Monuments as active cooperation. Crisis, mound construction, and society in Scandinavia in the 6th century AD
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The largest mound in Scandinavia is the 6th-century Raknehaugen, present-day Norway. Although usually associated with power and hierarchy, an alternative interpretation relates Raknehaugen to climatic crisis and widespread crop failure. This paper explores the latter hypothesis with reference to recent work on joint ritual action, solidarity and group identity, and the archaeology of emotions. I introduce the archaeology of emotions to long-standing debates on the turmoil of 6th-century Scandinavia, and explore the bodily aspects of monument construction as a way to approach the social and political dimensions of group emotions.
Source: Journal of Social Archaeology
Author: Andreas Ropeid Sæbø
Institution: University of Oslo
Language: English
Subfield: History
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,650
OpenAlex ID: W4413127697