Mead-halls of the Eastern Geats: Elite Settlements and Political Geography AD 375-1000 in Östergötland, Sweden

Description

The Swedish province of Östergötland is one of Scandinavia's breadbaskets, with an archaeological and historical record that speaks of great wealth through the ages. The province has long been recognised as one of the first millennium's political hot spots. Splendid single finds, though never before surveyed comprehensively, offer a rough idea of where elite settlements might be sought. But little has been known about individual elite settlements in first millennium Östergötland. Not one of the Beowulfian mead-halls of this book's title, the ostentatious manorial buildings where the Late Iron Age elite lived their lives and played their roles, has been identified in the field. Yet they are easily recognised elsewhere through their architecture and associated find categories. This book aims at beginning to remedy Östergötland's regional absence of mead-halls, being an investigation of the province's internal political geography during the period AD 375-1000. Where were the elite settlements? Martin Rundkvist is an archaeologist who received his doctorate from the University of Stockholm in 2003. He is mainly active in research into the Bronze and Iron Ages in Scandinavia. Furthermore he edits the journal Fornvännen and keeps the internationally popular Aardvarchaeology blog. Preface 7 Chapter 1. Introduction 9 Chronological Terminology 10 Chronological Delimitation and Contemporaneity of Evidence 11 Previous Work in Other Regions 13 Recognising the Presence of Power 14 A Note on Find Provenances 16 Fieldwork 2003–2008 16 Chapter 2. Setting 19 1st Millennium Settlement Patterns 20 Territorial Units 21 Chapter 3. Prelude: the Late Roman Period (150–400) 23 General Settlement Pattern 23 Gold and Silver 24 Imports: Glass and Bronze Vessels 24 Weapons 24 Conclusions 26 Chapter 4. The Migration Period (375–540) 28 Gold and Silver 28 Imports: Glass and Amber 29 Weaponry 30 Fine Metalworking 30 Animal Art 31 Runic Inscriptions 32 Hillforts 32 Signalling Fire Lines 33 Elite Site Distribution 33 Where Were the Mead-halls? 36 '-tuna' Place Names 37 Conclusion 38 Chapter 5. The Vendel Period (540–790) 39 Gold and Silver 40 Imports: Glass and Garnets 40 Weaponry and Horse Gear 41 Fine Metalworking 41 Animal Art 41 Disc-On-Bow Brooches 44 Monumental Structures 45 Elite Site Distribution 46 Where Were the Mead-halls? 47 Place Names and the Distributed Central Place 48 Conclusion 49 Chapter 6. The Early and Middle Viking Period (790–1000) 51 Silver and Gold 51 Imported Luxury Goods 55 Weaponry and Horse Gear 55 Fine Crafts 56 Weights 56 Short-Twig Runic Inscriptions 57 Great Barrows 57 Stone Ships and Boat Burials 59 Elite Site Distribution 60 Sacrifices in Water and Wetland Along Traffic Routes 61 Borg Manor in Borg 62 Where Were the Mead-halls? 63 Place Names 65 M. G. Larsson on Svear Infiltration 67 Härad 68 The Götavirke and the Stegeborg Barrage 72 Jarl Haakon’s Attack on Götaland 74 Prehistoric Land Estates 75 Vikbolandet: Accessibility and Vulnerability 76 Conclusion 78 Chapter 7. Conclusions: Power Patterns Over Time 79 Regional Rulership 80 Future Work 81 Chapter 8. Coda: Later Developments (1000–1400) 82 Christianisation and Early Churches 82 The Stenkil, Sverker and Bjälbo Royal Dynasties 83 11th/12th Century Land Estates 84 12th Century Monasteries 84 Husby and the Kings of Sweden 85 Bosgård 85 Market Sites and Medieval Towns 87 Chapter 9. Gazetteer of Elite Settlement Candidates 375–1000 89 Askeby Parish: Asktorpet/Solberga 89 Borg Parish: Borg Manor 90 Borg Parish: Herrebro 90 Hagebyhöga Parish: Aska 91 Heda and Rök Parishes 93 Hov Church 94 Kaga Parish: Sättuna and Alguvi 96 Kimstad Parish: Ullevi 112 Kuddby Parish: Skamby and Örminge 113 Ledberg church and Odensfors in Vreta kloster 118 Motala 119 Regna and Skedevi parishes 119 St. Lars Parish 120 St. Per Parish 122 Sjögestad Parish: Stora Tollstad 123 Tingstad Parish: Gullborg 124 Varv Parish: Östervarv 125 Vreta kloster Parish 125 Väderstad Parish: Abbetorp 126 Västra Tollstad Parish: Sverkersgården at Alvastra 127 Östra Eneby Parish 129 Östra Husby Parish 130 Bibliography 133 Appendicies. Elite Indicators 151 1. Late Roman Period 151 2. Migration Period 153 3. Vendel Period 155 4. Early and Middle Viking Period 158 About the Author 165