Borgund Kaupang
Et arkeologisk og tverrfaglig forskningsprosjekt om oppkomsten og fallet av Borgund-kaupangen p氓 Sunnm酶re, en liten by i Europas periferi. Prosjektet (2019-2027) har finansiering fra Norges forskningsr氓d (NFR 288392).
罢颈濒丑酶谤颈驳丑别迟
Om forskergruppen
I middelalderen var Borgund en av Norges 16 byer. Stedet g氓r tilbake til vikingtiden og blir forlatt i seinmiddelalderen. Borgund er kjent fra skriftlige kilder og fra omfattende arkeologiske unders酶kelser, men lite grunnforskning er gjort p氓 kildematerialet. Gjennom tverrfaglige tiln忙rminger vil vi kaste lys over de 酶konomiske og kulturelle forutsetninger for at Borgund oppsto og ble forlatt.
Problemstillinger og perspektiver
Borgund Kaupang Prosjektet (BKP) sine problemstillinger dreier seg om hva slags 酶konomisk livsgrunnlag folk som bodde her hadde, og i hvilken grad Borgundfolkene tok del i nasjonale og internasjonale nettverk.
Prosjektet sine hypoteser er:
- At Borgund spilte en viktig rolle for foredlingen av naturressurser fra hav, fjord og fjell (bl.a. fisk, jern, b氓tbygging?). Vi tenker at stedet kan ha v忙rt et viktig regionalt knutepunkt for nasjonal og internasjonal handel med norske varer.
- At Borgundfolkene hadde god kjennskap til- og tok del i storsamfunnets gleder og goder. De hadde sannsynligvis gode 酶konomiske, kulturelle og sosiale forbindelser b氓de lokalt og internasjonalt.
Med et 鈥榩erspektiv nedenfra鈥 er det fokus p氓 酶konomiske, sosiale og kulturelle aspekter av produksjon og forbruk av hjemlige og eksotiske varer. To Ph.D. prosjekt skal ta for seg
- Produksjon og forbruk av metall i Borgund
- Forbruk av hjemlige og importerte husholdningsvarer: norske kleberkar og importert keramikk.
Prosjektets team av etablerte forskere og h氓ndverkere skal ta for seg importerte tekstiler, rekonstruksjon av tekstiler, kj酶nns og aldersrelaterte aktiviteter, hverdagsgjenstander som sko kammer, kj酶kkent酶y, redskaper til ute- og innebruk, r氓stoffer til bygging av kirker og bolighus, eiendomsforhold, samtidens oppfattelser av forlatte byer mm. Borgundsamfunnet skal studeres i et sammenliknende perspektiv; det som skjer p氓 Borgund, skal sees i lyset av samtidens Norge og Europa. Prosjektets m氓l er 氓 gi ny innsikt i livet i et lite bysamfunn i Europas periferi og rollen slike steder spilte p氓 storsamfunnets scene.
Aktuelt
Prosjekter
Del-studier
Prosjektet har et bredt lag med forskere som tar for seg del-studier av ulik varighet. Les om de ulike studiene her:
Iron Processing and Consumption in Borgund
Ph.d.-prosjekt av
En stor andel av de arkeologiske funnene fra Borgundgravningene er slagg, samt redskaper og gjenstander av jern. PhD-prosjektet p氓 jern skal studere jernbearbejding og 鈥揻orbruk i Borgund: hvilke jernbearbeidingsprosesser fant sted i Borgund, og hvordan var gjenstander av jern viktige i Borgunds 酶konomi? Siktem氓let for studien er en dypere forst氓else av sentrale aspekter av Borgunds 酶konomi i tillegg til 氓 unders酶ke sosiale og 酶konomiske dynamikker rundt raffinering av utmarksresurser for hjemlige og internasjonale markeder.
Hovedveileder: , arkeologi, professor, Universitetsmuseet i Bergen, Avdeling for kultur, Universitetet i Bergen, Norge
Biveileder: , arkeologi, professor, Universitetsmuseet i Bergen, Avdeling for kultur, Universitetet i Bergen, Norge
Social Approaches to the Consumption of Household Wares of Soapstone and Pottery in the Borgund Kaupang in a Long Term Perspective
Ph.d.-prosjekt av
En stor andel av de arkeologiske funnene fra Borgundgravningene er sk氓r av kar av kleberstein og importert keramikk. PhD prosjektet skal studere sosiale aspekter av forbruk av kleber- og keramikkkar i Borgund i et langtidsperspektiv. Stikkord er livsstil, sosial identiteter, kulturelle og 酶konomiske nettverk p氓 lokale, nasjonale og internasjonale niv氓. Siktem氓let for studien er 氓 f氓 en dypere forst氓else av Borgunds deltagelse og posisjon i sosiale, kulturelle og 酶konomiske nettverk, lokalt, regionalt og internasjonalt.
Hovedveileder
, arkeologi, professor, Universitetsmuseet i Bergen, Avdeling for kultur, Universitetet i Bergen, Norge
Biveiledere:
Natascha Mehler, arkeologi, Prof. Dr., Universit盲t T眉bingen, Abteilung f眉r Arch盲ologie des Mittelalters, Tyskland
, zooarkeologi, f酶rsteamanuensis, Institutt for arkeologi, historie- kultur- og religionsvitenskap (AHKR), Universitetet i Bergen, Norge
The Consumption and Procurement of Timber and Stone for Buildings and Constructions in Borgund
Large scale production and consumption of marble-stone for churches and timber for houses and infrastructure is witnessed in Borgund. Where did Borgund procure these raw materials? Sourcing the raw materials and studying land ownership to the raw-materials gives new insights into Borgund鈥檚 contacts in local networks and helps characterise the place in terms of influential actors. This study implements building archaeological studies, studies of ownership to land through documentary evidence, dendro-provenance on wooden structures and geological identification of relevant local marble sources for the 12th c. stone churches.
and and
Churches in the Landscape. A Study of the Religious Environment of the Borgund Kaupang
The focus will be the religious topography of the 鈥榝ailed鈥 urban settlement of the Borgund Kaupang seen in relation to the larger religious topography both local and within the diocese of Bergen. The religious environment will be studied through material, pictorial and written sources.
Destruction as Creation
Borgund seems to have gone through several re-developments, where great land in-fillings form the basis for new arrangements. This study explores destruction as a means to renegotiate and re-define places with Borgund as a case.
Owners of Property at Borgund and Its Regional Surroundings
In this study literary sources: sagas, taxation documents etc. will be addressed to uncover categories of land owners, and potential influencing families in the district of Borgund. This will serve as contextual information when characterizing the small town.
Making Sense of Decline: Narratives About the End of Cities and Places of Trade
The medieval frames of understanding and narrating the end of communities and cities, such as the Borgund kaupang, as they are represented and disseminated in medieval texts. This will put the archaeological findings from Borgund into context and perspective.
Small Scale Producers of Affordable Crafts
Production waste and tools from working antler, leather and nonferrous metals will be studied and Borgund鈥檚 crafts production and consumption of personal accessories involving both domestic and imported raw materials is seen in a North European context.
Townspeople and Visitors
Tools of trade: tally sticks, weights, balances etc. and div. personal accessories: shoes with silk embroideries, combs, keys, walrus ivory gaming pieces and other one-of-a-kind objects will be studied and the methodological challenges of distinguishing between visitors and townspeople as consumers of material culture will be explored.
The Demographic Composition of Townspeople at Borgund
The consumption of gender specific objects (including shoes, i.e. shoe sizes) will be studied to uncover the demographical composition of the population.
and Sigrid S. Mygland
Gender and Gender Related Production and Consumption in Borgund in a Comparative Perspective; Borgund, Norway and the North Atlantic
Material culture traditionally associated with specific genders will be identified and targeted here, first and foremost those associated with women and children (e.g. textile-production equipment, kitchen utensils, and children鈥檚 toys and clothes). Main objectives concern the role of women; may the large share of textile tools found in Borgund reflect textile production aimed at other than household consumption? May women be considered part of the town鈥檚 workforce and/or lived in family-based households. The Borgund materials will be discussed vis-a-vis Norwegian rural and urban鈥呪斺卆s well as North Atlantic鈥呪斺卻ites.
Sigrid S. Mygland
Fragments of Lifestories - Burials and Human Remains from Borgund
Prosjektet tar utgangspunkt i graver og humanosteologiske levninger fra to kristne gravplasser p氓 Borgund. En viktig del av studien er identifikasjon av alle humane levninger, enkeltindivider og graver, og 氓 bed酶mme alders- og kj酶nnssammensetningen i materialet og forekomsten av helseindikatorer i skjelettet. Studien kombinerer bioarkeologiske data med arkeologisk dokumentasjon og kontekstinformasjon. Sentrale sp酶rsm氓l er: Hvem ble gravlagt p氓 Borgund, hvor kom de fra, hvilke levek氓r hadde de og hvordan behandlet de og gravla sine d酶de?
Borgund鈥檚 Role in North Atlantic Networks, and the Borgund Townspeople鈥檚 Social Standing
A select number of the c 130 textiles from the site will be classified and assessed in relation to both local textile traditions and North Atlantic ones. Documentary sources hint at a significant amount of medieval Icelandic and North Atlantic cloth making its way to Norway in the form of either taxes or trade goods. Textile analyses and strontium isotope studies will help track the likely sources of wool, a to address roles of international trade connections vis-a-vis local production in clothing Borgund's townspeople or in trading wool or textiles out to other Norwegian towns (e.g. Bergen) or beyond. Dating of textiles will be used to identify trends through time in trade and production patterns
Mich猫le Hayeur Smith
Borgund鈥檚 Role in National Distribution Networks for the Trade in, and Consumption of Norwegian Hones
Was Borgund a hub in a trade network for Norwegian hones? And what were the hones used for at Borgund? In the Viking Age and Middle Ages, two major types of schist were sought after as raw-material for hones, schist from Eidsborg in south-eastern Norway and schist of a Caledonian type鈥呪斺卆lso this most likely from Norway. The products are well known in northern Europe (Haithabu, Ribe etc.), but how was the distribution and use of these products within Norway? c. 400 hones from Borgund will be classified and the stone identified using archaeological classification methods, ocular geological methods as well as ICP-MS analyses (geochemistry) on targeted specimens.
and
Archaeological Bird Remains From Norway as a Means to Identify Long-term Patterns in a Northern European Avifauna
Samuel J. Walker analyses faunal materials (bones of domesticated and wild birds) from Borgund.
Se mer her:
Weaving the Vikings鈥 Life Insurance
In this study Varafell textiles from Borgund are reconstructed through experimental weaving by trained craftspeople. Varafell-textiles, used as a cloak by seafarers as protection from rain and the cold, are a known export article from Iceland. Norway鈥檚 first known examples are identified in the Borgund Kaupang collections. The technological systems and influences behind the Varafell textiles from Borgund will be seen in a North Atlantic context, to uncover economic and cultural networks of the townspeople.
Monika Ravnanger and Marta Kl酶ve Juul
Species Identification of Leather Used in Viking Age Shoes at the Borgund Kaupang
Using microscopy-based methods on hair morphology, animal species are identified in leather used for shoes. Practical properties as well as symbolic connotations of the identified leather types are discussed.
Heidi A. Haugene
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The Beacon of Knowledge. The Coastal Defence Organization of Fire Warning Beacons Around the City of Borgund in the Middle Ages
Through written sources from the old sagas and laws we know that some form of signalling with the use of fire warning beacons was organized as early as the Viking period. Along with the Levy this organisation was developed to be an important system for in the medival military coastal defence. These systems was particularly important around towns and in relation to the leidang. Around Borgund there is a network of place names that can resemble this function, and together with the relation to the boathouses at Borgund and the written sources the aim of the study is to better understand the organization of an early coastal defence system.
Arve Eiken Nytun
Community and Social Networks in Viking Age and Medieval M酶re
Borgund was a central place for the 鈥楳艙rir鈥 community, which inhabited the coastal lands which now lie in M酶re og Romsdal. This is one of the most frequently mentioned regional communities in Old Norse literature from the tenth century to the thirteenth. This study analyses these appearances along with the distribution of local central places in order to explore the strategic role of the community in political developments of the Viking Age and medieval period, considering its position with coastal and interior communication networks. It also considers the role played by members of the community within the social networks described by the Kings鈥 sagas.
Benjamin Allport
Playing in Time, Playing With Time. Board Games, Exchange, Identity and Temporalities: Entangled Material Cultures in Medieval Borgund
This element of the Project will seek to explore the evidence of board game practices in Borgund, situating them in a wider European context and assessing their cultural, metaphorical and play significances.
Mark A. Hall
An Investigation into Possible Local Production of Ceramics at Borgund Kaupang
This sub-study aims to examine the long-held notion that there was no pottery production in Norway in the Middle Ages. Selected sherds of roughly-made cooking and/or storage vessels from Borgund will be subjected to XRF-analysis in order to obtain a 鈥渇ingerprint鈥 of trace elements. The results can then be compared to the fingerprints of samples obtained from local clay sources to determine degree of correspondence
Rory Dunlop
Religion in the every-day life. A Study of the Religious Environment of the Borgund Kaupang
The focus of this study will be on the material aspects of the religious life of the people in Borgund. That means a 鈥渕apping鈥 and a contextual study of the physical remnants of the devotional culture(s) that might be found in Borgund. In addition to the ecclesiastical 鈥渓andscape鈥 of churches and churchyards, the main focus will be on objects found in graves, and or near the churches and churchyards, like pearls, coins and other possible objects (like the porphyry-stones found during the excavations) and traces of the religion in the every-day life of the people of Borgund.
Spinnehjul i lavbrent keramikk fra Borgundkaupangen
I Borgund er det funnet rundt 50 spinnehjul av 'lavbrent leire', en form for keramikk. Arkeologiske spor tyder p氓 at spinnehjulene kan v忙re laget i Borgund. Det har lenge v忙rt en vedtatt sannhet at en ikke hadde en hjemlig keramikkproduksjon i Norge i middelalderen. Prosjektets hovedoppgave er 氓 finne ut om hjulene ble laget i Borgund og 氓 dr酶fte sosiale og 酶konomiske aspekter ved produksjonen av spinnehjulene.
Kristin Ersdal Edland
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Borgund, old bones鈥攏ew methods鈥攅xtended histories
Ph.d.-prosjekt av
Fiskebeina fra Borgund danner grunnlaget for denne analysen, og er en del av arbeidet med et p氓g氓ende PhD prosjekt p氓 NTNU Vitenskapsmuseet. Fiskebeina vil bli analysert for 氓 identifisere trender i ulike tidsperioder, og se etter endringer over tid. Videre vil materialet bli analysert innenfor et forbruker - produsent perspektiv, alts氓 om fiskebeina fra Borgund indikerer at fisken ble konsumert lokalt eller foredlet for videre handel. Som en del av studien vil stabile isotop analyser v忙re vesentlig for 氓 identifisere fisk fra og til Borgund p氓 lokaliteter i Trondheim, Bergen og det arktiske Nord, og slik gi anledning til 氓 plassere Borgund i en nasjonal og internasjonal kontekst.
Hovedveiledere:
, arkeologi, Ph.D., Head of Department of Archaeology and Cultural History, NTNU University Museum, Norway
, arkeologi, Professor II Dr., Department of Archaeology and Cultural History, NTNU University Museum, Norway/ Reader in Medieval Archaeology, Deputy Director, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Dept. of Archaeology, University of Cambridge.
Biveileder:
, arkeologi, professor, Universitetsmuseet i Bergen, Avdeling for kultur, Universitetet i Bergen, Norge
Br酶nnane ved Borgundkaupangen
Masterprosjekt av Jens 脴vrestrand Rysjedal, Masteroppgave innlevert til AHKR/UIB 2022
Baksthellene fra Borgund
Masterprosjekt av Martine Engvik
This sub-study centres on Borgunds' position in the commerce network of bakestones. Where were the bakestones quarried? Was Borgund solely a consumer site, or did it function as a transit port for further distribution of bakestones to nearby areas? The aim is to find whether the trade was directed south towards Bergen or north towards Trondheim and if there are any temporal changes. Additionally, the study investigates the grooves on the bakestones to discern if they can be used to differentiate workshops at the quarries.
Se mer her:
N酶klane til kaupangen
Ein kategori gjenstandar som det er funne mange av p氓 Borgund, er n酶klar og l氓sar. Desse gjenstandane er sterke symbol p氓 makt og r氓derett over ressursar, men har ogs氓 vore tolka som symbol p氓 husfruerolla og kristendomen. F酶rem氓let med dette studiet er 氓 unders酶ke kva slags n酶klar og l氓sar som vart brukt p氓 Borgund-kaupangen, og vidare freiste 氓 finne ut kva desse kan fortelje om funksjonen til staden, og om menneska som heldt til der. Eit ledd i prosjektet vil vere 氓 samanlikne materialet fr氓 Borgund med materialet fr氓 mellomalderbyen Bergen.
Publikasjoner
Publikasjoner fra prosjektet
- Samuel J Walker, Hanneke JM Meijer, Julia Best & Gitte Hansen. 2025. The Introduction of Chickens Into Norway and Their Early Use: New Evidence From the Borgund Kaupang.
- Gitte Hansen. 2025.
- Gitte Hansen. 2025. 1912 Borgundkaupangen og Gerhard Fischers f酶rste arkeologiske utgravning.
- Gitte Hansen. 2025. 1954 Borgund, liten by - store utgravninger!
- Gitte Hansen. 2024. Fra Ve酶y og Borgund til Bergen. Asbj酶rn E. Herteig og den moderne middelalderarkeologiens f酶dsel,
- Mathias Blobel. 2024. Stirring the Source Stew: Challenges and Opportunities in the Reconciliation of Written and Archaeological Sources for Foodways in Medieval Norway.
- Martine F. Engvik. 2023,
- Heidi Albertinesdatter Haugene/Kirsta McGrath/Gitte Hansen, Viking 87,1/2023, 79鈥100. (Inkl. med forskningsdata)
- Jens 脴vrestrand Rysjedal, . Masteroppgave ved Universitetet i Bergen 2022.
- Kristin Ersdal Edland, Masteroppgave ved Universitetet i Bergen 2022.
- Jarle Sulebust, Middelaldermuseet p氓 Borgund. Gavlen 1/2022, 23鈥6.
- Therese Nesset/Katharina Lorvik/Gitte Hansen, Fragmenter av historier: Universitetsmuseets 氓rbok 2020.
- Brita Hope, Fragmenter av historier: Universitetsmuseets 氓rbok 2020.
- Mathias Blobel, Fragmenter av historier: Universitetsmuseets 氓rbok 2020.
Personer
Gruppeleder
Gitte Hansen Archaeology, Professor Dr., University Museum of Bergen, Dep. of Cultural History, University of Bergen, Norway
Gruppemedlemmer
Old Norse philology and Norwegian history, Postdoctoral researcher, Institutt for arkeologi, konservering og historie, University of Oslo, Norway (research
Irene Baug Archaeology, Dr., HF Faculty, University of Bergen (research)
Mathias Blobel Archaeology, PhD-candidate, University Museum of Bergen, Dep. of Cultural History, University of Bergen, Norway (research)
Archaeology, Archaeologist, Norsk institutt for kulturminneforskning (NIKU), Norway (research)
Archaeology, PhD candidate, Department of Archaeology and Cultural History, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
Geir Atle Ersland History, Professor Dr., Dep. of Archaeology, History, Culture studies and Religion (AHKR), University of Bergen, Norway (research)
Archaeology, PhD-candidate, University of Iceland, Iceland (research)
Archaeology, PhD, Collections Officer, Perth Museum & Art Gallery, Perth, Scotland (research)
Ramona Harrison Zooarchaeology, Associate Professor, Dep. of Archaeology, History, Culture studies and Religion (AHKR), University of Bergen, Norway (co-advisor PhD)
Archaeology, MA., Sunnm酶re museum, Stiftinga Sunnm酶re museum, Norway (research, dissemination)
Geology, Researcher, Geological Survey of Norway (NGU), Norway (research)
Alf Tore Hommedal Archaeology, Assc. professor, University Museum of Bergen, Dep. of Cultural History, University of Bergen, Norway (research)
Brita Hope Archaeology, PhD-candidate, University Museum of Bergen, Dep. of Cultural History, University of Bergen, Norway (research)
脴ystein J. Jansen Geology, Assi. professor emeritus, University Museum of Bergen, Dep. of Natural History, University of Bergen, Norway (research)
Textile production, Oster酶y Museum, Stiftinga Museumssenteret i Hordaland (research, crafts, dissemination)
Henning Laugerud Art history, Assc. professor Dr., Dep. of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, (LLE), University of Bergen, Norway (research)
Osteoarchaeology, Archaeologist, Norsk institutt for kulturminneforskning (NIKU), Norway (research)
Archaeology, Prof. Dr., Universit盲t T眉bingen, Abteilung f眉r Arch盲ologie des Mittelalters, Germany (co-advisor PhD, reference group)
Archaeology, Senior Curator Dr., Bryggens Museum, Stiftelsen Bymuseet i Bergen, Norway (research)
Archaeology, Archaeologist, Kulturavdelinga, M酶re og Romsdal fylkeskommune, Norway (research)
Textile production, MA., Oster酶y Museum, Stiftinga Museumssenteret i Hordaland (research, crafts, dissemination)
Archaeology, researcher, Norsk institutt for kulturminneforskning (NIKU), Norway (research)
Archaeology, Ph.D., Head of Department of Archaeology and Cultural History, NTNU University Museum, Norway (co-advisor PhD)
Jens Eike Schnall Old Norse philology, Assc. professor Dr., Dep. of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, (LLE), University of Bergen, Norway (research)
Archaeology, Dr., Research Associate, Arctic Studies Center, Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, USA |
Archaeology, Dr., Research Associate, Arctic Studies Center, Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, USA (
Archaeology, Researcher- archaeological prospection, NTNU University Museum, Norway (Geophysical prospection)
Geoarchaeology, Dr. scient, Per Storemyr Archaeology & Conservation Services, Norway (research)
Zooarchaeology, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Norway (research)
Referansegruppe
Archaeology, Professor, University of Turku, Finland
Archaeology, Prof. Dr., Universit盲t T眉bingen, Abteilung f眉r Arch盲ologie des Mittelalters, Germany
Kontakt
Har du sp酶rsm氓l om prosjektet, ta kontakt med prosjektleder Gitte Hansen, professor i arkeologi ved Universitetsmuseet i Bergen.
- Telefonnummer
- +4755588026
- E-post
- gitte.hansen@uib.no