The archaeological finds have shown that during the latter part of the Stone Age in southern and central parts of Sweden there were at least three different, but partly contemporaneous, cultural groups. The three complexes, the Funnel Beaker Culture, Pitted Ware Culture and Battle Axe Culture are characterized by differences in livelihood, burial rites and artefact types, but there are also signs of contacts and exchange. Gotland has several large and well-preserved PWC cemeteries with typical inhumation burials. The dead were usually buried lying on their backs and with grave gifts such as hunting gear and bones from, among others, seals.
The archaeological finds have shown that during the latter part of the Stone Age in the southern and central parts of Sweden there were at least three different, but partly contemporary, cultural groups. The groups are often referred to as: the funnel cup culture, the pit ceramic culture and the battle ax culture. The three cultural groups are characterized by differences in livelihoods, burial rites and object types, but there are also signs of contacts and exchanges. Gotland has several large and well-preserved burial fields with typical pit ceramic tombs. The dead were usually buried lying on their backs and with grave gifts such as hunting gear and bones from, among others, seals.
- The types of battle ax culture are missing on Gotland, with in addition to the typical pit ceramic tombs, there are also some tombs that appear to have influences from the battle ax culture. For example, some individuals have been buried sideways with raised bones and some have received battle axes as grave gifts, which is usually associated with the battle ax culture, says Professor Jan Storå, at the Osteoarchaeological Research Laboratory Stockholm University.
- The typical types of BAC burials are missing on Gotland, but there are a few burials on PWC cemeteries that exhibit influences of the BAC. For example, some individuals have been buried in a position resembling a “hocker-position”, and some have received a Battle Axes as grave gift, which is associated to the Battle Axe Culture, says professor Jan Storå, at the Osteoarchaeological Research Laboratory, Stockholm University.
Twenty-five individuals from four different PWC cemeteries on Gotland where analysed in the study. About half of the individuals were buried in what may be labelled typical PWC burial types while the other half of the burials exhibited influences that may be related to the BAC complex.
- The individuals studied belonged to a very homogeneous group that genetically exhibits the greatest similarity to hunter-gatherer groups from earlier (Mesolithic) periods of the Stone Age, says Professor Anders Götherström at the Center for Paleogenetics at Stockholm University. None of the individuals we analysed were more similar to individuals found in BAC – or other burial types elsewhere.
- This is a unique study that contributes to our understanding of the interaction between the Stone Age cultural groups. We can conclude that the PWC exhibit influence, among other things the BAC, but the genetic data indicate that the contact probably happened through trade, exchange and other social interaction, but apparently not through migration and mobility, says Helena Malmström, archaeologist at Uppsala University and one of the leading authors of the study.
The study was done within the Atlas project, an interdisciplinary research project in which researchers investigate prehistoric population patterns and demographic processes in Scandinavia and Eurasia through genetic data of prehistoric individuals. The project is funded by Stiftelsen Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, the Swedish Research Council and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.
Link to the study: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24079
Link: theatlas.se
For more information contact:
Helena Malmström, Uppsala universitet:
Tel: +70-7442 444/ helena.malmstrom@ebc.uu.se
Jan Storå, Stockholms universitet:
Tel: +70-6052293/jan.stora@ofl.su.se
Anders Götherström, Stockholm universitet:
Tel: +73-9927864/anders.gotherstrom@arklab.su.se