2026-10-30T08:57:59Z https://publicera.kb.se/index.php/index/oai

oai:ojs.publicera.kb.se:article/10726 2024-04-01T15:43:39Z csa:ART

v2 https://publicera.kb.se/csa/article/view/10726 2024-04-01T15:43:39Z Svenska Arkeologiska Samfundet Vol 31 (2023); 79-111 Toplak, Matthias; Viking Museum Hedeby Kerk, Lukas; Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany 2024-02-24 Authors contributing to Current Swedish Archaeology retain copyright of their work, with first publication rights granted to the Swedish Archaeological Society. Read the journal's full Copyright- and Licensing Policy. url:https://publicera.kb.se/csa/article/view/10726 Body modifications Viking Age Tooth filings Artificial skull modification Embodiment Communication theory Social identity Mobility en_US In recent years, research has provided evidence for permanent body modification in the Viking Age. Based on the current state of research, we identified around 130 male-gendered individuals from Scandinavia and beyond with dental alterations in form of horizontal furrows, most of them stemming from the Baltic isle of Gotland. We suggest that this custom was used as a sign of identification for a closed group of merchants. In contrast, artificial cranial modifications in the Viking Are so far are only known from three female individuals from Gotland. While both forms of body modification have received wide attention in other cultural contexts, the specific expressions of these customs in Viking Age society still lack systematic investigation with regard to their social implications. Based on the archaeological concept of embodiment and modern communication theories we discuss the perception of modified human bodies as media for the presentation and construction of social identities on Viking Age Gotland.