Abstract
The article discusses the extent to which conceptions of sex and gender roles can be studied and interpreted on the basis of Iron Age grave material. In accordance with the results of excavations of lron Age cemeteries in central Sweden, it is here argued that the articulation of sex and gender roles was a rare phenomenon in mortuary contexts. Although the articulation of sex and gender is very limited in the artefact material, it is interesting to note that women's graves appear more often than men's graves. Accordingly, this raises questions about women's position in the political and social life of Iron Age society.
Highlights
In accordance with the results of excavations of lron Age cemeteries in central Sweden, it is here argued that the articulation of sex and gender roles was a rare phenomenon in mortuary contexts
To what extent can the results from the Iron Age cemeteries give us information about who were buried there? Which criteria are of significance in interpreting the sex of the buried individual? How should the archaeological find material and the osteological remains, respectively, be evaluated? These types of questions are often raised in archaeological discussions, but, despite the fact that extensive research has been concentrated on this issue, no satisfactory answers as to how sex and gender roles are to be interpreted from the grave material have yet been formulated
The main discussion will instead focus on the extent to which the buried person's sex and gender can be interpreted on the basis of the Iron Age grave material
Summary
The article discusses the extent to which conceptions of sex and gender roles can be studied and interpreted on the basis of I ron Age grave material. The articulation of sex and gender is very limited in the artefact material, it is interesting to note that women's graves appear more oAen than men's graves This raises questions about women's position in the political and social life of Iron Age society. The cultural and historical depiction of the past, which usually tends to focus on the men's domination in social life, functions as a constant work of construction in the mind of the interpreter, male or female (Bourdieu 1999:69).It is important to be aware of this when describing sex and gender roles in the past
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