Two dwarves from Sweden: A unique case

In the same burial ground in use from the late eleventh to thirteenth century one male and one female dwarf were buried, only 1 m from each other. They were buried in the same way and with the same kind of grave goods as the others buried around them. The medical and osteological investigations of the skeletons show that the two individuals suffered from a very rare congenital malformation that made them dwarves: spondylo-epiphyseal dysplasia congenita with mild coxa vara. A search of the palaeopathological literature has not revealed any other such cases. Because this disease is extremely rare, it is very likely that the two dwarves were closely related.     

Casting the Riace Bronzes: Modern Assumptions and Ancient Facts

This article argues that classical archaeologists have seriously underestimated the output of heat required to melt a large quantity of bronze and therefore have wrongly reconstructed the ancient casting process. The idea that sufficient metal for casting a bronze of monumental proportions could be heated in a crucible with a charcoal fire ventilated by bellows is not realistic. The following observations are based on solid foundry experience: Nigel Konstam, a bronze sculptor, for many years supervised the casting of monumental bronzes comparable in size to those from Riace. This article has been written by Herbert Hoffmann drawing on Konstam's notes     

Sámi Citizenship: Marginalisation or Integration?

Abstract

In accordance with international conventions the Sámi is an indigenous group belonging to two populations and two overlapping civil societies within one nation state. This situation not only influences Sámi political interests and activities in general, but it also affects the individual Sámi's political orientation and decisions. Nevertheless, no thorough study has been conducted, on the individual level, of Sámi political participation and involvement. We know neither how political attitudes and participation vary within this group, nor how it varies in relation to the Norwegian population in general. Thus we know practically nothing about how recent institutional developments have influenced Sámi citizenship.

This article looks closely at variations in political involvement and participation amongst Sámi and non-Sámi living in Norway's Sámi language management area, and compares this with political involvement and participation amongst the Norwegian population in general. The Citizenship Survey shows that in terms of political interest and participation, the Sámi living in the Sámi language management area are on par with others living there, and with Norwegians in general. In several important political areas the Sámi actually show significantly more interest and involvement than Norwegians in general. Furthermore, Sámi political trust and self-confidence are as high as in the general population, and we have not uncovered any particular marginalisation with respect to women and young people's interest and participation.

There is much to suggest that our findings measure not only the Sámi's combined political interest and participation, but also their degree of participation and interest in the Norwegian political system. We do not find a picture of Sámi political segregation, nor of an extensive marginalisation. The findings point towards strong integration in the Norwegian political system, with Norwegian and Sámi public space and civil societies overlapping rather than being competitive or even antagonistic.     

The disappearance of the ≪Västersjøfinner≫ from ringvassøy

The present article focuses on the epistemology of one of the leading lappologists of this country, the late J. Qvigstad (1853–1957). It is not surprising to find a preoccupation with the presence or absence of ?cultural traits? in his studies of the Sami of his time. A closer look at the micro demography of his informants does however suggest a misinterpretation on the part of Qvigstad, of the situation of the Sami and their local communities.     

The Skeleton from the Gokstad Ship: New Evaluation of an Old Find

Concern whether the skeletal remains from the Gokstad ship could be destroyed in the moist leaden coffin, re-buried in 1928 after the excavation in 1880, resulted in a re-opening of the mound in 2007. The anthropological examination produced evidence of a male person in his 40s, about 181 cm tall and of extreme physical constitution. Pathological changes in his left knee revealed an older injury with fracture of the medial tibial condyle and arthrosis of the joint. Several marks of peri-mortal blows from slashing weapons showed that the man had been killed, probably in battle. A flattening of the hypophyseal fossa (sella turcica) in the skull base made it possible that ‘the Gokstad chieftain’ may have suffered from a hypophyseal tumour, leading to acromegaly, a pathological condition in accordance with the extreme appearance of his skeleton.     

The Samoan Farmer: A Reluctant Object of Change?

Stagnation and a failure to break out of a subsistence-oriented type of production continue to characterize the agricultural sector in Western Samoa. The lack of dynamism in agriculture has variously been ascribed to subsistence affluence and limited wants, the inhibiting impact of fa'asamoa – the Samoan way of life – and, more recently, to the effects of migration, remittances, aid and bureaucracy on economic development. This article suggests that the explanatory power of these factors by themselves is unsatisfactory. Instead, it argues that an absence of secure market outlets offering predictable and sufficiently attractive prices to farmers and the lack of rural-urban links in general are at the heart of the problem. The economy seems to be caught in a vicious circle where farmers fail to commit themselves to production for the market because of a lack of secure outlets, while adequate downstream distribution and processing channels do not develop for lack of secure supplies. The interchangeable nature of commercial and subsistence production in agriculture, widespread access to overseas remittances, and the smallness of the domestic economy serve to perpetuate the deadlock.