New Research Programme: Crisis, Conflict and Climate: Societal Change in Scandinavia 300–700 CE

Although archaeology during the past decade has increasingly focussed on the effects of climate change on prehistoric populations, there are few studies, if any, that have offered a high enough resolution in time and space to actually allow discussion of its societal effects.The main purpose of the 'Crisis, Conflict and Climate' programme is to provide this, by investigating a period of climate change, conflict and crisis in Scandinavia, 300-700 CE.With this programme, there will for the first time be a coherent investigation of demographics, disease, climate and environment, politics and social change in one, very well-defined, geographical region in northern Europe, the island of Öland situated off the southeast Swedish coast, in the Baltic Sea.We will study one of the more prominent features of the Ölandic societies during this time, the ringforts, producing high-resolution dates of their different utilization phases and clarifying their function and societal role.