The city wall in Nya Lödöse
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2017-01-27

In 2013 the largest urban archaeological excavation ever undertaken on the west coast of Sweden started in the Old Town (Gamlestaden), Gothenburg. The town of New Lödöse/Nya Lödöse, at the mouth of Göta river, which lay here between 1473 and 1624, is still being excavated. Twice before, in the 1910s and 1960s, archaeological excavations were carried out, mainly in the northern parts of the town. During the first excavation, parts of the northern moat were also recorded. Since then, more recently, further smaller investigations have been carried out. In 2015 we had the opportunity to explore much larger areas southwest of the town. Underneath the modern disturbance and an 1800s construction debris and foundation, we had the opportunity to record remains of the city wall. This area consisted of the following structures: a putative gatehouse, a palisade, parts of the ramparts and the appurtenant moat, as well as a bridge foundation in the moat. Having excavated the remains and the parts of the city wall (as well as the remains of the town), we now have a significant body of material reflecting daily life in the town of Nya Lödöse. Organic materials, construction waste and the practical use of the moat in the handling of various materials, for example flax-retting, are all evidenced. Subsequently, we address the question of how the construction of the ramparts affected the people in Nya Lödöse and what was its real purpose? We present the preliminary results and take a closer look into how the construction of this town limit affected the town and its population.

Author - Archaeologist Svensson, Pia, National Historical Museums, Mölndal, Sweden (Presenting author)
Co-author(s) - Bakunic, Imelda, Rio Göteborg Natur och Kulturkooperativ, Göteborg, Sweden