I am an archaeologist at the Uppland Museum in Uppsala, Sweden, currently as deputy manager for the research project Gamla Uppsala - the emergence of a mythical center (GUAM) at Uppsala University. I have a PhL at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Uppsala. My thesis dealt with the agrarian production and consumption within selected parts of the Old Uppsala vicinity during the period 200 BCE – 600 CE. Old Uppsala emerged during this period as one of the Scandinavian interregional central places. The objective of the study was to evaluate the significance of the agrarian settlements during the period in question, and to discuss the results in relation to the central place’s possible influence on agrarian production and consumption. An increased insight into the livelihoods organization is not only an issue for Old Uppsala, it can also help to understand how central places generally were organized and provided for.
Supervisors: Jesper Larson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Phone: +46705834247
Supervisors: Jesper Larson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Phone: +46705834247
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This study investigates the agrarian production and consumption within selected parts of the Gamla Uppsala vicinity during the period 200 BCE – 600 CE. Gamla Uppsala emerged towards the end of this period as one of the Scandinavian interregional central places. The objective of the study is to evaluate the significance of the agrarian settlements during the period in question, and to discuss the results in relation to the central place’s possible influence on agrarian production and consumption. Through a study of two major settlements, Berget and Bredåker, an archaeological source material has been analysed using source pluralistic theory formation, with methods derived from agrarian history, archaeology and geography. Different aspects of the settlement's economy have been examined and discussed in terms of settlement patterns, surplus production and central locations. The result of the study results show that agriculture was very dynamic rather than static and that changes have been more distinct and quantifiable in terms of animal husbandry than of farming. This is particularly true when it comes to the composition of cattle herds. At Berget there are clear indications of agrarian surplus production, which shows that it has been part of a tributary system with influence on production, consumption and organization. The settlement at Bredåker was not initially part of the same system but was integrated over time. The thesis can show dynamic changes in agriculture during the period 200 BCE – 600 CE, changes that are probably initiated by internal as well as external factors. The biggest change seems to have occurred at the end of the 4th or early 5th century, when the direction of agriculture changed radically. This coincided with the erection of the first large halls and terraces at Gamla Uppsala.
Papers by Per Frölund
to see whether it was possible to extract building plans from the very numerous features on the terraces and in the area between them.
The results have been as follows:
Nineteen buildings have been identified: six on Terrace I, eight on Terrace III and five on the area between. On Terrace I there were post-built houses (four aisled and one unaisled), and one ‘sill house’. On Terrace III there were post-built house (seven aisled and one unaisled). On the area between there were smaller houses including corner-post houses, small aisled houses and one SFB. The earliest occupation (Roman Iron Age) was on Terrace III (Houses 12 and 13) and the area between the terraces (House 11), with the shape and size of the buildings suggesting that the settlement was fairly normal for the period. In the Late Roman Iron Age–Migration Period and possibly also (early) Vendel Period, the settlement was dominated by four big buildings (Houses 14–17) which were 30–35m long and of a rather unusual character. The eastern end of each building seems to have been a large open room, possibly serving as a hall. Occupation did not begin on Terrace I until the Migration Period, first perhaps as a working area with hearths etc. It came into full use during the Vendel Period, with some buildings which could be
interpreted as halls on account of their construction and the finds associated with them – such as gold foils, glass, weapons etc. It is noteworthy that by this time the occupation on Terrace III had either changed character, now with smaller buildings, or had ceased. Both the terraces and the area between them were still occupied in the Viking Age, but less intensively than previously. More recent work has shown that there were houses on Terraces V and VI during the Roman Iron Age, the Vendel period and the Viking Age (Gӧthberg 2015).
monumentalization of the area, what we know of a Migration Period prelude and its transformation during the 8th/9th century. Today we can discuss the relationship between a multitude of elements in the complex, such as individual mounds, the great hall, workshops, economy buildings, fences, paved courtyards, post-row monuments and not least landscape development and resource exploitation on a broad scale. In our strategic work, previously isolated monuments are tied together in a project that will continue in the years ahead.
This article is a result of settlement investigations in Gamla (»Old«) Uppsala, which have been carried out regularly over
the past 20 years. The material can be divided into two chronological and spatial groups. In the peripheral parts of the
historical village several large settlements, mainly dated to the Early Iron Age, have been investigated. In the central
area quite many excavations have been made of Late Iron Age and medieval remains. But these are usually small and
scattered. By compiling a large number of large and small excavations, accumulated over the years, we may gain a
coherent view of Gamla Uppsala’s settlement development from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. The establishment of monumental edifices – such as the Uppsala Mounds, great halls on artificial terraces and the cathedral from
the 12
th
century – can progressively be related to changes in the settlement structure. Moreover, traces of metal craft
increase continuously, and seem to be present over vast areas. More and more, Gamla Uppsala emerges as a place of
cult, as a central farmstead with royal connections and as a large village. Gamla Uppsala can now be characterized as
something resembling a proto-urban site in the Viking Age. However, interestingly enough, the site is located in a com -
pletely different geographical environment to early coastal towns such as Birka and Sigtuna. What can be said for
certain is that the Late Iron Age society in Gamla Uppsala is something entirely different from the large peasant village
we meet in late medieval and post-reformation phases"
This study investigates the agrarian production and consumption within selected parts of the Gamla Uppsala vicinity during the period 200 BCE – 600 CE. Gamla Uppsala emerged towards the end of this period as one of the Scandinavian interregional central places. The objective of the study is to evaluate the significance of the agrarian settlements during the period in question, and to discuss the results in relation to the central place’s possible influence on agrarian production and consumption. Through a study of two major settlements, Berget and Bredåker, an archaeological source material has been analysed using source pluralistic theory formation, with methods derived from agrarian history, archaeology and geography. Different aspects of the settlement's economy have been examined and discussed in terms of settlement patterns, surplus production and central locations. The result of the study results show that agriculture was very dynamic rather than static and that changes have been more distinct and quantifiable in terms of animal husbandry than of farming. This is particularly true when it comes to the composition of cattle herds. At Berget there are clear indications of agrarian surplus production, which shows that it has been part of a tributary system with influence on production, consumption and organization. The settlement at Bredåker was not initially part of the same system but was integrated over time. The thesis can show dynamic changes in agriculture during the period 200 BCE – 600 CE, changes that are probably initiated by internal as well as external factors. The biggest change seems to have occurred at the end of the 4th or early 5th century, when the direction of agriculture changed radically. This coincided with the erection of the first large halls and terraces at Gamla Uppsala.
to see whether it was possible to extract building plans from the very numerous features on the terraces and in the area between them.
The results have been as follows:
Nineteen buildings have been identified: six on Terrace I, eight on Terrace III and five on the area between. On Terrace I there were post-built houses (four aisled and one unaisled), and one ‘sill house’. On Terrace III there were post-built house (seven aisled and one unaisled). On the area between there were smaller houses including corner-post houses, small aisled houses and one SFB. The earliest occupation (Roman Iron Age) was on Terrace III (Houses 12 and 13) and the area between the terraces (House 11), with the shape and size of the buildings suggesting that the settlement was fairly normal for the period. In the Late Roman Iron Age–Migration Period and possibly also (early) Vendel Period, the settlement was dominated by four big buildings (Houses 14–17) which were 30–35m long and of a rather unusual character. The eastern end of each building seems to have been a large open room, possibly serving as a hall. Occupation did not begin on Terrace I until the Migration Period, first perhaps as a working area with hearths etc. It came into full use during the Vendel Period, with some buildings which could be
interpreted as halls on account of their construction and the finds associated with them – such as gold foils, glass, weapons etc. It is noteworthy that by this time the occupation on Terrace III had either changed character, now with smaller buildings, or had ceased. Both the terraces and the area between them were still occupied in the Viking Age, but less intensively than previously. More recent work has shown that there were houses on Terraces V and VI during the Roman Iron Age, the Vendel period and the Viking Age (Gӧthberg 2015).
monumentalization of the area, what we know of a Migration Period prelude and its transformation during the 8th/9th century. Today we can discuss the relationship between a multitude of elements in the complex, such as individual mounds, the great hall, workshops, economy buildings, fences, paved courtyards, post-row monuments and not least landscape development and resource exploitation on a broad scale. In our strategic work, previously isolated monuments are tied together in a project that will continue in the years ahead.
This article is a result of settlement investigations in Gamla (»Old«) Uppsala, which have been carried out regularly over
the past 20 years. The material can be divided into two chronological and spatial groups. In the peripheral parts of the
historical village several large settlements, mainly dated to the Early Iron Age, have been investigated. In the central
area quite many excavations have been made of Late Iron Age and medieval remains. But these are usually small and
scattered. By compiling a large number of large and small excavations, accumulated over the years, we may gain a
coherent view of Gamla Uppsala’s settlement development from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. The establishment of monumental edifices – such as the Uppsala Mounds, great halls on artificial terraces and the cathedral from
the 12
th
century – can progressively be related to changes in the settlement structure. Moreover, traces of metal craft
increase continuously, and seem to be present over vast areas. More and more, Gamla Uppsala emerges as a place of
cult, as a central farmstead with royal connections and as a large village. Gamla Uppsala can now be characterized as
something resembling a proto-urban site in the Viking Age. However, interestingly enough, the site is located in a com -
pletely different geographical environment to early coastal towns such as Birka and Sigtuna. What can be said for
certain is that the Late Iron Age society in Gamla Uppsala is something entirely different from the large peasant village
we meet in late medieval and post-reformation phases"
indications of an adjustment to local natural conditions in terms of land use and agrarian systems. The settlement location can be said to reflect the right of disposition of the land, and thus also the power structure. During the Early Roman Iron Age, a new power structure can be discerned, manifested by a new form of settlement in pronounced locations. Probably, these settlements exercised some form of control over other settlements, albeit a local level. Their function could be to collect tax and redistribute goods, but they also had an agrarian production of their own. During the Late Roman Iron Age, even more extravagant topographical locations were chosen for settlement, and the buildings grew larger and were constructed in different ways. The function of this kind of farmstead might be to redistribute produce, but cult practices cannot be ruled out. During the Migration Period, the farmsteads of the central settlement might have increased in size. Later on, a craft centre was established in the area between Gamla Uppsala School and the parish church. Around the same time, the eastern and western mounds were erected.
This excavation has greatly contributed to creating an overview of the royal manor area from different times. From the turning point, the design, dating and abandonment of the great hall, as well as actions related to this, have become much clearer. From the other surfaces, significant complementary knowledge of how the royal manor has been structured and the organization, scope and continuity of economic activities has been gained. The excavation has raised new issues concerning changes at the site during the 7th C as well as why some phases lack material evidence.
- Investigate and concretize the abundant but largely undated settlement remains detected 1957-58 west of the southern Kungsgården plateau.
- Investigate the remains in the vast but hitherto unexplored northern Kungsgården plateau.
- Further investigate the nature of the settlement remains in the farmland north of the Kungsgården plateaus.
The trench west of the southern Kungsgården plateau was placed over and alongside one of the 1957-58 trenches in order to relate to possible grubenhauser (SFB). Under the turf and the tilled soil, appeared a very dense presence of features consisting mostly of postholes but also two possible grubenhausers, pits and a large hearth. The dates of the features (14C) and the artefacts ranged from the 5th to the 20th centuries, but with a strong emphasis on the 5th -13th century. The artefacts consisted of wattle and daub, pottery, fragments of molds and a crucible as well as an large quantity of unusually well-preserved animal bones including fishbones from the 5/6th century. The large hearth was 14C-dated to the 12th century and contained slag and pieces from an oven.
The trenches on the north Kungsgården plateau revealed a complex stratigraphy reflecting a range of building phases with 14C-datings from late the 4th to the 10th century and artefacts from the 13/14th century. The find material consisted of animal bones, beads, clasp, comb, pottery, slag, spur and wattle and daub.
In the farmland north of the Kungsgården plateaus five test trenches were excavated. The results showed that there were preserved cultural layers and features from the Iron Age. They complement earlier results from metal detector surveys and a recent GPR survey. They stress that the arable land holds some well preserved settlement remains that stretches from late 4th -11th century.
The settlement remains consisted of a vast amount of varying features, such as postholes, hearths, pits and areas of cultural layers. Most of the settlement lay on tilled land south and east of the central hillock. Other features were located to the hillock itself and on the abandoned farmland north of this. On the settlement 78 house structures of varying size and construction could be identified. The features were dated from the Late Bronze Age to the transition between the Migration and Vendel Periods, with emphasis on the Early Roman Iron Age to the Migration Periods. The character and distribution of the remains varied over time. From the Late Bronze Age to the Pre-roman Iron Age, they consisted mainly of hearths and a
single house. Therefore, they can be seen as representing an activity area with short term occupation. They were mainly located to the central hillock, right next to the graves, and adjacent areas of tilled land. The remains from the Roman Iron Age and the Migration Period were dominated by houses with contiguous fences, as well as hearths and pits. This stage was characterised by intense settlement. Most of this was located to the tilled land south of the central hillock. There was also some settlement on the hillock itself and north of it. This north area might best be characterised as traces of activity, including some settlement. There were also some remains from later periods, including a hearth with pottery dating from the transition between the Viking Age and the Early Middle Ages. There was also a large amount of latter day waste linked to the farm Berget, which was relocated in 1857. Roman Iron Age and Migration Period settlement consisted of three-isle houses of varying sizes, as well as smaller structures such as one-aisle houses and corner post houses. The settlement elements could be grouped according to their spatial distribution across the excavated area. Within each of these groups were one or more large three-aisle houses which could be characterised as being multifunctional, incorporating living quarters. Around these were smaller houses. Although the number and character of the houses varied, these groups can be seen as farmsteads. A farmstead’s duration varied between one and up to six building phases. As observed difference between farmsteads is that the most intense settlement was in the eastern part, well exposed to the Samnan river valley. This was further evidenced by a couple of farmsteads on the central hillock, some of which were located on built-up terraces. These were contrasted by other farmsteads, consisting only of a few houses. Several farmsteads had been stable over a long period of time, with several buildings stratigraphicaly superseding one another. The number of farmsteads was the largest during the Roman Iron Age. During the Migration Period farmsteads decreased both in number and size, until only single small houses remained. Furthermore these farmsteads were fairly densely located, often less than 50 metres from each other. I summation, the settlement was unusually concentrated compared two settlements from the same time in Uppland. Another feature of the settlement was 60 tar making pits, an unusually high number for settlements. These were mainly found within one farmstead, indicating a specialised craft or trade. Objects recovered were relatively mundane, dominated by bone, burnt clay and pottery, i e household waste. Osteological analysis showed an overwhelming dominance of cattle. There was a marked discrepancy in the proportion of food waste and butchery waste. A majority of butchery waste indicated that food had been consumed elsewhere. The economy of the settlement was focused on agriculture and animal husbandry. The preserved bone material indicates that hunting and fishing played a
minor role. Crops were mainly hulled barley grown without crop rotation on fertilised fields, but also wheat, in particular bread and club wheat. Wheat was more common during the Early Roman Iron Age only to decrease dramatically during the Late Roman Age and the Migration Period. A similar transition occurred in the livestock, which consisted of the sheep/goats, horse, cattle and pigs. The composition changed from mainly sheep/goats during the Early Roman Age to a complete domination of cattle during the Migration Period. The settlement has continued to the east, which has been shown by an earlier excavation. Also, a contemporary settlement was located on a lower elevation. The difference in topographical locations for settlements may suggest differences in agrarian specialisation, in this case animal husbandry. Berget was one of several vast settlements in Gamla Uppsala in the Early Iron Age, in particular the Roman Iron Age. A dominant trait was a decrease of settlements after the Roman Iron Age, and a complete disappearance during the Vendel Period at the latest. In conjunction with this development the economy evolved, visible through the changing composition of crops and livestock. Within the settlements, dissimilarities in terms of topographic location, the number of houses on the farmsteads, and the size of these houses, indicate some social differentiation. The large numbers of settlements indicate a large population in the area. The farmsteads have also been much more densely located than contemporary settlements from other sites in the Uppsala vicinity.