Högom : the excavations 1949-1984 : Högom part 1

• Main Author: Ramqvist, Per H.
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: Department of Archaeology, University of Umeå 1992
• Subjects: Roman Iron Age; Migration Period; large mounds; petty kingdoms; interregional contacts; chamber grave; weapons; horse trappings; clasp buttons; Salin’s Style I; gold; containers; dress; belt; long-houses; ard marks; Archaeology; Arkeologi; Buttons; Petty; North Sweden
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-181782

This volume includes the study and analysis of the many important finds recovered in the course of the total of five excavation periods at the Högom grave-field in the parish of Selånger in the county of Medelpad, North Sweden. In all, three large mounds, two small mounds, two house foundations and an area with ard marks were investigated. The site has been dated to the period from about 200/300 to the 6th century AD. Two of the investigated objects in particular are of unusually great international significance in view of the finds which they yielded. These are the chambered tomb contained in largemound No. 2 and the house foundation beneath mound No. 3. The very well-preserved chamberedtomb was a richly outfitted man’s grave with an abundance of weapons, two bridles, a saddle, and a “laid table’’ including inter alia two glass beakers, bronze vessel, pails, fourwooden plates, ceramic and wrapped vessels, and a bronze washing bowl with an associatedelegant comb. Gold objects in the form of finger rings, pendants, small gold bars and an obolewere found on the deceased. Scandinavia’s largest collected number of clasp buttons was foundin position on the clothing of the deceased. The excellent state of preservation of the finds, their abundance, their international characterand the detailed documentation mean that we are dealing here with a grave which, in an extraordinaryfashion, illustrates the role of the regional chieftain or petty king and contacts in Central Norrland during the Migration Period. One of the house foundations discovered here is almost identical with a contemporary foundationat Gene in Northern Ångermanland. The second house foundation at Högom, on the other hand, is entirely lacking known parallels in Scandinavia, which, at this time, is characterized by the large three-aisled houses. In terms of its construction and content, it may be interpretedas a meeting hall with socio-political significance for quite a large surrounding area. The analysis of the data includes comparative studies of the ...