Styles, Regions and Decorated Vessels during the Migration Period

The project will study decorated pottery from the period ca 300-600 AD. The purpose is to define styles and the emergence of various regional groups during the Migration Period.
The Swedish pottery shows abundance of in different decorations during this period, an overwhelming richness that have not been seen since the Stone Age.

The questions are many:

• Can different decors be seen as ethnic markers? What exactly is ethnicity and what is style?
• What is cause behind the prevalence of various shapes and decorative elements?
• Can you say something about the various areas of interest within the limits of what is Sweden today?
• Can ceramics tell us something about political developments, during a period which is considered to be then various chiefdoms or kingdoms emerged?
• What is locally produced and what can be seen on commercial products?
• Can over regional contacts and influences be seen in the décor?
• What can we say about the cultural and social behaviours that involved the vessels?

Decorated ceramics from a grave at Roirhage, Grötlingbo parish, Gotland. Photo SHM.

Thomas Eriksson

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