Osseous Industries in Southern Scandinavia
From The Observatory
Date
February 13, 2026
Location
South Campus, Saxo Institute
Area
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Based on aDNA and material culture, the last decade of research into Neolitihisation in southern Scandinavia suggests that local hunter-gatherers continued living by lakeshores and coastal zones after migrants from western-central Europe introduced farming. However, objects made from worked bone, antler, and teeth (osseous industries), which form a major component of the material culture of these groups, have rarely been incorporated into these discussions.
Agenda
This talk presents the threefold results of a recent PhD thesis. First, I characterise the osseous industries of the Late Mesolithic Ertebølle (5400–4000 BC) and Neolithic Funnel Beaker (4000–2800/2600 BC) culture, focusing on typology, raw material selection, technology, and temporal/geographical variations. Second, I examine whether certain hunter-gatherer osseous traditions persisted during the Early Neolithic, became hybridised, or disappeared. Finally, I investigate the origins of Funnel Beaker osseous industries, asking if they were shaped by local Ertebølle practices, continued western-central European traditions, or resulted from more complex processes.
No registration required, everyone is welcome. Questions? Contact Henriette Lyngstrøm at lyngst@hum.ku.dk.Key Speaker: Solveig Chaudesaigues-Clausen
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The Saxo Institute
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Research and teaching at the Saxo Institute cover the subject areas of classical and prehistoric archaeology, European ethnology, Greek & Latin, and history. Within these areas, the institute offers six bachelor's and master's degree programs, two minor subject programs, two English-language master's programs, and numerous English-language courses for international students.
The institute is home to several research centers, research clusters, networks, and externally funded projects, all contributing to a dynamic, engaged, and interdisciplinary research environment. Generosity, curiosity, and respect for diversity in perspectives, theories, and methods are core values in the institute's work.