Slagghögar i Bergslagen under yngre järnålder – en postprocessuell diskussion

Sammanfattning: The author has categorized and analysed slag deposits in different contexts. The categories are as such: slag on arable land, slag and mounds, slag at graves, slag as grave, slag at settlements and slag at the outskirts. Ironmaking sites and slag heaps appear in contexts that suggest they may have been perceived as symbolically significant for the farm's inhabitants and was included in common ritual practices. There is reason to believe that ironmaking sites and slag heaps have interacted with people and given rise to ideological thoughts, this includes the Odal mentality. Also, the construction of burial fields near ironmaking sites and vice versa, could demonstrate a connection with the past. Iconographic motifs and Norse texts reflect symbolic aspects of iron handling, especially craft and blacksmithing are portrayed as activities associated with ideologically important stories. Ironmaking sites are also found to be connected to symbolically important places such as Torsåker, Vi, etc.