Arriving in Antiquity
The Living Past in Scania
BY BODIL PETERSSON
Petersson, Bodil. 1 998. Aniuing in Antiquity: The Liuing Past in Scania, Lund Archaeological Reuieu Absuact 4 (1998), pp. 101-116.
\When visiting Scania one will find many archaeological and historical reconsrructions spread all over the province. These reconstructions constitute an attractive form ofmediation. They have in fact in recent times become important competitors to the museum exhibitions in presenting the -W{hat Past to the Public at large. But how is the past presented? knowledge and experience does one achieve by visiting these places? The Scanian reconstructions are presenred as the author makes a journey back in time, from the MiddleAges to the StoneAge. Expectations and realicy are confronted during this voyage in the world of reconstructions. The examination reveals some typical traits in the mediation of each period. These traits are then related ro evolutionist thought and research traditions in archaeology. The article also discusses whether there is a characteristic regional way of reconstruction in Scania.
Bzdil Petersson, Instirute ofArchaeolog, Uniuersity of Lund, SE-223 50 Lund, Sweden. E-mail: Bodil.Petersson@arh. lu.se.
Reconstruction in Scania
Experiencing histoqy in the form of full-scale Ages (Fig. 1), I will give an example of how feconstfuctions has becom e a great attraction in different periods are reconsrructed. Recon- recent years. Nowadays it is possible to experi- structions are then related to research traditions ence all periods of the past as real, four-dimen- within archaeology supposed to affect the medi- sional happenings. Museum exhibitions have ated picture of the pasr. Anorher discussion encountered a strong competitor in visually concerns the question whether there are regional presenting the past to the public. It seems obvi- characteristics in Scanian reconstructions. To ous that as we live in a multimedia world relying begin with, I would like to introduce three more and more on immediate visual impres- themes of discussion: sions, the demands on experience and media- tion ofknowledge are changing. Reconsrrucion . The evolutionary way of presenring recon- is a live, four-dimensional experience which at strUctions. its best is unsurpassed as visual mediator of . The relationship between the mediated picture knowledge. of each epoch in the form of reconstruction \X/ith the starting-point in Scanian recon- and the spheres ofinterest and research tradi- structions from the Stone Age to the Middle tions ofthe researchers within archaeology.
ARRr\,irNG rN eurrqurrv 101 Glimmingehus casde is a late medieval build- $ ing, suitable as a backdrop in a medieval context. Bodp Once a year since 1991 there are arrangements with tournaments, a market, theatrical per- formances, music, crafts, and food. In 1995 a a Ekestad group of people from the Medieval Centre for Historical Technology in Sundby, Denmark, a Skanes Djurpark s visited Glimmingehus. They brought a catapult to show an example of medieval war equipment. o Hi;g Medieval buildings in the immediate viciniry Kivik provide the typical medieval setting. The medie- val market at Glimmingehus is a clear-cut exam- Ot-indholmen GlirnmingehusO ple of this strategy. In medieval reconstructions newly-built "infrastructure" is seldom needed, KNl it is borrowed from existing settings. This gives
Fig. 1. The Scanian reconstructions from the Stone Age the event an authentic atmosphere. Often, as is to the Middle Ages treated in this article. the case at Glimmingehus, the reconstructed event alludes to history, in some cases to families . Possible regional political arguments presented known to have lived in the place during the through reconstructing activities, in this case Middle Ages (cfi Odman 1997 , pp.7 ff.). So the in Scania. tournament at Glimmingehus is held by the Dane Ulfstand. In leaflets Glimmingehus is In this article I will present reconstructing ac- referred to as "the symbol of Danish history in tivities in Scania so that they can be discussed in Scania'(Alebo 1996). relation to these themes. A family who were at the market, baking and selling bread during the arrangements in 1995, The Middle Ages told a journalist why they were involved in the market: they were inspired by J. R. R. Tolkient Glimmingehus castle is standing proudly in the medieval-infl uenced novel Th e Lo rd of t h e Rings, slightly undulating landscape ofsouth-east Scania and their participation was also away of life and the day I arrive. Red and yellow streamers are had for their paft led to increased environmental hanging from the apertures ofthe building, high awareness (Roijer 1995). up on the thick walls. Glimmingehus was built Now, let us leave the eastern part ofScania to by the Danish councillor of the realm, Jens go to Lindholmen castle and an event that took Holgersen Ulfstand. This late summer day he is place there about a hundred years before Glim- arranging tournaments with colourfully dressed mingehus was built, i.e. in 1395. Lindholmen knights and horses. The yard surrounding the was the site of the so-called Lindholmen agree- castle is filled with market stalls and craftsmen ments, which pointed forward to the establish- demonstrating their skills to the public. Behind ment of the Kalmar Union in 1397.This union the castle is a small garden with plants rypical of meant that the three Scandinavian countries the late Middle Ages. Two women dressed in Sweden, Denmark and Norway were politically medieval clothing are strolling around, talking federated. animatedly. Inside the castle some Englishmen In 1995 the 600th anniversary of the Lind- are residing. They have furnished the interior of holmen agreements were celebrated in the vicin- Glimmingehus to look as it might have done in ity of the ruins of Lindholmen castle. Like the late Middle Ages. Glimmingehus, it is situated in the middle of
I 02 soorr PETERSSoN Fig. 2. Knights taking part in the tournaments held in summer 1997 next to the Landskrona citadel. Photo Bodil Petersson.
ARRIVING IN ANTIQUITY 103 wetland and surrounded by a moat. It is early the citadel is an example of an intentional exten- summer and thousands ofpeople have gathered. sion of the Middle Ages. Probably the ambition A medieval market is in progress, with tourna- is to make annual arrangements out ofthe event. ments, crossbow shooting, music, dancing, and A medieval market was held with almost the food served in a tent. A play is performed with same ingredients as at Glimmingehus and the political theme of the prelude to the Kalmar Lindholmen, e.g. with tournaments (Fig. 2), Union. Musicfrom theMiddleAges is played. A crossbow shooting, a siege ofthe casde, theatre, festivity is held for specially invited guests in a music, crafts, dress parade, and food. In the large tent within the area on the opening day. Landskrona case there were almost no archae- During the days of the festiviry archaeologists ologists or historians involved. Instead it was the have opened a shaft in the green grassy hill that tourist agency and the parry organizers con- covers the ruins today, so that parts ofthe castle nected to the castle restaurant that arranged the walls are visible to the public. The whole event event. is arranged by the municipality of Svedala. Rep- resentatives of the town of Kalmar have been The Viking Age invited to the event, and three years later, in 1997, the town of Kalmar also arranges a jubilee Just as the medieval period tends to be extended on medieval theme related to the date of agree- beyond its traditionally defined boundaries, so ment concerning the Kalmar Union. does the Viking Age within the world of recon- The Lindholmen jubilee is inspired by the structions. Let us now turn from the tourna- annual arrangement at Glimmingehus, and by ments and market places of the Middle Ages to Medieval'Week in Visby (cf. Jonsson 1990). theVikingAge in Scania. How is this period re- Inspiration also comes directlyfrom the scene of created? the ruins, where archaeological excavations have In the south Scanian town of Tielleborg an been conducted both in the 1930s and since archaeological excavation of great interest was 1994. The latest excavations have been per- made in the years 1988-9 1 . It was an excavation formed by the Institute ofArchaeology at Lund of a "trelle fortress" (Swedish nellebor), a ring Universiry. One result of these excavations is a fortress from the Viking Age. This kind of publication with articles on the subject, written fortress is connected with the gradual establish- by archaeologists and historians. The book, func- ment of the Danish kingdom ruled by Harald tioning as a commemorative publication, is fi- Bluetooth in the latter part ofthe 10th century. nanced by the local authorities in Svedala He is said to have erected ring fortresses all over (Mogren 6c \Tienberg 1995). The event was the Danish territory, perhaps in his endeavour performed only once, but as an effect of the to unite the kingdom (Jacobsson et aL.1995, pp. knowledge acquired, a medieval guild was con- 5 5 ff.). In present-day Denmark there are known stituted in Svedala. The purpose was to take remnants of four fortresses named after the first advantage of the newly obtained knowledge of excavated one called Tielleborg.The traces ofthe the MiddleAges and to spread itlocallyandwith trelle fortress in Scania was found in the central special focus on medieval Svedala Qakstrand parts of Thelleborg. fuchaeologists and profes- 1995). sional reconstructors were engaged in recon- The keen medieval interest sometimes seems structing one fourth of the trelle forvess in situ almost like a fever. In late summer 1997 the still (Jacobsson et al. 1995).This was accomplished, standing Scanian citadel in Landskronawas used and the opening ceremony was held in 1995. as a medieval backdrop, even though itwas built The re-created trelle fortress stands together by the Danish king Kristian III as late as 1549 as with a reconstructed house from the 14th cen- a defence against the Swedish attacks. The use of tury, also erected in situinside the ring fortress
104 soon PETERSSoN and today used as a museum building and are lying around. A local reaction against the souvenir shop. Once a year since 1995 a Viking violence used in thisThelleborgViking conrext is market is held that offers the visitor, among expressed in a staff magazine in Tielleborg mu- other things, "the greatest warrior show in Scan- nicipality and it is later referred to in the press. dinavia" (Program 1997). As the trelle fortress is The message is that all Viking arrangements interpreted as a manifestation of the Danish glorify violence (Olsson 1996). kingdom and its extension to Scania, the erec- In connection with the excavations and the tion of the reconstruction must be seen in this reconstruction ofthe fortress and its surround- context. "Rising out of a millennium of ob- ings, a bookwas published containing contribu- livion, the mighry Thelle Fortress comes to bear tions from archaeologists, reconstructors, and witness to Tielleborgt ancient, exciting - and an author who wrote a short story inspired by Danish - history" (Tielleborg folder n.d.). the results of the excavations. The book was The warrior show is performed as a fight financed by the municipaliry of Tielleborg between the inhabitants of the fortress and an (Jacobsson et al. 1995) .The idea oftheTielleborg invading group ofwarriors outside the wall. The book can be compared with the Lindholmen warriors, in 1996 as well as in 1997, to a large book mentioned above. extent came from England. They belong to a The arrangements are conducted by the lo- group of people interested in performing his- cal tourist agency together with local merchants toric war games. and enthusiasts interested in the VikingAge. An Of course the war games are not the only association was formed in 1992 with the pur- activities taking place during the summer ar- pose of acting for the preservation and recon- rangements. The market place offersVkingAge struction in situ of the excavared trelle fortress. clothing, weaponry craftproductssuch as combs, The local debate was intense until the politicians jewellery, household utensils, and a great many finally decided to allow a reconstrucrion. Mem- other things. Food is prepared and served to the bers of the association were both professionals visitors. Man-to-man combats are also per- such as archaeologists and museum staff; and formed. The technique of Viking "glima wres- amateurs enthusiastic about the project. tling" is demonstrated. The rune carver Erik One intention of reconstrucring the trelle "the Red" Sandkvist is present during the mar- fortress is formulated in the introducrion of a ket days to show his artistic abilities. small book issued by the "Tielleborgen' associa- There is however a slight change from the tion. They say that Swedes from the central part more "civilized" medieval market atmosphere to ofour country often forget that Scania did not the berserk Viking market. This is evident not belong to Sweden during the VikingAge and the least in the programme for the Viking market in Middle Ages. The plans to remove the only trelle Thelleborg 1997, where "most of the berserks fortress in Sweden todaywould be to contribute have now arrived and pitched camp", "combat to Swedish oblivion concerning the fact that training and preparations for the siege of the Scania once belonged to Denmark. Thelleborg fortress in the weekend are practised by the becomes really Swedish only when the traces of warriors all day'', "Sale ofslaves. Beware!", "'The the trelle fortress are definitelyannihilated."May siege of the Tlelle Fortress': 200 berserks stage it not happen!" they exclaim (Riddersporre & the greatest warrior show in Scandinavid' (Pra- Bingsgird 1995, pp. 13 f.). These formulations gram 1997, my translation). A catapult is used clearly express a reason for the local and regional during the siege of the fortress in 1997. It is interest in re-erecting this fortress from the past. loaded not with stones but with heads of cab- Near Foteuiken in the south-west of Scania bage. A battle is fought in the field in front of the there is a so-calledViking reservation. For many trelle fortress. At the end lots of "dead" bodies years there have been activities in the area related
ARRTvTNG rN eNrlqurrv 105 to maritime and land-based archaeology. In Sandkvist in Foteviken for the second time in 1995 the Foteviken Maritime Centre (FMC) my life. The year before he had been at the started to create a Viking village. In summer Viking village in H
106 soorl PETERssoN Fig. 3. The result of the bell-founding experiment in Hog during Fr6jaThing in summer 1997. Photo: Bodil Petersson.
ARRIVING IN ANTIQUITY IO7 regularly, but there are also many Englishmen the Middle Ages and Viking Age on the one present. In 7 9 97 an experiment with bell-fo und- hand, and the ecological, small-scale and ritual ing was made. The bell was made as a copy of the Bronze and Stone Ages on the other hand. Both Hedeby bell (Fig. 3). This was surely an unusual parts are mirrored in the mediated picture of the activity. Iron Age in Scania. \Vhen I visit the Iron Age Next to the Viking village in Hrig there is a farm in Ehestad I see it as an exponent of the phenomenon which is interesting because it is peaceful, small-scale, household-related sociery. placed in close connection with the village. It is The farm was reconstructed in 1993 on the called "The Garden of Pegasus". This is an initiative of Elisabeth Ekstam, interested in pre- ecological experiment garden started by a thea- historic techniques and employed by lGistianstad tre group and with the ambition of showing municipaliry cultural department. The recon- alternatives to the cultivation methods of today. struction in Ekestad consists ofa reconstructed They have built a small house with solar cells Iong-house situated in extremely idyllic and and a rype of earth closet. An outdoor ecological peaceful surroundings. Close to the long-house shower has also been constructed. These inven- is a smithy and a garden where plants resembling tions are used by the "Vikings" staying over- those known from the Iron Age are cultivated. night in Hiig during the Fr
108 roorr PETERSSoN Scandinavia at the time, but this Roman unit very important remnanr from the Bronze Age is nevertheless expresses the military side of the the large number of rock carvings. The rock Iron Age. The act of taking a Roman unit to a carvings in the Kivik srone cairn are among rhe museum to re-enact history in front ofvisitors is most famous. In the middle of the reconstructed in itself proof of how reconsrructing activities cairn there are stone slabs with rock carvings on are seen as a resource and an alternative and them, probably showing events and things re- powerful mode of mediating the past. lated to the buried persont life and death. There The Roman re-enactmenr group together is a vault surrounding the stone slabs. This vault with the museum exhibition "Roman Reflec- makes it possible for visitors to gain access ro rhe tions" are, according to the organizers, a way to stone slabs. \X4ren the gravewas originallyerected expfess connections between Roman and during the Bronze Age the cairn was totally Scandinavian culture, and also ro show the exist- covered with stones with no way of entering the ence ofEuropean relations long before the Euro- cist. Today there is an imposing entrance passage pean lJnion was established (Magnusson I 996). leading toward a door ofstrongroom character. A newspaper journalist finds a resemblance This construction has much resemblance to between the Ermine Street Guard and the "Vi- Mycenean building traditions. The Mycenean- king fever" which makes many people today inspired architecture reflects another research travel on Viking "raids" and take part in Viking theme related to the Bronze Age: contacts be- plays (Thckm an 1996) . One performance of the tween regions and the question of centre and Roman unit in Malmd was rhe anachronistic periphery. siege of Malmcihus castle where the museum is Recently a project has started ro reconstruct situated. The castle is originally from the late a Bronze Age long-house in Boarp. The site of Middle Ages but has changed a grear deal. This the reconstruction is in a district in the north- act is really very like the sieges of castles and west of Scania with a multitude of Bronze Age fortresses presented above as part ofthe medieval remains. One purpose of erecting this house is to and Viking Age reconstructions. highlight the district within the field of archaeo- The members of this Roman unit make their logical reconstruction. The society involved in own equipment based on archaeological evi- the reconstruction has received money from the dence. They have achieved respect and popular- European Union to make cultural tourism our iry because they have been very careful to achieve of the Bronze Age theme (Nilsson and Srerner, authenticity in every detail (Victorson 7997, p. pers. comm.). The house is not yet ready (May 38). 1998), because funding for this kind ofactivity is often very sporadic. There are also seasonal The Bronze Age reasons connected with the building process. Interestingly enough, the ambition is ro recon- The most famous, and actually until recently the struct a house with decorated walls. This shows only, reconstruction from the Bronze Age in a concern with more than structure and house Scania is the Kiuikgrave. It is a reconsrruction of plan. The ground plan of the house is taken from a very large stone cairn in situ.Itwas built at the an excavation of a Bronze Age long-house in beginning of the 1930s. The highly typical thing southern Halland, the neighbouring landscape about this reconsuuction related to the Bronze in the north (A.g.by 1994).Theprototype for Age is its most obvious theme: death and ritual. the painted wall is taken from Denmark, where The general tendency concerning reconstruc- such remnants have been found (cf. Thrane tions within the period is that they relate mostly 1979).The small-scale household focus is obvi- to mental themes such as death and ritual, cult, ous. In a project plan the reconstruction ofthe and beliefs. Probably this is done because one house is described as snug (Sterner 1996). ln
ARRIVING IN ANTIQUITY I09 relation to the Danish finds of wall-painted heating because of the warmer climate. These Bronze Age houses, the comment is "Prehistory dwellings of the Neolithic and the Mesolithic has become a little less dull" (Thrane 1979, p. are so close to each other that the visual evolu- 13, my translation). tionary impression dominates my own picture, in spite of my knowledge of the background The Stone Age reasoning. Parallel with the building of long-house, huts Now let us go to the archaeological period that and long dolmen there was an environmental 'We is farthest away in our time travel. are now project. The aim was to re-create prehistoric definitely beyond wartime and market places. environmental milieus (Safvestad 1990, p. 25).
Since 1 9 82 there has been a reconstructed Stone The place next to Skines Djurparkwas attractive Age settlement in the middle of Scania, next to since it already had the preconditions required the zoo Shdnes Djurparh. Different scholars in for the re-creation ofa Stone Age landscape. archaeology made their reconstructions here, The focus in this Stone Age place is on related to their respective fields of research. The subsistence. The presentation is made to con- settlement is primarily in two parts, one belong- trast the different forms of subsistence during ing to the Neolithic farming period, the other the Stone Age. The reconstruction of the inte- related to the Mesolithic hunter-gatherer pe- rior of the long-house is justified because the riod. They contrast each other, but they lie close reconstructors find it important to expiess clearly together so that it is possible to look from one that people really did live in this house. Furnish- place to the other, actually to see through mil- ings and objects have been placed inside the lennia. One obvious effect of this is the percep- house to give a snug and vivid impression. One tion of primitiveness the farther back in time reflection made by the authors of a report on the you go. The Neolithic long-house is built on a Iong-house reconstruction is that non-furnished hillside. Inside it has a hearth surrounded by reconstructions of prehistoric houses only con- pots for food production, and along the walls are firm the possible prejudices about the primitive- benches for the inhabitants to sleep on. There ness of prehistoric times (Bjiirhem & Sdflestad are also hides and a standing loom, indicating 1987, pp.42 f.). the manufacture of textiles. It looks dark and One interesting argument presented regard- primitive, but related to the Mesolithic hunter- ing the long dolmen experiment is that the result gatherer huts it is close to paradise, as we shall concerning the use of manpower clearly shows see. There is also a ritual aspect connected with that no complicated or centralized social system the Neolithic settlement. In 1983 a long dolmen would have been needed (Burenhult 1986, p. was erected on top of the hill where the house 289). A clear conception of the Stone Age as stands. The experiment was made to see how small-scale is covered in this statement. much manpower and time were needed to per- tVhat can be concluded about reconstruc- form the building of the grave (Burenhult 1986, tions in Scania? Let us return to the three themes pp. 284 ff.). Next to the dolmen a skull house of discussion mentioned at the beginning of this was built. It cannot be seen as anlthing but a article: the evolutionary way of presenting re- representation of cult. constructions, the relationship between the me- Outside the Neolithic long-house there is a diated picture of each epoch in the form of wood and a small lake down the hill. Some huts reconstruction and the spheres of interest and stand there, crouching under the trees. These research traditions of the researchers within Mesolithic huts do not have hearths inside, archaeology, and possible regional political ar- because they were probably erected for seasonal guments presented through reconstructing ac- use during the summer. There was no need for tivities.
ll0 soorr PETERSSoN Period presentation and Anyway, the example here is a grave, which evolutionist thought besides cult also presents power and interregional contacts. The ongoing house building focuses I have found that there is an obvious evolution- on decoration and interior in addition to house ary way of presenting archaeological reconstruc- structure. tions, in spite of the fact that many places only The Stone Age is the real ecological, small, represent a single period. Evolutionist ideas be- scale, concern. Surroundings have now become come visible when different reconsrrucrions are more important than ever, seen as a resource for compared. the local settlement. The wish is to show the The MiddleAges are represented bypolitical changing conditions for hunter-gatherers and power manifestations, Danish representation in farmers respectively. the region, a clear and obvious wish to relate the There is a tendency to accelerating primi- past to the present for political reasons. Tiade is tiveness, or at least simpliciry the farther away presented as important and well developed. we travel in time. Reconstructed life becomes In the Viking Age presentations too, the simpler and more natural, local and uncompli- wish prevails to manifest regionaliry through cated during Bronze Age and Stone Age. Medi- Danish symbolism. The Vikings themselves are eval and Viking Age structure, power, politics, well known for their individuality and strength trade, and warfare are replaced by household, within our own mythical stories (cf. the novel food production, ecology, and decorative art. about the Scanian Vking Orm the Red, The But there is also a general connection between Long Ships, written by Frans G. Bengtsson, "ecology" and "the past" as shown by "The l94l).They are good ambassadors for the re- Garden of Pegasus" close to the Viking village in gion of Scania. Power is not as much only Hcig, and by the family participating in the politics as in the medieval case. The Viking Age medieval market at Glimmingehus. power is an armed one, but the organized amuse- ment tournaments are replaced by "war shows" Research traditions like the one performed at Tlelleborgen. The Vikings were not dependent upon rhe same I have found that the mediated picture of each politics as the medieval people. Tlade is also archaeological epoch in the form ofreconstruc- important during the Viking Age. tion to a large extent is a reflection ofthe spheres The Iron Age in Scanian reconstruction is of interest and research traditions of the ar- represented in mo different ways: either as war, chaeological researchers. or as local households with animals, weaving, Let us make a trip through history with the and iron production. The warfare in Roman aid of the latest volume of Nordic Archaeologi.cal dress is presented in an artistic manner. The Abstracts 1994. \fords and expressions have peaceful local settlement has a garden with plants been collected bythe author ofthis article (Thble and a place for devotion in the woods. The 1). They show the interests of the researchers. smithy is a symbol of the Iron Age essence: the These interests can then be related to rhe repro- metal specific to the period, in itself a manifes- duction of archaeological times in reconsrruc- tation of development. tions as presented above. The Bronze Age is often poody represented, To find out whether there is a connection probably as an effect ofresearch traditions that berween this tendency and the research tradi- prefer some kind of empirical base for recon- tions within the separate periods in archaeology, sffucting the period. The characteristic traits of I have made use of the 1995 issue of Current remnants from the Bronze Age are often related Swedis h Arc haeo logy (CSA) where archaeologists to cult. And cult is not very easy to reconstruct. sum up Swedish archaeological research during
ARRIYING IN ANTIQUITY 1I I Table 1. Expressions collected from the latest volume of Nordic Archaeological Abstracts (NAA) 1994 relarcd to each of the periods discussed above.
Archaeological period W'ords and expressions from NAA 1994
Middle Ages state formation, political power, royal farms, power and dissolution of power, transport structures, merchandise and trade, administration, colonization, parochialization
Viking Age urbanization, weapons, monetary circulation, warrior economy - trading economy, metal-working, trading farmstead, creation of the state, when the Vikings became Europeans, plants and Vikings
Iron Age central place, iron manufacturing, settlement, everyday practice, farmsteads, settlement pattern, settlement structure, metal analyses, houses and graves, deforestation, houses and rooms, body, small Iron Age states, hill-forts and graves
Bronze Age world systems, local variations, concepts, metallurgy, import, hoard, meaning and perception of rock carvings, cult artefact
Stone Age Neolithic: Neolithic economy, ecological approaches, Neolithic farming practice, landscape changes, ritual tradition, plant remains Mesolithic: sedentariness, environments, plant use, environmental change, faunal remains the period 1986-1990. processual ones. Areas of research are settlement Mesolithic research is here conceived of as archaeology and spatial analysis, metalwork, dominated by an interpretation framework in regionaliry centre-periphery, burial practices which economic and social change during the and rock art (fennbert 1995, pp. 45 ff.). Here late Mesolithic is due to climatic change the research traditions seem so shifting that only (Knutsson 1995, p. 23).h this conclusion I see elements of it can be traced within the recon- the environmental approach that is also found structions. It is primarily burial practices and in Stone Age reconstruction. Here reconstruc- rock art related to Kivik, where the Mycenean- tion expresses a research perspective. influenced appearance expresses these things. In Neolithic research is characterized in a more the reconstruction of a Bronze Age house at varied way, as settlement studies with both social Boarp with a cosy interior and with wall paint- and economic aspects. Palaeoecological studies ings and decoration there is a definite decision are current. And from this perspective Neo- favouring a post-processual research tradition in lithization processes are discussed (Holm 1995, which individuals become visible as actors. pp. 39 f.). This research focus is mirrored in Iron Age research is occupied with questions reconstructions at Skenes Djurpark, where the such as settlement pattern, social organization, transition from the Mesolithic to the Neolithic handicraft, trade, and religion (Bergstrdm 1 995, is explicitly shaped within a settlement structure pp. 55 ff.). This is a mixture of large-scale and on a local level. small-scale, visible in reconstructions. Bronze Age research is characterized as con- The Viking Age has a diversity of research taining both tradition and renewal. The focuses according to the CS1 contribution. Vi- processual approach cooperates with the post- king Age research moves within the spheres of
112 sourr PETERSSoN state formarion, urbanization, Christianization, we saw above, mentioned as the symbol of the numismatics, social stratification, and iron pro, Danish history in Scania. duction (Kyhlberg 1995, pp. 76 ff.). Here the Although Scania actually belonged to Den- connection with reconstruction is obvious. State mark at the time, I see the references to Den- formation is expressed in Tlelleborg. Christiani- mark as a way ro express regional independence zation is a phenomenon which in the Vking in relation to todays political centre of Sweden, Age reconstructions makes paganism interest- Stockholm, usually seen as very far away from a ing to re-enact. Paganism is a marked contrasr to Scanian point of view The references made to the succeeding Chrisdan society. Danish superiority are probably to be seen as a Medieval research in the period 1985-gO parallel to the hoisting of the Scanian flag, a has produced a majority of works concerning manifestation of the region as independent or ar the categories "towns", "church", "castle" (Redin least claiming an identity of its own. 1995, pp.88 tr). In a broad sense rhis has a The manifestation today of a supra-regional connection with medieval reconstructions rhat union, like the Kalmar lJnion, can be seen as a primarily focus on markets, castle milieus, and support parallel ro the European Union, in urban sites. But there is not much within the which Sweden joined in 1995. This supra-re- reconstructions concerning churches. Redin gional organization also makes it possible for mentions that "the countryside" is a coming smaller units, regions, to receive more attention. theme (Redin 1995, pp.8S f[). This theme is An emphasis on both Europe and Scania is the not seen in the medieval reconstructions either. result. The importance of the nation state is reduced. Regional political argumenrs Unlike those who think that the past is not obviously used in todays politics, I see the above I have found that there are explicit regional examples as proof of the opposite. It is indeed political argumenrs within reconsrrucing ac- highly revealing how Scanian local patriotism tivities in Scania which make reconsrructions a finds its way into historic re-presenrations. contribution to regional policy today. Scania is a region in the south Sweden of Reconstruction in a wider with close historical ties ro Denmark, the neigh- bouring country ro the west. As an effect of the perspective ambivalent nationaliry during historical times, The chosen region of Scania is to be understood and because Scania is often included in an as the object of a "case study''. The accelerating archaeological "South Scandinavian' contexr, interest in heritage management in the form of the contents of reconstructions become inter- reconstrucrion, and the establishment of herit- esting from a regional point of view. How does age centres, is part of a worldwide tendency this geographic and historic ambivalence affect today, at least in the western world (Fowler the content of these reconstructions? 1 9 92;'S7alsh I 9 9 2, pp. 94 ff. ; Lowen thal, I 9 97) . In reconsrructions from the Middle Ages Examples of expanding reconsrrucring activities and the Viking Age references are made to are numerous and have in recent years been Danish connections. Lindholmen involves the compiled and only partially discussed by diflbr- union between Denmark, Sweden and Norway, ent people (Anderson 1984; Ahrens 1990; the Kalmar Union. Tielleborg is seen as the Vadstrup 1993; Carlsson & Sriderberg 1995; archaeological evidence of Danish dominance Foldoy & Lundstrdm 1995; Ipsen et al.1995). in the region during the 10th century, when I will return to the general tendency of growing Harald Bluetooth was king of Denmark and reconstructing activity with a focus on Scandi- probably also Scania. And Glimmingehus is, as navia in orher conrexts. It is obvious that
ARRTVTNG rrv aNrrqunv 113 regionaliry is a perspective frequently in use unintended or subconscious messages in the these days, both politically and within the her- world of reconstruction that we as archaeolo- itage sector (Petersson I 999). Scania is a specific gists create in our pictures ofthe past' example of how a region makes use of its rela- Reconstruction seems to reflect research re- tionship with surrounding nations and states in sults to a larger extent than the researchers an era when regionaliry is promoted politically, themselves are aware of. The visibility of re- in this case within the European Union' search in reconstruction is a good argument for There is also a general history concerning the the relevance of this form of mediation. It medi- development of reconstruction, for example on ates both for the public at large and for the Sweden and Denmark (Petersson 1998). In Scan- researchers. Reconstruction can thus be seen as dinavia as a whole there are two powerful estab- feedback on research results. lished prototypes for the reconstructions being Reconstruction is a relatively new and not made today. One is the open-air museum of very much discussed form of mediation. It does cultural history, Shansen inStockholm, Sweden, not have the same systematic organization as founded byArtur Hazelius and opened in i 891' traditional museums. Therefore the conditions It has influenced the way of exhibiting the past for its survival and success vary a great deal. all over the world, with its whole milieus popu- Until now it has mostly been the traditional lated with costumed dolls as rePresentations of museums that have been the subject of analysis human beings, in clothes typifying the historical in museological terms. But precisely because the sequence presented (Carl6n 1990, pp' 90 ff.). In accelerating interest is connected to the four- Denmark the Historical-Archaeological Experi- dimensional reconsuuctions, it is all the more rnental Centre in Lejre, founded in 7964 by important to discuss the content in the re- Hans-Ole Hansen, has been the great prototyPe creation ofthe past. I find reconstruction highly for almost all endeavours to recreate archaeo- valuable as a form for mediation, but I also think logical times all over Europe and even in the it needs to be observed and analysed. In its United States. Lejre has become famous as an simplest form it is pure amusement' but even example of integrating experiment in archaeol- amusement can be of good or bad quality' In ogywith educational purposes and cultural tour- combining amusement with knowledge, some- ism (Coles 1979, Pp. 150 ff'; Meldgaard & thing special is required in re-presenting the Rasmussen 1996). past. This something partly comes out of knowl- edge about how reconstructions work. I think a Re-presenting the past debate concerning the content of reconstruct- ing activities is a way to this knowledge. Even if we can see all these signs of period representation and regionality in a discussion Acknowledgements about the message communicated by recon- and structions, what do the public at large perceive? Thanks to Birgitta Hikansson, IGistina Jennbert reading and commenting A newly conducted study on intended and Jes'!(ienberg for construcdve on the texr. Thanks to Syshonen Willers donationsfond reception of messages in a couple of achieved for giving me the possibility to take a closer look at each exhibitions on cultural history (Lundberg & of the reconstructing activities in the whole of Scania' Agren 1996) states that the intention of the Thanks to all those working with reconsuuctions in exhibitor seldom corresponds to the visitort Scania who helped me to understand Scanian recon- impression and experience. As professionals we structing activities. must always bear this in mind, so that we are not surprised by the fact. \7e cannot anticipate the experiences of the visitors, but we can discuss the
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