Anders Lindahl

My name is Anders Lindahl, I am professor in laboratory and experimental archaeology and since 1984 head of the Laboratory for Ceramic Research. The work at the laboratory is mainly to document and analyse ceramic materials found at archaeological excavations. My task at the laboratory is to initiate and conduct research projects within the field of ceramology.
I presented my PhD thesis 1986 in medieval archaeology. The thesis is called “Information through Sherds” and should be seen as a methodological study on how to apply different laboratory analyses on a ceramic material and through these analyses shed light on different phases of the ceramic handicraft (manufacturing methods, vessel function etc.), as well as the changes/development of the site where the ceramic material was found.

Since 1988 I have been involved in various projects in South-eastern Africa. I have e.g. been the project co-ordinator for the project "Ceramics, Metal Craft and Settlement in southeastern Zimbabwe since AD 1400" (financed by Sida/SAREC). The aim of the project has been to trace changes in the handicraft tradition and by using the material culture illuminate the interaction between a central place (e.g. town, hill fort) and hinterland (e.g. village, farmstead). Together with Prof. Pikirayi UP, Pretoria, South Africa I am responsible for the project "Ceramics and the Ethnographic Present". The aim of this project is to investigate modern ceramic manufacturing techniques among selected ethnic groups in northern and eastern South Africa. The objective is to understand cultural processes and human group identities of some later Iron Age communities found in these areas financed by NFR South Africa and the Swedish Research Counsil Links programme). One of the projects concerning Swedish ceramics is called "The Late Black Earthenware- the introducktion to modern ceramics in Sweden". and is mainly concerned with how a traditional (older) handicraft deals with the introduction of a new type of production. The project is a co-operation with Ass. Prof. O Stilborg and financed by The Crafoord Foundation. A further example is a project aiming at studying the early production of bricks in Sweden, in a first phase by analysis of bricks from the Medieval kiln at Gamla Boo outside Stockholm. This project is conducted in co-operation with Ass. Prof. Jan Peder Lamm.

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