Bronze Age on Öland

Around 1800 BC, the Bronze Age begins and lasts until about 500 BC. It has left clear traces in the landscape in the form of the large graves in the form of mounds and cairns. In exchange for bronze, the islanders in their contacts with other peoples have left amber, hides, furs and possibly also food. Bronze had no practical function but was used in ritual contexts. Man manifested his status through sacrifice.

Sacrifices of bronze objects occurred. During excavations in Skedemosse, finds from the Bronze Age have been made. Two bronze horn have been found in Långlöt. Those who govern society are endowed with divine traits.

Bronze was made by mixing copper and tin. The raw materials were transported from southern countries. Copper came from mines in Cyprus, Serbia and the Sinai Desert. Tin ore was found mainly in Spain and England. The rich islanders became part of the common European Bronze Age culture.

A relic from the Bronze Age are bowl pits. They are small pits in large stones and were used in cult contexts.

During the later Bronze Age, the climate becomes colder and humid. At the same time, there are signs that high population pressure has led to overexploitation of pastures. The condition of the grave is changed at the same time by the large graves being abandoned and the grave facilities being collected in burial grounds. This may indicate that farms are linked more closely to each other. Aanimal husbandry and fishing is important. Cultivation was only a marginal part of the supply.

Here are places with remains from the Bronze Age, such as Mysinge Hög, Blå rör and Gösslunda rör.

The presence of many Bronze Age cairns on Stora Alvaret shows that this area was an important pasture during this time.

Source: County Administrative Board of Kalmar