On Giants in Swedish Archaeology

Påvel Nicklasson

doi:10.37718/csa.2009.11

Abstract

Before the development of archaeology there were speculations that prehistory had been populated by giants. Giants are often seen in opposition to a scientific worldview and basic archaeological concepts. It has been emphasised that during the early 19th century there was a break between old beliefs and scientific archaeology. The author wants to show that the belief in giants in prehistory was essentially already gone. It was revived around rgoo by an intensified interest in prehistory. It was central in formulating basic archaeological notions, such as the existence of a Stone Age. The belief in giants and the historicity of folk tales were part of romantic philosophy. The romantic roots of archaeology have been denied but are central for archaeological thinking.

Highlights

An interesting paper by Mats Burström published after a TAG session called Archaeology and Folklore (Burström xtlciy) serves as my point of departure for this essay on giants in early Swedish archaeology, which eventually ends with a discussion of the essence of archaeology
Burström argues in his paper. that there was a division between scientific archaeology and an older antiquarian way to approach the ancient past during the tgth century
"Most kinds of ancient monuments were associated with ancient giants. [...] [Giants] were supposed to have been the first inhabitants of the land" (Burström 1.999:36).The disappearance of the giants implied that ancient monuments were instead explained by professional archaeologists in a historical framework

Summary

Påvel Nicklasson

Before the development of archaeology there were speculations that prehistory had been populated by giants. Giants are often seen in opposition to a scientific worldview and basic archaeological concepts. The author wants to show that the belief in giants in prehistory was essentially already gone. It was revived around rgoo by an intensified interest in prehistory. It was central in formulating basic archaeological notions, such as the existence of a Stone Age. The belief in giants and the historicity of folk tales were part of romantic philosophy. Key tvords: giants, StoneAge, early archaeologg~, history ofarchaeology, Nils Henrik Sjö borg, Magnus Bruzelius, Sven Nilsson, lohan Hnciuin ~allman, rotnantic philosophy

INTRODUCTION

On giants i n Swedtsh archaeology

THE CREATION OF ARCHAEOLOGY

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE ESSENCE OF ARCHAEOLOGY

On giantsi n Stvedish archaeology

Archive sources