Modern geometric techniques offer significant potential to uncover the worlds in which weapons were created, worlds shaped by specific environmental conditions and knowledge systems transmitted through established networks. We analysed the morphology of Mesolithic harpoon points from Eastern Middle Sweden to explore developments in craft and hunting techniques across the circum-Baltic Sea area, and to investigate if specific morphological traits are linked to regional environmental and faunal changes. We identified and separately analysed structural elements of the harpoon points, barbs, proximal and distal parts, and full-body silhouettes using geometric morphometrics and direct radiocarbon dating. Our results show that barb and proximal part shapes changed during the transition from the Early to the Middle Mesolithic in Eastern Middle Sweden which fits into broader superregional trends in craft and hunting techniques. In contrast, the width of the proximal part remained relatively stable throughout the Mesolithic, indicating continuity in regional crafting traditions and specific environmental conditions. The shapes of distal parts and full-body silhouettes correlate with the regional availability of large terrestrial prey. This study highlights the potential of geometric morphometric analysis to study morphological changes in harpoon points and to shed light on the multiple influences that shaped Mesolithic hunting weapons.

After the wider deglaciation of Northern Europe, pioneer reindeer populations started to move into southern Scandinavia; however, this process is poorly understood. In this paper we aim to reconstruct dispersal processes of reindeer into southern and western Sweden from the Late Palaeolithic through to the Early Mesolithic, when reindeer disappear from the record. Has presence of reindeer in southern Sweden changed over time, were there changes in habitat and was the hunt of reindeer a possible driving factor to their disappearance? We have assembled and analysed a dataset of 220 unburnt reindeer skeletal elements from wetlands, earthen finds and shell middens from southern and western Sweden. Additional 14C-analysis have been performed to set the chronological frame. The results demonstrate that reindeer were present in southern and western Sweden from 12,066 to 7079 cal BCE and that the number of reindeer was highest during the Early Holocene. Stable isotope analyses (δ13C and δ15N), provided information on changes in reindeer habitat. The marked variation in δ13C and δ15N values suggests that reindeer grazed in different habitats or that the habitat change over time. We suggest that the decrease and final disappearance of reindeer in the Late Palaeolithic/Early Mesolithic was caused by changes in climate and habitat rather than anthropogenically induced.

Archaeological Prospection of Iron Age Migration Period ringforts in Sweden, GPR and LiDAR detect structures inside the ringforts, Elemental analysis of soil samples indicate activity areas

The Bronze Age in Russia is marked by cultural and economic asymmetry, particularly pronounced among the steppe, forest-steppe, and forest regions. During the Early and Middle Bronze Age, distinct cultural traditions emerged, shaped by influences from the west, including the Yamnaya, Catacomb, Abashevo, and Srubnaya cultures. Within this dynamic milieu, the nomadic tribes of the steppe played a crucial role as intermediaries of cultural exchange, introducing new ideas to the northern territories and driving transformative developments. Unlike the gradual and stable cultural evolution observed in the northern regions, the steppe experienced episodic bursts of development, primarily driven by waves of migration, setting it apart in terms of cultural progression. Our research explores the complexities of cultural receptivity and the intricate interplay of collective and individual identities during the transition from the Yamnaya to Catacomb cultures in the Lower Don region, situated along the northern coast of the Black Sea. The recent excavation of a large barrow at Litvinovka provides an invaluable perspective on the diverse and nuanced cultural characteristics of the Yamnaya and Catacomb communities. Employing multi-isotopic analytical techniques, this research elucidates the chronology, burial customs, social structures, and daily life practices of Bronze Age populations in this region.

Food is at the core of cultural identity, fundamental for survival, yet intrinsically linked to culture. To study activities related to food is, therefore, in effect a way to study cultural practices and cultural differences. This chapter approaches Mesolithic food and diet through the concept of châine opératoire, which is a valuable tool to move beyond simple facts on what foodstuffs were eaten, or what resources were utilized, and instead consider the full spectrum of food practices during the Mesolithic. It is a structured way to describe the mental processes and actions involved in transforming environmental resources into foods, their consumption, and subsequent disposal. These activities require extensive knowledge, technology, and skills, all of which are culturally transmitted. Therefore, they are not only of great archaeological relevance, but they also potentially leave traces in the archaeological record, which can be studied by various approaches. Through a survey of the literature, this chapter provides examples of various Mesolithic food practices throughout Europe, and how these can be detected and interpreted. In addition, it presents a case study of the diverse Mesolithic diets in the Circum-Baltic area as evidenced by stable isotope analysis.

In 1953 a human skeleton and a set of tools made from antler, bone, bronze, stone and wood was found embedded in marine clay under a former inlet of Lake Mälaren at Granhammar in Västra Ryd parish, Uppland province, Sweden. Andreas Oldeberg and Nils-Gustaf Gejvall published the find in 1959, and for half a century it did not see continued study.

This paper reports on a comprehensive series of re-studies and laboratory analyses of the skeleton and the artefact finds. Among the results are an unambiguous date by multiple methods in the late 800s cal BC, i.  e. late Period V in Montelius’ chronology. Inferences are made about the individual’s geographical origin, diet and main occupation. Comparisons are made with the victims of mass violence from Tollense Valley in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

In a time and place where almost every dead person was cremated and no human remains were buried under anything but the strictest ritualised circumstances, Granhammar Man offers something unique and valuable. He was killed in combat far from home and sank to the sea floor with his leather-working equipment.

1953 wurden in Granhammar in der Gemeinde Västra Ryd in der schwedischen Provinz Uppland ein menschliches Skelett und eine Reihe von Werkzeugen aus Geweih, Knochen, Bronze, Stein und Holz in marinem Lehm eingebettet unter einem ehemaligen Inlet des Mälarsees gefunden. Andreas Oldeberg und Nils-Gustaf Gejvall veröffentlichten den Fund 1959, ein halbes Jahrhundert lang wurde der Befund jedoch nicht weiter untersucht.

Die vorliegende Arbeit berichtet über eine umfassende Reihe von erneuten Untersuchungen und Laboranalysen des Skeletts und der Artefaktfunde. Zu den Ergebnissen gehört eine eindeutige Datierung mit mehreren Methoden in die späten 800er Jahre des vorchristlichen Zeitalters, d.  h. in die späte Periode V der Chronologie nach Oscar Montelius. Es werden Rückschlüsse auf die geografische Herkunft, die Ernährung und die Haupttätigkeit der Person gezogen, außerdem Vergleiche mit den Opfern der Massengewalt aus dem Tollensetal in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern gezogen.

In einer Zeit und an einem Ort, zu der nahezu jeder Tote eingeäschert wurde und menschliche Überreste nur unter strengsten rituellen Bedingungen bestattet wurden, bietet der Granhammar-Mann etwas Einzigartiges und Wertvolles. Er wurde fern der Heimat im Kampf getötet und sank mitsamt seiner Ausrüstung zur Lederverarbeitung auf den Meeresgrund.

The archaeological record of the mid-1st millennium AD in Lithuania reveals marked changes in culture and influences from various regions of Europe, which are typically attributed to immigration. To assess the immigration hypothesis and mobility, we carried out 87Sr/86Sr analysis on human teeth (n = 40) from 11 cemeteries. Samples were selected to evaluate the two supposed directions of immigration as well as mobility, both for individuals of different sexes and between different social groups. Even though 12 (30%) individuals were identified as non-locals, it is impossible to determine whether these individuals originated from other regions in Lithuania or from more distant regions due to the overlap of 87Sr/86Sr baseline values. However, our results allowed us to dismiss the areas of origin that dominate in the archaeological debates, viz., Southeastern and Central Europe. The majority of non-local individuals were identified in Western and Central Lithuania, indicating that this region was characterised by a different mobility structure than that of Southern and Eastern Lithuania. There were no differences in mobility between males and females or between social groups. The identified mobility patterns most likely reflect established models of social behaviour rather than sudden transformations.

The middle of the first millennium AD in Sweden witnessed significant changes in the archaeological record, prompting various discussions about the underlying causes. This paper reviews the research developments surrounding the global climate cooling, which was caused by severe volcanic eruptions in AD 536/540 and is referred to as the Late Antique Little Ice Age or Fimbulwinter, and its potential impacts, with a specific focus on Swedish Iron Age societies, drawing upon published climatic and archaeological data. Furthermore, it discusses the research gaps that impede a comprehensive understanding of the potential relationship between the AD 536/540 event and socioeconomic changes in Iron Age Sweden. Additionally, it suggests that isotopic analysis will offer additional insights and help bridge the research gap.

Two major debates frame Arctic prehistory: the emergence of specialized maritime economies that support sedentism and growing socio-political complexity, and the role of these economies in the transition from Paleo-Inuit to Neo-Inuit traditions. This shift, originating in the Bering Strait, led to Thule Inuit dispersal across the Arctic, impacting Indigenous communities today. However, understanding these themes is still hampered by the challenges of building accurate site-based and regional-scale radiocarbon chronologies, influenced by driftwood use and marine reservoir effects. This paper presents a new high-resolution chronology for the key Ekven mortuary complex, located on the western shores of the Bering Strait, a site that defines the Old Bering Sea (OBS) phase, marking the earliest onset of the Neo-Inuit tradition. It is based on new direct radiocarbon dates of ancestral human remains and Bayesian modelling using OxCal, which considers available stratigraphic information, individual diets, previously dated faunal remains, and appropriate and species-specific ΔR values to account for marine reservoir effects. Our results suggest that the OBS emerged in this region at around 500 CE, which is later than some models predict, and indicate that the mortuary complex was used intensively until c. 1000 CE, after which few individuals were buried. The revised chronology also creates new opportunities to better integrate diverse cultural and palaeoecological proxies from across the Bering Strait, potentially clarifying the precise role of climatic and environmental factors at a key cultural juncture in Arctic prehistory.

The now-extinct harp seal population that inhabited the Baltic Sea from the Mesolithic to the Iron Age is an enigma. It occurred outside the species' contemporary Arctic range, likely deviated from typical harp seal migratory behaviour, and experienced body size reductions and dramatic population fluctuations leading up to its extinction. Here we use ancient DNA analyses to shed more light on the evolutionary history of the Baltic Sea harp seal population, including its origin, timing of colonisation, diversity and factors contributing to its demise. We generated 49 ancient Baltic and eight ancient Arctic harp seal mitogenomes, which we analysed together with 53 contemporary Arctic harp seal mitogenomes. We detected limited phylogeographic resolution among ancient and contemporary populations, which we interpret as a late Pleistocene range expansion from a common refugial population with subsequent gene flow. Ancient Baltic harp seals were significantly genetically differentiated from contemporary harp seal populations and retained their own genetic composition throughout time. The genetic diversity of Baltic harp seals decreased over time, yet was comparable to that of contemporary populations. This suggests that Baltic harp seals formed a distinct breeding population, which may occasionally have received immigrants from the Arctic but was itself confined in the Baltic Sea until the end. We hypothesise that loss of genetic diversity and the ultimate extinction of the Baltic harp seal population was a consequence of population fluctuations caused by climatic change, reduced salinity and biological productivity, and periodic intense human harvest.