brass boss from a shotgun
cartridge, a small bundle of steel wire, a piece of lead shot, an iron bolt and a 18/1 9th
century brass button. Only the button was kept. Also, there was quite abundant residual
material from the underlying settlement deposit. Note that no objects attributable to the
Viking Period burial were found near the surface. This indicates that it had not been dis-
turbed by looting.

2.1. The superstructure

The grave's central depression measured 5.0 by 1.5 m on the surface and was orientated
NE-SW (42° E of compass N). Under turf and topsoil was an irregular oval pavement of
stone blocks measuring 1 1,5 x 9 m. The stones were mostly local granite (pink, grey
and white) with some sandstone, mostly in a single layer. Many were too large to carry.
A few were too large for two people to even roll.

An orthostat had been standing at the NW side of the grave cut but had fallen into it.
Three large stone blocks outside the edges of the stone pavement may also originally
have been standing up. The edge stones of the pavement did not form a kerb contrasting
against the interior.

2.2. The boat burial

The central depression had clearly come into being when a perishable roof over the
grave cut containing the boat had collapsed. The grave cut was filled with stones from
the superstructure, slumped inward. They showed no sign of any disturbance since the
collapse.

To our disappointment, we found that preservation conditions in this grave cut were
very poor too as the underlying moraine is clayey and nearly impermeable to water.
Rainwater had accumulated here and evaporated time and time again as the seasons
went by. No unburnt bone and little iron was preserved in the grave. Judging from rust
stains, preserved clench nails and sections through the cut, however, the boat had been
c. 5 m long and c. 1.7 m wide. We were unable to discern any detailed pattern to the rust
stains and preserved clench nails. The upper part of the grave fill was indistinguishable
from the surrounding culture layer, meaning that we could not document the upper edge
of the grave cut, only its edge where it cut into the natural subsoil.

2.3. Finds

Just SW of the mid-ship was a cluster of 23 well-preserved amber gaming pieces, some
located on top of collapsed stones. The gaming set had thus probably originally been
placed on top of the grave's roof Beneath the gaming piece cluster, a group of iron riv-
ets and nails was found on the bottom of the cut. They may represent a box or a game
board, although they formed no observable pattern and there was no sign of the L-
shaped mounts typical for Viking Period game boards. Small curved fragments of iron
rods here may be from rivets, nails or a simple strap buckle. A small spherical stone was
also found here.

Other artefact finds attributable to the burial are few and modest, belonging to two
functional spheres: personal items and horse gear.

Personal items are a red glass paste bead and a small slate pendant whetstone, both
found beneath the gaming piece cluster. There is also part of a small iron knife, found in
a superficial part of the grave fill mid-ship. This is possibly a residual piece re-deposited
from the culture layer.

A highly incomplete set of horse gear was found in the SW half of the cut on its bot-
tom. There is a very finely wrought hook from one of the shafts of a sleigh or small
wagon, five frostnails used to keep the horse from slipping when you ride or drive a
sleigh in wintertime, and two iron rings of identical and rather small size, one of them
with a straight iron bar looped onto it. The rings look a bit like pieces of a bridle bit, but
are far smaller than normal bridle rings of the time.

The surest indication of the grave's date is the design of the gaming pieces. Pre-Chris-
tian amber gaming pieces are only known from Viking Period contexts in Sweden. The
only known grave find before Skamby was Birka 524, a Middle Viking Period (10th
century) weapon inhumation with 15 amber gaming pieces. The pieces from the Bjorko
grave however have a narrowed base, unlike the ones from Skamby that are widest at
the base. This trait along with their size connects them to Vendel Period gaming pieces.
The likeliest date for the Skamby gaming pieces is thus the Early Viking Period (9th
century).

In the fill of the grave cut were a small pieces of residual material (burnt daub, pot-
tery, burnt bone, herbivore teeth, vitrified clay, knapped quartz, a single piece of burnt
fiint, rust-stained sandy lumps) from the underlying settlement deposit. Seven finds of
tooth and bone were made in this context, none of which can be determined as human.
No certain determinations of animal species have been possible. Cattle and/or horses are
represented, as well as a doubtful pig.

3. Phase 2. A Late Pre-Roman Iron Age Settlement

A dark gravelly settlement deposit (cont. 4-5), c. 30 cm thick, stratigraphically pre-dat-
ing the boat grave, covered the de-turfed surface except for the grave cut and beneath
the largest stones in its pavement. We excavated and sieved c. 43 sqm of this layer,
finding a small decorated silver pin, small fragments of crucibles used for copper alloy
casting, small fragments of casting moulds that do not permit identification of the ob-
jects produced, iron fragments, pottery, burnt daub, burnt bone, herbivore teeth, a piece
of worked antler (?) and knapped quartz.

Thirteen finds of teeth and burnt bone were made in the settlement deposit (cont. 4-5).
They include one certain and one doubtful fragment of human tibiae and three pieces of
cattle teeth.

The date of this layer is not entirely clear. Stratigraphically, it post-dates sunken fea-
tures of the 2nd century BC and pre-dates a boat burial of the 9th century AD. The pot-
tery and the burnt daub recovered from the settlement layer fit well with a 2nd century
BC date. But the crucibles are of the so-called Helgo type, hdless, with a little handle
for the pliers, previously known only from mid- 1st millennium AD contexts. Only two

bronze-casting sites of the Pre-Roman Iron Age are previously known in Scandinavia,
both in eastern Jutland (Vitved and Egebjerg; Andersen & Madsen 1984; Kristiansen &
Fristed Jensen 2005). So if the bronze casting is actually 2nd century BC, then it is a
sensational find. Then there is the silver pin, to which we have found no good parallels.
It was found near the surface of the culture layer and so may be an intrusive later object.
Its line decoration has a vague mid- 1st millennium AD feel. The main period for
prehistoric silver importation in Sweden is the Viking Period.

Cut into the natural beneath the settlement layer were ten sunken features: two hearths
(cont. 6 and 12), one post hole charred to the bottom (cont. 22) and six pits with dark fill
(cont. 9, 10, 15, 17, 20, 23). One of the larger pits (cont. 23) was filled with burnt daub,
and was thus probably the result of site cleaning efforts after a violent house fire. Of
about 18.1 kg of burnt daub collected from the entire site, 13.5 kg were found in that pit,
despite the fact that a quarter of its fill was left unexcavated.

Judging from the homogeneity of the finds and fills, most of the sunken features were
dug and backfilled while the settlement layer was forming. Lime wood charcoal from
pit 17 and young pine wood charcoal from hearth 12 gave closely similar radiocarbon
dates that can be combined with great statistical confidence. If they represent the same
event, then this event occurred in the interval 190-40 cal BC (95.4% probability).

4. Phase 1. Early Bronze Age Activity

Bronze Age activity had been documented at the site before the excavations.

The Ancient Monument Register notes two sets of cupmarks on rock outcrops at the
W edge of the cemetery ridge. We were unable to locate them, but in the W quadrant of
the grave's stone pavement we found a piece of sandstone with one certain and one pos-
sible cupmark. Most cupmarks date from the Bronze Age and are part of this period's
rock carving custom. The cupmarks, on the stone and on the outcrops, probably date
from the same Late Bronze Age activity phase as a bronze button found in the field W
of the cemetery in 2003. When re-constructing the grave at the close of the excavations,
we placed the cupmark stone on the edge of the stone pavement in the W quadrant.

The deepest of the sunken features uncovered in the 2005 trench was pit 17. Alder
wood charcoal from pit 17 gave a radiocarbon date in the 13th century cal BC, the end
of the Early Bronze Age. The pit also contained a cattle tooth, 31 g of burnt daub and a
large potsherd. The pottery's date is hard to fix, but it would not look out of place in an
Early Iron Age context (Thomas Eriksson, e-mail 26 January 2006). Summing up, the
scanty Bronze Age evidence does not lend itself easily to interpretation.

5. Fieldwork methods

A local coordinate system was established with the Y axis aligned with the grave's cent-
ral depression orientated 42° E of compass N. Point (xlOO, ylOO) was placed at the
centre of the depression. The Y axis was named local north. We recorded level
measurements every half metre over the surface we would excavate. Sections were
drawn from turf surface to natural along both axes of the coordinate system.

At the close of the excavations, we discovered that we had incorrect level figures for
the datum point used throughout the work. The ground surface near the grave was actu-
ally about 26 m a.s.L, not 30, as we had believed. This error is systematic and easily
corrected. 3.98 m should be subtracted from any level figures above 29 m a.s.L in the
field documentation.

Harrisian stratigraphic excavation and recording was performed throughout. To keep
the number of stratigraphic units down on this comparatively uncomplicated site, cuts
were not given individual numbers. In the case of posthole 22, for instance, that number
refers both to the hole and to its fill.

All spoil was sieved through a 4 mm mesh, including soil shaken and kneaded from

the turf. Small amounts of the grave cut's fill were wet-sieved through a 2 mm mesh.
Finds were collected by stratigraphic context and either metre square or pinpointed to
the nearest centimetre in the case of particularly interesting objects. Some finds in the
grave cut were collected by half metre square.

Turf was removed with spades, at first leaving the central depression untouched. Then
the topsoil was cleaned with trowels from the stone pavement and it was photographed
from a ladder, with coordinate crosses to enable rectification. Recording top and bottom
levels for many stones, we then removed the pavement (the largest stones with the aid
of a tractor and timber claw), leaving the outermost stones in place to allow us to recon-
struct the grave on its original spot.

Various portions of the settlement layer and underlying sunken features were excav-
ated, least intensively in the NW quadrant. Very little of the settlement layer was
touched outside the edge of the stone pavement.

The central depression was excavated separately: turf removed, stones cleaned, per-
pendicular photography, level measurements recorded. We then excavated the grave cut
from both ends at the same time, drawing perpendicular sections across it every half
metre. This work was complicated by drainage problems.

6. Post-Excavation Reconstruction

Having emptied the grave cut and excavated the settlement layer around its edges, we
reconstructed the stone setting using a tractor and timber claw for the largest stones, re-
placing all smaller ones by hand. Soil and turf were back-filled using shovels and wheel
barrows. In its reconstructed state, the grave has the same edge outline and general pro-
file as before and the central depression has the same orientation. However, the depres-
sion is longer, wider and deeper than before.

7. Conclusions

Despite the fragmentary settlement remains of Bronze Age and Early Iron Age dates,
the primary discoveries related to the boat grave. With such a poorly-preserved grave,
conclusions concerning its precise date and the identity and affinities of its occupant(s)
must remain somewhat vague. By analogy with other Late First Millennium AD sites,
the standing stone and the single bead mark the grave as male-gendered and the amber
gaming-pieces denote high status. However, the Skamby boat grave did not follow the
same symbolic rules as contemporaneous boat inhumations in the Lake Malaren area,
the land of the Svear. At Skamby we see a large stone setting with at least one standing
stone. There are no weapons or feasting gear, the horse gear is minimal, and then some-
what incongruously there are rare and exclusive amber gaming pieces. Vikbolandet is a
rich agricultural district with excellent seaborne communications. The grave's unusual
design is thus unlikely to have been due either to poverty or to ignorance of customs in
for instance Uppland. Instead, it was probably an intentional statement: the people of
Skamby adapted the prestigious boat grave symbolism in their own way and for their
own purposes.

8. References

Andersen, S.H. & Madsen, H. 1984. Ett forromerskt bronzestobefund fra Vitved i

0stjylland. Hikuin 10. Viborg.
Kristiansen, Anne Mette & Fristed Jensen, Trine. 2005. Kronehalsring. Skalk 2005.

Hojbjerg.
Lindahl, A. et al. (eds). 2002. Keramik i Sydsverige. En handbokfor arkeologer. Report

series 81. Department of Archaeology, University of Lund.

Appendix 1. Technical & Administrative data

Administrativia

County council permit number: 431-4978-06, invested in the Ostergotland County Mu-
seum.

Location

Ostergotland, Kuddby parish, Skamby, Raa Kuddby 158
Economic Map sheet: 8G7i

Coordinates of excavated grave's centre, identical to the origin in the local coordinate
system used during the excavation: X 1 541 820,75 - Y6 488 176,1 1 - Z 26,02

Fieldwork

Time: 5 July through 19 August 2005. That is, 7 weeks work with a team of 8.5 people,

or roughly 300 person-days all together.
De-turfed area: 149 sqm.

Staff

Directors: Dr Martin Rundkvist & Dr Howard Williams

Fieldworkers: Andrea Borgius, Rebecca Burlingham, Joe Etheridge, Wendy Howard,

Edward Johnstone-Burt, Brynmor Morris, Richard O'Neill, Adele Pimley, Peter Ryd-

berg, Kelsey Tarver, Elizabeth Williams.

Post-excavation specialists

Osteology: Susanne Svensson and Dr Berit Sigvallius, Raa UV Mitt, Stockholm.

Wood species determinations: Ulf Strucke, RaaUV Mitt, Stockholm.

Radiocarbon: Poznah Radiocarbon Laboratory.

Vitrified material: Dr Ole Stilborg, Ceramological Research Laboratory, Lund.

Finds conservation: Stiftelsen Foremalsvard, Kiruna, and Antikvarisk-Tekniska avdel-

ningen, Riksantikvarieambetet, Stockholm.
Digitisation of field documentation: Markus Andersson, SAU, Uppsala.

Funding

Helge Ax: son Johnsons stiftelse, Vitterhetsakademien, Berit Wallenbergs stiftelse,
Rausings stiftelse, British Academy, University of Exeter, Ake Wibergs stiftelse,
Gunvor och Josef Aners stiftelse, Arne Danielsson of Kareholm, Magnus Bergvalls
stiftelse, Stiftelsen Konung Gustaf VI Adolfs fond for svensk kultur, Stiftelsen Lars
Hiertas Minne and five private donors.

Appendix 2. Context List

Type

Description

Location

Turf

Topsoil

Soil under turf on stone pavement

Stone pavement

Pavement fill

Fill between and immediately beneath
stones

Settlement lay-
er

Black gravelly soil beneath 4

Hearth

Hearth beneath 5

NW quad

Pale natural feature at base of stone

SE quad

Charcoal cone

Charcoal cone beneath 5

NW quad

Sooty patch

Sooty patch beneath 5

NE quad

Dark patch

Dark patch beneath 5

NE quad

Disturbed
natural

Disturbed natural beneath 5

Hearth

Hearth at S end of grave cut

S of grave cut

Equal to 12

Boat grave cut

Centre

Sooty patch

Sooty patch adjoining grave cut

N of grave cut

Hearth fill

Termination fill on hearth 12

S of grave cut

Pit

Pit beneath 5

NW quad

Sooty layer

Sooty layer beneath 5, covering 22

SE quad

Equal to 14

Pit

Shallow pit adjoining grave cut

S of grave cut

Pit

Lower fill of 17

NW quad

Posthole

Posthole beneath 18

SE quad

Pit

Pit beneath 5 with much burnt daub

SW quad

Sooty fill

Sooty fill beneath 23

SW quad

Grave fill

Upper layers of grave fill, uncertain
delimitation against L4-5

Above grave cut

Appendix 3. Sunken Feature Descriptions

6: hearth. Pear-shaped, 130x 100 x21 cm. Fill coarse gravelly soil, sooty black, brown
toward the edges, including fire-cracked stones. Brown edge material probably
represents the termination of the hearth's use. Base of cut trough-shaped, irregular,
with humps and cavities. Finds: burnt clay, charcoal.

8: charcoal concentration. Pear-shaped, 35 x 25 x 7 cm. Fill coarse gravelly sand, dark
grey, mixed with charcoal. Surrounded to W and N by stones. Finds: charcoal.

9: pit. Pear-shaped, 17x8x5 cm. Fill clayey sand with gravel and soot, mottled black
and grey. No finds.

10: pit. Round, 15x15x3 cm. Fill humic slightly gravelly clay, dark brown. Finds:
charcoal.

12+16: hearth. Oval, 120 x 90 x 20 cm. Upper fill 16 silty sand with small stones,
yellowish, probably representing the termination of the hearth's use. Lower fill 12
dark grey-brown soil with large amounts of charcoal. Finds: 2 formless iron frag-
ments, 1 piece of vitrified clay, 1 potsherd, burnt clay, charcoal.

15: pit. Trapezoid, 27 x 19x4 cm. Fill clayey sand with soot and gravel, brown/black
with greyish swirls. Adjoined N end of grave cut. No finds.

17+21: pit. Only partly exposed, 70 cm wide, 30 cm deep. Upper fill 17 silt with stones,
dark brown/grey. Lower fill 21 silty sand with stones, black/brown and very wet.
Finds: 1 potsherd, 1 cattle tooth, burnt clay, charcoal.

18: sooty layer. Irregular, 150 x 150 x 6 cm. Sooty silt. Covered posthole 22. Finds: 3
formless iron fragments, 1 piece of burnt animal bone, burnt clay, charcoal.

20: pit. Oval, 40 x 35 x 5 cm. Fill dark. Adjoined S edge of grave cut. No finds.

22: posthole. Round, 30 x 30 x 20 cm. Fill black silt, no stones. Covered by 18. Finds:
1 formless iron fragment, burnt clay, charcoal.

23+24: daub-filled pit. Round, 105 x 95 x 15 cm. 75% excavated. Upper fill 23 sandy
silt with much burnt daub, dark brown. Lower fill 24 sooty silt without much daub.
Cut's sides sloping, base fiat. Finds: Fragments of crucible and casting mould, vitri-
fied clay, 13.5 kg of burnt daub.

Appendix 4. Finds List

Fin
d no

Material

Type

Con-
text

Co-ords

Weigh
t clean
dry (g)

Comments

382

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xl00.67y099.50z29.76

389

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xlOO.33 y099.50 z29.74

434

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xl00.35y099.16z29.72

435

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xl00.23y099.14z29.70

436

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xl00.13y099.21z29.65

456

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xlOO.56 y098.75 z29.74

458

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xl00.50y099.12z29.63

461

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xl00.32y098.61z29.62

462

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xlOO.39 y098.75 z29.67

463

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xlOO.29 y098.74 z29.64

468

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xlOO.25 y099.03 z29.68

471

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xlOO.29 y098.93 z29.67

472

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xl00.24y098.91z29.66

473

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xlOO.22 y098.94 z29.67

474

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xl00.16y098.88z29.67

476

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

xl00.14y098.92z29.68

479

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

X099.90 y099.03 z29.67

480

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

x099.87y099.05z29.67

482

Amber

Gam

mgp]

ece

X099.90 y099.00 z29.66

489

Amber

Frag

x099 y099

490

Amber

Gaming piece

xlOO.09 y099.00 z29.66

493

Amber

Gaming piece

x099.5-099.7y099.0z29.60-
29.65

396

Amber

Gaming piece

xlOO.28 y098.54 z29.67

401

Amber

Gaming piece

xlOO.33 y098.46 z29.57

Bone

Burnt

xl03yl02

Bone

Burnt

xl04yl00

Bone

Burnt

x099yl03

Bone

Tooth

x098yl04

Bone

Burnt

x097yl04

Bone

Burnt

xl03 y099

Bone

Burnt

xl03 y099

Bone

Tooth

x097 y096

Bone

Burnt

xl00y095

Bone

Burnt

xl04 y097

Bone

Burnt

xl01y098

136

Bone

Burnt

xlOl y098

177

Bone

Burnt

x099 y094

117

Bone

Burnt

x096yl03

168

Bone

Burnt

xl00yl03

187

Bone

Burnt

xl02yl00

421

Bone

Burnt

xlOO.O y099.5

448

Bone

Burnt

x099 y095

460

Bone

Burnt

xlOl y096

503

Bone

Tooth

x096 y096

508

Bone

Tooth

x096 y097

518

Bone

Tooth

x096 y097

469

Bone

Burnt

xl00y098.5

304

Bone

Tooth

X098.06 ylOO.28 z29.64

529

Bone

Burnt

xlOl y094

Originally mis-
labeled F470

385

Bone

Tooth

xlOO.36 y098.02 z29.60

403

Bone

Tooth

xlOO.42 y098.50 z29.60

404

Bone

Tooth

xl00y098.5

431

Bone

Unburnt

xl00y098.5

439

Bone

Tooth

xl00y098.5

440

Bone

Burnt

xl00y098.5

318

Bone

Burnt

xl00y097.5

377

Bone

Burnt

xl00y098.0

Brass

Button

x096yl00

Charcoal

xl03yl02

Looked like a tooth

106

Charcoal

x096yl00

118

Charcoal

x096yl03

119

Charcoal

x097yl04

121

Charcoal

x099yl03

123

Charcoal

x098yl03

156

Charcoal

xl00yl05

166

Charcoal

xl00yl05

190

Charcoal

xl01yl05

201

Charcoal

xl01yl04

209

Charcoal

xl02yl04

231

Charcoal

xlOO y096

239

Charcoal

x099yl03

242

Charcoal

Soil sample

x099 y096

127

Charcoal

Soil sample

186

Charcoal

xl02yl00

To wood analysis

170

Charcoal

x099yl05

249

Charcoal

256

Charcoal

Soil sample

x099 y096

293

Charcoal

xlOO.50 y097.00

To wood analysis

306

Charcoal

x098yl01

To wood analysis

310

Charcoal

xl00y095

415

Charcoal

Soil sample

xl01.00y095.54

394

Charcoal

Soil sample

xlOO y095 Z29.78

397

Charcoal

xl00y095z29.58

To wood analysis

Clay burnt

NW Quadrant

Clay burnt

SW Quadrant

Clay burnt

E Quadrant

Clay burnt

xlOlylOl

Clay burnt

xl02yl02

Clay burnt

xl00yl03

Clay burnt

xl03yl02

Clay burnt

xl03yl02

Clay burnt

xl02yl03

Clay burnt

xl02yl06

Clay burnt

xl02yl03

Where
is?

Clay burnt

xl01yl04

Clay burnt

xl01yl05

Clay burnt

xl02yl01

Clay burnt

xl00yl04

Clay burnt

xl00yl05

Clay burnt

xlOl y099

Clay burnt

xl02y099

Clay burnt

xl00yl03

Clay burnt

x099yl09

Clay burnt

xl00yl02

Clay burnt

x099yl07

Clay burnt

x099yl04

Clay burnt

x098yl06

Clay burnt

xl01yl02

Clay burnt

x098yl05

Clay burnt

x099yl03

Clay burnt

x096yl06

Clay burnt

x097yl04

Clay burnt

x098yl01

Clay burnt

x097 y099

Clay burnt

x096 y099

Clay burnt

x097yl03

Clay burnt

xl03 y099

Clay burnt

x095yl03

Clay burnt

x098 y099

Clay burnt

xl02y098

Clay burnt

xl03 y098

Clay burnt

x096 y095

Clay burnt

x099 y094

Clay burnt

x098 y094

Clay burnt

x099 y093

Clay burnt

x096 y094

Clay burnt

x098 y094

Clay burnt

x097 y096

Clay burnt

x098 y093

Clay burnt

x098 y093

Where
is?

Clay burnt

x097 y095

Clay burnt

xl02y096

Clay burnt

SE Quadrant

Clay burnt

xl02y094

Clay burnt

xlOO y096

Clay burnt

xl04y098

Clay burnt

xl03 y096

Clay burnt

xl04yl01

Originally mis-
labeled quartz

Clay burnt

xl04 y096

Clay burnt

xlOl y093

Clay burnt

xl04 y095

Clay burnt

xl05 y097

Clay burnt

xl05 y096

191

Clay burnt

x099 y097

194

Clay burnt

xl00y097

195

Clay burnt

x099 y097

200

Clay burnt

xlOO y099

208

Clay burnt

xlOOylOO

213

Clay burnt

x099 y099

218

Clay burnt

xlOOylOO

223

Clay burnt

x098 y099

225

Clay burnt

x098 y098

530

Clay burnt

xlOlylOO

Originally mis-
labeled F070

101

Clay burnt

x096yl02

103

Clay burnt

x099yl04

126

Clay burnt

xlOO y096

128

Clay burnt

xl03 y098

129

Clay burnt

xl01yl03

130

Clay burnt

xl03 y097

132

Clay burnt

xl02y099

133

Clay burnt

xl03 y096

134

Clay burnt

xlOl y099

138

Clay burnt

xl03 y097

139

Clay burnt

xlOO y094

140

Clay burnt

x099 y095

141

Clay burnt

x098 y096

142

Clay burnt

x098yl00

144

Clay burnt

x096 y095

159

Clay burnt

xlOl y099

185

Clay burnt

xl00yl03

313

Clay burnt

x098 y097

105

Clay burnt

x097yl01

108

Clay burnt

x096yl00

110

Clay burnt

x096yl01

112

Clay burnt

x096yl02

114

Clay burnt

x096yl03

116

Clay burnt

x097yl04

120

Clay burnt

x099yl03

124

Clay burnt

x096yl04

148

Clay burnt

xl01yl04

150

Clay burnt

x099yl05

151

Clay burnt

xl02yl00

152

Clay burnt

xl02yl01

154

Clay burnt

x098yl05

157

Clay burnt

x098yl04

158

Clay burnt

xl01yl02

162

Clay burnt

xl00yl05

163

Clay burnt

xl01yl03

164

Clay burnt

xl03yl04

165

Clay burnt

x099yl03

167

Clay burnt

xl00yl03

169

Clay burnt

xl03yl00

171

Clay burnt

xl01yl03

172

Clay burnt

xl04yl01

173

Clay burnt

xl02yl03

176

Clay burnt

xl03yl01

180

Clay burnt

xl03yl03

181

Clay burnt

x096yl01

182

Clay burnt

xl02yl00

184

Clay burnt

xl03yl02

188

Clay burnt

xl02yl01

189

Clay burnt

xl01yl05

192

Clay burnt

xlOlylOO

196

Clay burnt

xl02yl02

199

Clay burnt

xlOlylOl

202

Clay burnt

xl01yl04

205

Clay burnt

xl02yl03

207

Clay burnt

xl01yl02

210

Clay burnt

xl02yl00

212

Clay burnt

xl00yl03

214

Clay burnt

xl02yl00

216

Clay burnt

xl03yl00

217

Clay burnt

xl04yl00

219

Clay burnt

xl01yl02

221

Clay burnt

xl01yl03

226

Clay burnt

xl00yl04

227

Clay burnt

xl00yl05

228

Clay burnt

xl02yl04

229

Clay burnt

Photo cleaning

230

Clay burnt

xlOO y096

233

Clay burnt

xl02yl02

236

Clay burnt

xl03yl02

237

Clay burnt

x099 y096

240

Clay burnt

xl04yl03

244

Clay burnt

x099yl03

245

Clay burnt

xl02yl02

246

Clay burnt

xl00yl05

247

Clay burnt

x099 y096

248

Clay burnt

xlOO y096

269

Clay burnt

xl00yl02

270

Clay burnt

x098yl00

271

Clay burnt

x097yl00

275

Clay burnt

xlOO y096

278

Clay burnt

x097yl00

280

Clay burnt

x098yl00

281

Clay burnt

xl00y095

286

Clay burnt

x096yl00

294

Clay burnt

x096yl00

298

Clay burnt

xlOO y094

324

Clay burnt

xlOlylOO.5

329

Clay burnt

xl05 y097

342

Clay burnt

xl04y097

346

Clay burnt

xl04 y096

373

Clay burnt

xl05 y096

375

Clay burnt

xl04y098

379

Clay burnt

xlOl y094

386

Clay burnt

xlOl y095

406

Clay burnt

x098 y095

407

Clay burnt

x099 y095

408

Clay burnt

x099 y094

446

Clay burnt

x099 y094

447

Clay burnt

x099 y095

449

Clay burnt

x097 y095

451

Clay burnt

xlOl y095

455

Clay burnt

x097 y094

466

Clay burnt

xl01.67y096.71z30.85

485

Clay burnt

x097 y096

2325

1 large bag

486

Clay burnt

x097 y097

502

487

Clay burnt

x098 y094

495

Clay burnt

x098 y095

500

Clay burnt

X097.5 y095

501

Clay burnt

x097 y096

504

Clay burnt

X097.5 y094

505

Clay burnt

x096 y096

104

506

Clay burnt

x097 y097

507

Clay burnt

x097 y095

509

Clay burnt

x096 y097

510

Clay burnt

xlOl y099

513

Clay burnt

xlOl y098

514

Clay burnt

xlOl y097

516

Clay burnt

x098 y099

517

Clay burnt

x096 y097

519

Clay burnt

X098.5 y098

522

Clay burnt

X098.5 y097

524

Clay burnt

X098.5 y096

111

Clay burnt

x096yl00

147

Clay burnt

183

Clay burnt

250

Clay burnt

xl03 y099

251

Clay burnt

xl03yl00

252

Clay burnt

xlOlylOO

257

Clay burnt

xlOlylOl

258

Clay burnt

xl03yl01

259

Clay burnt

xl03yl02

265

Clay burnt

xl00.00yl05.00

276

Clay burnt

xlOO y096

417

Clay burnt

xlOl y095

444

Clay burnt

xl00y095

253

Clay burnt

x099 y096

254

Clay burnt

xlOlylOl

266

Clay burnt

xlOO y096

475

Clay burnt

x099 y095

262

Clay burnt

x99.73yl02.38z30.12

264

Clay burnt

x099yl02.0

398

Clay burnt

xl00y099.50

414

Clay burnt

x099 y099.5

430

Clay burnt

xl00y099.0

454

Clay burnt

xl00y098.5

292

Clay burnt

x097yl00

297

Clay burnt

x098yl00

320

Clay burnt

x097yl00

307

Clay burnt

xl00y095

450

Clay burnt

xlOl y095

327

Clay burnt

xl00y097.5

419

Clay burnt

x099 y098.0

496

Clay burnt

x099 y098.5

328

Clay burnt

xl00y095

523

Clay burnt

x097 y096

7987

2 large bags

525

Clay burnt

x096 y096

3541

1 large bag

526

Clay burnt

x097 y097

1893

1 large bag

527

Clay burnt

x097 y096

102

107

Clay burnt

x099yl00

137

Clay burnt

xlOO y097

153

Clay burnt

xlOOylOl

178

Clay burnt

x099 y097

206

Clay burnt

xl00yl02

232

Clay burnt

x099yl02

235

Clay burnt

x099yl02

274

Clay burnt

x099yl01

282

Clay burnt

x099yl01.5

287

Clay burnt

xl00y097.0

288

Clay burnt

x099 y097.0

300

Clay burnt

x099yl01

308

Clay burnt

x099y097.50

311

Clay burnt

xl00y097.5

326

Clay burnt

xlOOylOO.5

354

Clay burnt

xlOOylOO.O

368

Clay burnt

x099yl00.0

372

Clay burnt

x099 y098.0

380

Clay burnt

xl00y098.0

Clay
vitrified

Crucible

xl05y098

179

Clay
vitrified

xl03yl03

531

Clay
vitrified

Crucible

x097 y096

534

Clay
vitrified

Crucible

x097 y097

535

Clay
vitrified

x099 y096

Not sent to Stilborg

532

Clay
vitrified

x097 y096

533

Clay
vitrified

Crucible +
mould

x096 y096

Flint

Burnt,
modified

x095yl03

Burning has
obliterated any
traces of retouching

383

Glass

Frag

xl05y098

416

Glass

Bead

xl00.0y099.5

From sieving

215

Iron

Riv/nail

xlOOylOO

135

Iron

Unident

xlOO.94 y099

363

Iron

Unident

xl00.47y098.15z30.03

203

Iron

Unident

xl02yl03

234

Iron

Nail

x099.5yl03.5

Bent

238

Iron

Unident

xl03yl02

261

Iron

Knife

xl01.2yl02.5

Tang

277

Iron

Unident

x097yl00

290

Iron

Unident

xl00.36y097.10

301

Iron

Unident

xl00.13y097.41

302

Iron

Unident

xlOO y094

332

Iron

Unident

X105.20 y097.20

339

Iron

Unident

xl04 y096

361

Iron

Unident

xl04.81y096.09z29.78

366

Iron

Unident

xl05.20y097.12z29.72

371

Iron

Unident

xl04 y096

From beneath rock

378

Iron

Unident

X104.60 y098.25 z29.94

465

Iron

Unident

xl01.20y096.85z30.90

497

Iron

Unident

x098 y094

520

Iron

Unident

X098.5 y098

521

Iron

Unident

X098.5 y097

255

Iron

Unident

xl02yl01

267

Iron

Unident

xl00yl05

268

Iron

Unident

xl00.30yl05.70

295

Iron

Unident

x096yl00

347

Iron

Unident

xlOO y094

425

Iron

Unident

xl01y095

427

Iron

Unident

xl01.60y095.55z29.74

477

Iron

Unident

x099 y095

263

Iron

Unident

xlOO y096

285

Iron

Unident

xl00.05yl01.90

Flake from north-
ernmost rivet stains
at N end of boat.

345

Iron

Riv/nail

xlOOylOO.5

348

Iron

Unident

x099.98yl00.89z29.54

352

Iron

Riv/nail

xlOOylOO.O

353

Iron

Rivet

X099.49 ylO.42 z29.79

Span 20 mm

365

Iron

Riv/nail

xl00.66yl00.38z29.75

395

Iron

Riv/nail

xl00.91y099.54z29.78

410

Iron

Unident

X099.70 ylOO.25 z29.59

411

Iron

Unident

x099yl00.0

From sieving

413

Iron

Unident

x099yl00.0

From sieving

420

Iron

Unident

xlOO.60 y099.76 z29.55

429

Iron

Riv/nail

xl00.0y099.0

433

Iron

Unident

xl00y099.0

441

Iron

Riv/nails

xl00.30y099.11z29.60

3 stem of which 1
bent, 1 bent nail

457

Iron

Riv/nail

xlOO y099

459

Iron

Riv/nail

xlOO y099

464

Iron

Riv/nail

xlOO.65 y099.00 z29.65

484

Iron

Rivet

x099.72y098.81z29.68

Span 23 mm

488

Iron

Unident

x099 y099

491

Iron

Riv/nails

xl00.30y098.90

Many, some bent,
possibly some
buckle frags

492

Iron

Riv/nail

xl00.30y098.90

494

Iron

Riv/nail

x099 y098.5

Associated with
F491&F492

260

Iron

Unident

x099 y096

452

Iron

Unident

xl01.59y095.08z29.81

453

Iron

Unident

xlOl 50 y095.28 Z29.74

528

Iron

Unident

xlOl y094

Originally mis-
labeled F469

303

Iron

Ring

x099.69y097.48z29.88

309

Iron

Ring

x099.80y097.50z29.74

With cross bar

340

Iron

Riv/nail

xlOO.02 y097.60 z29.74

341

Iron

Nail

X099.75 y097.50 z29.70

343

Iron

Hook

X099.40 y097.59 z29.76

With 2 rivets & 1
frag

351

Iron

Riv/nail

X099.78 y097.73 z29.64

355

Iron

Riv/nail

x099.61y097.87z29.66

Bent

356

Iron

Riv/nail

x099.79y097.82z29.64

357

Iron

Riv/nail

x099.70y097.81z29.61

Thin, but too long
for a comb.

359

Iron

Riv/nail

x099.83y097.98z29.60

387

Iron

Riv/nail

X099.60 y098.08 z29.59

390

Iron

Riv/nail

xlOO.54 y098.29 z29.57

391

Iron

Riv/nail

x099 y098.0

399

Iron

Unident

xl00y098.0

400

Iron

Unident

x099.84y098.37z29.55

402

Iron

Rivet

xl00.44y098.47z29.55

412

Iron

Frostnail

xl00.15y09.27z29.53

418

Iron

Riv/nail

x099.78y98.61z29.61

Bent, span 32 mm

422

Iron

Riv/nail

xl00.80y098.23z29.76

Head diam 23 mm

423

Iron

Frostnail

xl00y098.0

Associated with
find no 426

426

Iron

Frostnail

xlOO.05 y098.25 z29.48

Associated with
find no 423

432

Iron

Nail

x099 y098.5

437

Iron

Frostnail

x099y098.5

438

Iron

Unident

x099 y098.5

442

Iron

Frostnail

xl00.0y098.65z29.57

443

Iron

Riv/nail

X099.64 y098.68 z29.64

445

Iron

Riv/nail

x099 y098.5

319

Iron

Unident

xl00y095.0

279

Iron

Unident

xlOO y097

291

Iron

Unident

x099 y097.0

322

Iron

Unident

xl00y097.5

334

Iron

Riv/nail

xl00y097.5

360

Iron

Knife

xlOOylOO.O

Blade frag

333

Ore?

xl05.67y097.19

388

Ore?

xl05 y098

392

Ore?

xl04.54y098.83z29.82

Pottery

Red-brown

xl03yl04

bottom flat

Pottery

Red-brown

xl03yl02

rim

Pottery

Red-brown

xl05yl04

Pottery

Black-glossy

xl02y094

115

Pottery

Black-glossy

x096yl03

rim

149

Pottery

Red-brown

x099yl05

rim

155

Pottery

Red-brown

xl02yl01

160

Pottery

Red-brown

xl00yl05

174

Pottery

Red-brown

x096yl01

193

Pottery

Red-brown

xl02yl01

striated ext surface

197

Pottery

Fine-brown

xl00yl04

rim

198

Pottery

Red-brown

xlOlylOl

241

Pottery

Brick-red

x099 y096

283

Pottery

Red-brown

xl00.55y097.10

284

Pottery

Red-brown

xl00.64y097.17

289

Pottery

Red-brown

xl00.20y097.15

Roughly accurate
location from
sieved material

312

Pottery

Black-glossy

xl00.81y097.87z30.00

315

Pottery

Red-brown

xlOO.73 y097.43 z29.91

175a

Pottery

Red-brown

xl03yl01

175
b

Pottery

Black-glossy

rim

273a

Pottery

Red-brown

xl00.44y096.14

273
b

Pottery

Red-brown

273c

Pottery

Red-brown

incised line

273
d

Pottery

Red-brown

272

Pottery

Red-brown

x099 y096

sooty ext surface

305

Pottery

Black-glossy

X097.63 ylOO.65 z29.69

rim, diam c 27 cm

Quartz

Modified,
waste

x098yl00

109

Quartz

Modified,
waste

xl02.7yl02.5

122

Quartz

Modified,
waste

x097yl04

362

Quartz

Modified,
waste

xlOOylOO.O

100

Silver

xl05 y098

330

Slate

Modified?

xl05 y096

470

Slate

Whetstone

xlOO.33 y098.70 z-bottom
29.62, top 29.67

481

Stone

Gaming
piece?

x099.80-90y099.00-10

Discarded

x096yl07

Natural stone

Discarded

SE Quadrant

Modern glazed
pottery

Discarded

xl03yl02

Natural stone

Discarded

xl03yl02

Natural stone

Discarded

xl03yl02

Charcoal

Discarded

xl02yl02

Natural stone

Discarded

xl00yl08

Natural stone

Discarded

x099yl08

Natural stone

Discarded

x098yl08

Natural stone

Discarded

xl01yl02

Natural stone

Discarded

x098yl05

Charcoal

Discarded

x098yl04

Natural stone

Discarded

x098yl02

Plant

Discarded

x097yl04

Charcoal

Discarded

x096 y099

Natural stone

Discarded

x095yl03

Charcoal

Discarded

x097 y095

Natural stone

Discarded

SE Quadrant

Natural stone

Discarded

xl05 y096

Earth

204

Discarded

xlOO y099

Natural stone

102

Discarded

x096yl04

Charcoal

104

Discarded

x098yl04

Charcoal

125

Discarded

xl00yl03

Charcoal

131

Discarded

xl03 y097

Charcoal

143

Discarded

x098yl00

Charcoal

145

Discarded

x098 y095

Charcoal

146

Discarded

x098yl05

Earth

113

Discarded

x096yl03

Natural stone

161

Discarded

xl03yl02

Natural stone

211

Discarded

xl01.2yl02.05

220

Discarded

xlOlylOl

Natural stone

222

Discarded

xl03yl03

Natural stone

224

Discarded

xl02yl04

Natural stone

296

Discarded

xl00y095

Modern bone

314

Discarded

x099.88y097.88z29.90

317

Discarded

X09.75 y097.90 z29.74

Natural stone

321

Discarded

xl05 y097

Natural stone

325

Discarded

xl05 y097

Natural stone

331

Discarded

xl05 y096

Natural stone

335

Discarded

xl05.72y097.5

Natural stone

336

Discarded

X105.53 y097.38

Natural stone

344

Discarded

xl04y097

Natural stone

364

Discarded

xl04.35y097.77z29.84

Natural stone

367

Discarded

xl04 y096

Natural stone

369

Discarded

xl05.52y096.12z29.76

Natural stone

376

Discarded

xl05 y098

381

Discarded

xl04y098

Natural stone

384

Discarded

xl05y098

Natural stone

393

Discarded

xl04.57y098.40z29.82

Natural stone

405

Discarded

x099.86y094.36z29.90

409

Discarded

X099.67 y094.99 z29.95

Natural stone

467

Discarded

xl01.73y096.71z30.85

Natural stone

483

Discarded

x099 y094

498

Discarded

x098 y095

Natural stone

502

Discarded

x097.03y096.30z29.91

Natural stone

511

Discarded

x097 y095

512

Discarded

xlOl y099

Natural stone

515

Discarded

xlOl y097

478

Discarded

X099.37 y095.72 z29.77

Natural stone

350

Discarded

xlOO.06 ylOO.64 z29.49

Natural stone

299

Discarded

x098yl00

Natural stone

338

Discarded

x099y097.5

349

Discarded

X099.76 y097.50 z29.65

Natural stone

358

Discarded

X099.75 y097.77 z29.62

424

Discarded

xl00y098.0

428

Discarded

xlOO.62 y098.23 z29.65

Natural stone

499

Discarded

x099y098.5

Natural stone

316

Discarded

xlOO.79 y095.67 z29.72

Natural stone

337

Discarded

xl00y095

Natural stone

323

Discarded

x099 y097.5

370

Discarded

x099yl00.0

Natural stone

374

Discarded

x099 y098.0

Natural stone

Appendix 5. Pottery

26 low-tech potsherds were found, 20 of them in the settlement layer (cont. 5) and 4 in
the topsoil where they are likely to have been re-deposited at the construction of the
stone setting. They may be divided into four different wares, all of which may be con-
temporaneous with the two radiocarbon dates in the 2nd century cal BC, the Late Pre-
Roman Iron Age.

• Red-brown: 19 sherds have a matte, reddish pale brown exterior surface, a black
core, a glossy black interior surface or, near the rim, the same colour as the ex-
terior. Tempered with coarse granite grains. The median vessel wall thickness at
each sherd's thinnest spot, excepting bottom and rim sherds, is 8 mm (n=13). No
sherd is large enough to tell us much about vessel shape, but rims are simple and
at least one bottom flat. One sherd has an incised straight line.

• Black-glossy: 5 sherds have a glossy black surface, interior as well as exterior,
and a black core. Tempered with coarse granite grains. Median vessel wall
thickness at each sherd's thinnest spot is 9 mm (n=5). The largest of these
sherds, indeed of all sherds, was found in a deep pit (cont 17) along with alder
charcoal that has given an Early Bronze Age radiocarbon date. This sherd
represents a biconic vessel with a carefully moulded rim and a rim diameter of c.
27 cm.

• Brick-red: 1 sherd, brick-red throughout. Tempered with coarse granite grains. 8
mm thick.

• Fine-brown: 1 rim sherd, matte pale reddish brown throughout. Tempered with
fine granite grains. 4 mm thick. Rim turned out.

Appendix 6. Osteological analysis

By Susanne Svensson, Raa UV Mitt, and Berit Sigvallius

Fno

Burnt?

Bone

Species

Cont.

Coords

Note

Weight (g)

Animal

xl03yl02

Gnawed

0,2

Animal

xl04yl00

0,2

Animal

x099 yl03

0,1

Tooth, molar

Cattle

x098 yl04

0,4

Animal

x097yl04

0,1

Animal

xl03 y099

0,6

Animal

xl03 y099

0,4

Tooth, molar, from mandible

Cattle

x097 y096

Costa

Animal

xl00y095

0,4

Animal

xl04y097

0,2

Animal

xlOl y098

0,3

117

Animal

x096 yl03

0,7

136

Tibia sin

Human?

xlOl y098

2,3

136

Animal

xlOl y098

0,5

168

Animal

xl00yl03

0,2

177

Antler?

Animal

x099 y094

Worked

0,3

187

Tibia

Human

xl02yl00

1,2

304

Tooth, molar

Cattle

x098,06yl00,28

13,6

318

Animal

xlOO y097,5

0,1

377

Animal

xl00y098

0,4

385

Tooth

Pig?

xl00,36y098,02

0,3

403

Tooth

Cattle/horse

xl00,42y098,5

0,5

404

Tooth

Cattle/horse

xl00y098,5

1,8

421

Animal

xl00y099,5

0,1

431

Tooth?

Animal

xl00y098,5

0,1

439

Tooth

Cattle/horse

xl00y098,5

0,9

440

Animal

xl00y098,5

0,5

448

Animal

x099 y095

0,1

460

Animal

xlOl y096

0,4

469

Animal

xl00y098,5

0,1

503

Tooth, molar + part of jaw

Cattle

x096 y096

26,3

508

Tooth

Cattle/horse

x096 y097

0,2

518

Tooth, molar

Cattle

x096 y097

9,7

529

Radius?

Animal

xlOl y094

0,3

Append

ix7

. Radiocarbon analyses

Pit cont 17

F30
6

charcoal

Alder /Al

decomposed
wood

Poz-13534

3000 ± 40 BP

1320-1190 calBC
(60%)

Posthole
cont 22

F39

charcoal

Lime /
Lind

decomposed
wood

Poz-13535

2110±40BP

210-30 calBC (89%)

Hearth
cont 12

F29

charcoal

Scotch
pine / Tall

younger tree
trunk

Poz-13532

2075 ± 35 BP

160-40 calBC (68%)

Wood species determinations by Ulf Strucke.

INFORM : References - Atmospheric data from Reimer et al (2004);OxCal v3.10
Bronk Ramsey (2005); cub r:5 sd:12 prob usp[chron]

Skamby F306 : 3000±40BP
68.2% probability

1370BC(1.5%)1360BC

1320BC(60.1%)1190BC

1180BC(2.6%)1160BC

1150BC(4.0%)1130BC
95.4% probability

1390BC(95.4%)1120BC
Skamby F397 : 2110±40BP
68.2% probability

190BC(68.2%)50BC
95.4% probability

350BC(6.8%)300BC

210BC(88.6%)30BC
Skamby F293 : 2075±35BP
68.2% probability

160BC(17.3%)130BC

120BC (50.9%) 40BC
95.4% probability

200BC (95.4%) 10 AD

Appendix 8. Metalworking debris

By Ole Stilborg

Fyndnr

Beskrivning

Gjut-
form

In-
lopp

De-
gel

Degel-
knopp

Vikt

1 glasat, rodfargat frgm.

1,6

179

2 sintrade frgm.

0,4

531

1 sintrat, reducerat brant frgm.

9,1

1 sintrat, reducerat brant frgm.

4,9

532/23

1 sintrat frgm.

0,3

533

1 hogbrant frgm.

0,8

1 hogbrant frgm.

0,9

1 hogbrant frgm.

2,4

1 delvis sintrat frgm.

4,5

534

1 delvis sintrat frgm.

1,4

Skamby 2005, Kuddby sn. Ostergotland

Kommentarer till materialet.

De tre sakra degelknopparna, varav tva storre och en mindre, motsvarar i form samt

med hansyn till placeringen av sparen efter den kraftigaste varmepaverkningen och

tangmarken de slutna/lockforsedda vendeltida deglarna, som har patraffats pa bland an-

nat Helgo.

Det ovan beskrivna materialet har utskilts pa grund av sin sintrade och/eller forglasade

tillstand. Det ar saledes inte forvanande att just degelknoppar, som pa de jamforbara

Helgo-deglarna har befunnit sig narmast blastret, och inlopp, som ar den del av gjutfor-

men som utsatts for den hogsta varmen vid gjutningen, dominerar. Darfor ar det ocksa

rimligt att forvanta sig, att det kan finnas flera icke-sintrade fragment av samma objekt

- framst fran gjutformarna - bland det ovriga fyndmaterialet fran anlaggningen.

Lund 20060316

Ole Stilborg, FD

Keramiska Forskningslaboratoriet

Kvartargeologiska Avd

Geologiska Institutionen

Geo centrum

Funds Universitet

Excerpt from Grona Kartan, sheet 8G NO Norrkoping. 1 km grid. The circle marks the location of
the boat grave cemetery at Skamby.

Excerpt from Ekonomiska Kartan, sheet 8G 7i Ostra Ny. 500 m grid.
The boat grave cemetery is marked "158".

The boat grave cemetery. Aerial photograph from the NW by Pal-Nils Nilsson.

88220-'^,

88200-

88180- ^-^

88180

88140

88120-

88100-

10 20 30 40 50

meters

41740 41 760 41780 41800 41820 41840 41660

The boat grave cemetery mapped and level-surveyed with a total station in 2005.
Grave 15 was excavated. Map designed by Markus Andersson.

!'■

Excerpt from map of the boat grave cemetery by G.A. Hellman and G. Ekelund 1947.

Trench plan of grave 15 with the extent of removal of settlement layer 5 and features cut into the
natural beneath it. The vertical axis in the plan's coordinate system is orientated NE-S W (42° E of
compass N).

Photo collage of the grave's superstructure after de-turfing and cleaning. Photographs by HW.
Rectification and assembly by MR.

=H-

lO I

Long sections through the grave structure along the boat depression's centre line and across it at its
midpoint. Digitised and designed by Markus Andersson. The filled-in stone in the cross-section was
a fallen orthostat.

Iron & rost
concenit'ation

F4eo

• •F479 F490 *

F43e

F463, »F462 ,F486

F44?

•F470
>*F4G1

F39e
F401

PS. ^■

F426

0,5

>; Rivet or rust stain
• Other small artefact

meteors

meters

Plan of the boat grave cut. Note that the edge line represents where the grave was cut into the
natural subsoil, not the Viking Period ground surface. This is because the grave's fill was
indistinguishable from the culture layer through which it had been cut. Its original surface
dimensions must have been somewhat greater.

xlOl
y 102.5

0.5

1 meter

Natural

^//j^ This area removed before section drawing

Section 1 through the boat grave cut, NE end, seen from the NE.
All sections digitised and designed by Markus Andersson.

xlOl
y102

0,5

meter

Natural

Section 2 through the boat grave cut seen from the NE.

xlOI
yioi.5

26.25 masl

ir«

0.5

meter

Natural

Section 3 through the boat grave cut seen from the NE.

xioi
ylOl

0,5

1 meter

Natural

Section 4 through the boat grave cut seen from the NE.

xlOI
y 100.5

as:

meter

Natural

Section 5 through the boat grave cut seen from the NE.

xlOl
y 100

meter

Natural
Sandstone

Section 6 through the boat grave cut seen from the NE. The coloured stone was a fallen orthostat.

0.5

meter

Find

Orig. prob. standing stone, fallen Into the grave cut

Natural

Section 7 through the boat grave cut seen from the NE. The coloured stone was a fallen orthostat.

xlOI
y98,5

26.25 masi

X 99

y98.5

0.5

meter

e Find
I Natural

Section 9 through the boat grave cut seen from the NE.

xlOl
y99

0.5

meter

Find

Rusty staining

Orig,prob. standing stone, fallen into the grave cut

Natural
Sandstone

Section 8 through the boat grave cut seen from the NE. The coloured stone was a fallen orthostat.

xlOl

y98

0,5

meter

Natural

Section 10 through the boat grave cut seen from the NE.

F309 ^TT^ C^

:,..::,:.,. :;:;::.:.::::^;..,;,_.:,.^,...,^fc).,

0,5

meter

^ Context no.
® Find
sSl Natural

Section 1 1 through the boat grave cut, SW end, seen from the NE.

3. Stone pavement

4. Pavement fill

25. Upper grave fill

5. Settlement layer

Various sunken features

Natural

Stratigraphic matrix.

Boat grave 15 seen from the ENE on 4 July 2005, the evening before the excavations
commenced.

Boat grave 15, the superstructure's NE end seen from the S during cleaning on 14 July.

The boat grave's superstructure after most of it had been cleaned, seen from the ESE on 14
July. Note the strip of turf left untouched over the central boat-shaped depression.

The stone pavement being removed, seen from the NE on 18 July.

Top: overview of the trench from a treetop to the the SE on 25 July.
Below: The central depression during cleaning from the NE on 28 July.

A section through the NE half of the central depression with yellow wooden slivers
marking rusty stains remaining from clench nails. Seen from the N on 4 August.

The central depression being excavated in half-metre sections from either end, seen from
the NW on 11 August.

Above the measuring rod, three amber gaming pieces in situ in the final section baulk of
stones and fill in the central depression. Seen fi-om the NW on 15 August.

Williams and Rundkvist excavating the final section baulk on 16 August. Note the amber
gaming piece exposed in situ.

23 amber gaming pieces, found at the centre of the boat, probably originally placed on the roof of
the grave cut. Median diameter 36 mm.

Fno

Max diam
(mm)

Height
(mm)

H/D

382

42,7

30,0

70%

389

34,5

20,7

60%

396

35,7

22,3

62%

401

35,9

24,2

67%

434

35,7

23,4

66%

435

28,2

18,8

67%

436

35,0

23,3

67%

456

36,2

24,2

67%

458

37,2

22,4

60%

461

36,6

20,9

57%

462

36,3

24,5

67%

463

33,0

19,5

59%

468

36,3

25,3

70%

471

33,5

23,3

70%

472

36,3

24,5

67%

473

37,1

23,8

64%

474

36,9

23,9

65%

476

36,1

22,4

62%

479

33,4

24,5

73%

480

29,1

23,9

82%

482

34,3

23,9

70%

490

35,3

23,3

66%

493

39,6

24,5

62%

Median

35,9

23,8

67%

Above: horse and driving gear found in the SW half of the boat. The rings may be the remains of a
small bridle bit. The hook belongs to a shaft for a sleigh or small wagon. To the right are five
frostnails, only one of which is well preserved, for the horse's hooves.

Below: Slate whetstone and glass paste bead from the centre of the boat. Bottom, a piece of a knife
found near the surface of the grave fill, probably a residual piece from the settlement deposit.

Above: find 491, straight and curved fragments of small iron rods, found at the centre of the boat,
probably being the remains of clench nails and perhaps a simple strap buckle or box fitting. These
sad pieces are in fact among the best preserved clench nails found.

Below: a small decorated silver pin of uncertain date, found near the surface of the settlement layer
outside the edge of the Viking period grave superstructure.

Above: selected pieces of burnt daub with impressions of wattle from the upper fill of a daub-
filled pit.

Below: cupmark stone found in the boat grave's superstructure. Most likely a re-used Bronze
Age item.

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