Nio trähus ifrån 1200-talet - Hur har de kunnat bevaras?

Sammanfattning: The oldest profane log timber houses in Sweden dates back to the 13th century. This study investigates 9 of them. All of the houses are built with interlocking joints and the chosen timber are pine or fir. They are rather modest in size. Two are storage houses on church grounds, the others have had different functions on rural farms. Several of them are still in use as none heated storage space. Originally, they often had the important function of storing the next year’s seed. They were well built with great craftmanship and was meant to be used over several generations. Additional features on the houses that have been beneficial for their longevity are their detachability. They can be moved to find new use, and also being sold away to new owners. Furthermore, they were one of the first generations of houses with a stone foundation. A local adaption in the Middle Sweden were foundation on stilts, another way to avoid contact with the humidity of the soil. Six of the houses are situated in the County of Dalarna and are an important part of the County heritage. With help of the archaeological record, it is possible to follow the development of the house building technology from the traditional Viking age long houses, to the emergence of the first surviving timber houses. This study investigates nine of the houses with the different factors that have contributed to their longevity. Important features have been the solid log timber construction with interlocking joints, together with the foundations which protected the timber from the humidity of the soil. The outer roof lining has been wood shavings or a layer of birch bark together with timber. These building components had developed to maturity in the early 13th century and combined they formed a sustainable house format. The houses have been useful for their owners over the centuries, hence been well maintained. The study also discusses the authenticity of the houses.