Hundarna i Broa Halla : Hunden under järnåldern

Sammanfattning: In this study, four dogs from three graves from the Iron Age burial field Broa in Halla 48: 1 will be analysed. What can an osteological analysis of the dog’s skeletons tell about them? How big were they, how old, and were there some diseases? Can the relationships between dogs and the individuals from the graves be seen? How were the dogs killed? What can the dog tell us about society in Broa Halla during the Iron Age? Why were dogs buried with hu mans? Is it a hunting companion who faithfully follows its owner to life after death or is it a symbol of something? This study has examined similar tombs from Sweden to see if there are any similarities and/or differences. Such an example is Halla Broe 46:1 which has been interpreted to be part of the same burial ground as Broa Halla. Examination and comparison of the graves from Vendel and Valsgärde is added as well. The conclusion in this essay is that the graves have dogs that are large with a shoulder-height between approximately 60-73 centimeters. They have probably been used in hunting with horses when the graves also have horses in them. Larges dogs in this size are first seen in archeological materials from the iron age. Two of the dogs have some similarities with the greyhound type but this can not be conclusory proven due to the deteriorated state of the remains. This type of dogs shows that the humans in the graves have had a high societal standing in the community in Broa at their time and shows to contact with other places and import. This can also be evidence of breeding that targets different uses of dogs.