Syllabus Gotland Archaeological Field School July 11-August 19 2016 Directors Dan Carlsson. PhD Associate Professor. Arendus. Instructors Amanda Karn. MA. Arendus History of research - Fröjel Fröjel was first investigated within the project Harbours and trading places on Gotland AD 600-1000. This project was aimed at identifying and investigate Harbours and trading places on Gotland which before had been poorly researched. Between 1987-1990 excavations was carried out that revealed Fröjel as a large harbour and trading place dating from the 8th to the 12th century. The Fröjel Discovery Programme began in 1998, and was a new type of culture-project, i.e. a project with a comprehensive view on the concept Culture Heritage. The project was intended to scientifically examine the Viking Age harbour at Fröjel, but also mediate and make the history of the Vikings on Gotland lifelike. The project was to a great extent a collaboration project between local organisations of interests and businessmen and the world of scientist, with the main interest to develop the district as a place to visit. The project intended to combine the archaeological research with regional development, so far that a scientific research project would be the base for an investment in the development and the knowledge about the Viking Age in the area, and to be an attraction in the district. The project aims were briefly to: Through excavation of the Viking Age harbour at Fröjel enlarge the knowledge of the extent, direction, organisation and development of Viking Age trade on Gotland. Give visitors a special experience during the excavation period with different kinds of exhibitions; after the excavations are finished in form of a well developed site to visit. Function as a resource for education at Gotland University College, as for other schools through shows, exhibitions, information and active participation in the project. By i.e. inviting holders of a scholarship to fieldwork, become a link in the international interchange between the countries in Europe in the theme of archaeology and culture heritage. In other words, the archaeological programme was an integrated part of an extension of the area's visiting-industry. The project was led by Viking Heritage, The Centre for Baltic Studies, in consultation with a project-group with representatives of Gotland University College, the County museum Gotlands Fornsal, Gotland's County Administrative Board and the Gotlandic Municipality, representatives of the 1(5)
home district association and the district development group at Fröjel. Leader and responsible for the project was associate professor Dan Carlsson. Because the harbour at Fröjel was abandon already during the 12th century, and the fact that the area is proportionately little exploited, the opportunity of studies about how a harbour of this character develop is very good. In Visby there was probably similar course of development, but because of the settlement's continuity, older remains have been wiped out. Therefore, Fröjel is a perfect place to make detailed studies of the Viking Age harbour and trading and thereby getting more insight into the Gotlandic situation during the Viking Age - Middle Ages. New excavations can above all give answer to the extent, direction and organisation of trading on Gotland, as in the Baltic Area generally speaking. For instant, we know very little about who were responsible for the trading, in general assumption it was active Gotlandic farmers. The regular distribution of silver treasures all over the island give proof of that assumption. The material from the excavation gives a distinct hint of the extent of the easterly contacts to Gotland and a detailed study of the material from the harbour at Fröjel would in a way improve our knowledge about the relations between different areas around the Baltic Sea during the time in question. Excavations have been carried out between 1987-1990, and between 1998-2005. In all, some 1500 m2 has been investigated of a total area of about 100.000 m2. In other words, 1,5 % of the total area has been investigated. The excavations were finished with the 2005 field season. For time being, there are work on way to investigate and publish the huge material form our excavations, consisting of some 40 000 objects from houses, workshops, water wells and graves. Some 150 graves in all have been investigated through osteology, DNA analysis and isotope analysis. Academic credit units and transcripts The field school is not run by a university and can therefore not provide credits. The course is RPA registered and represents 9 ECTS points. Students are encouraged to discuss if the course can be counted as credits with their university officials BEFORE joining the field school. A transcript will be emailed to you approximately 2 weeks after the course end. If you want your transcript posted to your university, you have to provide us with a postal address BEFORE leaving the course. Further information and reminder of this will happen in the last week of the course. Course objectives After completing the course, the student will be able to distinguish from different archaeological finds and material, recognize changes in stratigraphy and clean, measure, weigh, photograph and catalog finds. The student will also learn how to write basic archaeological documentation and reports, read academic texts and discuss theories and methods in a group environment. The student should also be able to theorize around the features and find material as well as contextualize the excavation to the surrounding landscape and the time period. Basic excavation method including troweling, following layers detecting and separating features. Applied methods: 2(5)
Field drawings of plans, sections and features. Field mapping and establishing with a total station, theodolite and GPS. Find processing including cleaning, measuring, weighing, cataloging and photographing finds. Phosphate mapping Metal detecting and mapping Photographing trenches and features Filling in basic archaeological documentation forms General Course Schedule The course schedule will be handed out upon arrival. Lectures, seminars and lab work will be specified upon arrival. Students are required to do homework on their free time such as evenings and weekends. Home work can entail reading handed out texts, preparing for seminars and lectures and writing field notes and trench reports. The course entails 120 hours of field work, 28-30 hours of lab work with find processing, 20 hours of excursions and 70 hours of seminars, lectures and applied method exercises. Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Monday Introduction /Lecture Excursion/Lectur e Excavation Excavation Excavation Lecture/seminar Tuesday Excursion applied methods Wednesday Excursion applied methods Thursday Lecture/Applied lab work lecture Friday Lecture/Seminar Lab work/seminar/l ecture Excursion/Lectur e/seminar Lecture/Seminar /Labwork Lecture/Seminar Course end Saturday Free Excursion Free Free Excursion Sunday Free Free Free Free Free 3(5)
Grading Matrix % of grade Activity 30% Written paper 20% Excavation field methods 20% Find processing lab work 10% Seminars and lectures attendance and interaction 10% Field notes 10% Excursions attendance and interaction Attendence policy A minimum of 80 % attendance is required for completing the course. Prerequisites There are no prerequisites for attending the course as it is set on a beginner s level. All practical, methodological and theoretical requirements for excavating will be presented in the week before the excavation (week 1 of the course). Students are however required to follow the rules set up by the field school and by Hemse folk high school regarding conduct and behavior towards other field school students and personal. Equipment list Excavation tools will be provided by the field school. Students are required to bring: Clothes for excavating in all wheathers, for example hat, gloves, scarfs, rain jacket, rubber boots, excavation boots. The weather in Sweden during the summer can range from 10-30 Celsius. Insects spray and sun protection. Personal equipment such as bathing clothes, bags, sunglasses, money, cellphone etc. Accommodation Full boarding at Hemse Folk High school with double room, three meals/day on all days including weekends. Wi-Fi included together with laundry room and communal areas. Bed linen are included. Stationary computers are available at Hemse folk high school together with a closed Skype room for calling family and friends.for more information regarding accommodation please refer all questions to agneta.lindqvist@folkbildning.net. Travel For guidance and questions about travelling to and from Gotland please contact agneta.lindqvist@folkbildning.net. There are no meet-ups before the course. 4(5)
Required reading All required readings will be presented to the students upon arrival. The literature will be handed out as printed copies or emailed as PDF s. The reading will be done gradually over the course and will be used in seminars and written, hand-in, preparation. Suggested reading before the course start: Brink, Stefan & Price, Neil (red.) (2008). The Viking World. Abingdon: Routledge Carver, Martin., Gaydarska, Bisserka. & Montón-Subías, Sandra. (2015). Field Archaeology from Around the World: Ideas and Approaches. Graham-Campbell, James & Williams, Gareth (red.) (2007). Silver economy in the Viking age. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press Hodder, Ian (red.) (2001). Archaeological theory today. Cambridge: Polity Price, Neil S. (2002). The Viking way: religion and war in late Iron Age Scandinavia. Diss. Uppsala : Univ., 2002 Widerström, Per & Pettersson, Ann-Marie (2009). The Spillings Hoard: Gotland s Role in Viking Age World Trade. Visby: Gotlands museum: Fornsalens Förlag 5(5)