The metalworker’s farm. A study of a medieval “bygård” in Oslo
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2017-01-10

Since 2013 the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research has been excavating several sites in the medieval town in Oslo, in connection with a major railway project. One of the sites contained remains from several phases of medieval buildings with domestic and industrial activity from the late 11th to the early 14th century.
The paper aims to present one of the buildings in a Norwegian medieval town property, a “bygård”, literally a “farm in the town”. The building itself has at least two building phases, and possibly several phases of occupation and use. There are several ovens used for metalworking on the property, as well as evidence of domestic activities like a latrine and keeping animals. I will show how the use of the building and the surrounding property changes over time and how they fit into the context of the town. The excavations have shown that several of the neighboring properties may also have been used for metalworking This could mean that the buildings and other features in the excavated area formed part of a metalworking district in the heart of the town of Oslo until a new law, Magnus the Law-mender’s law for the towns, was introduced around 1276. This law regulated metalworking activities to the fringes of the town because of the risk of fire. The excavated building was destroyed in a fire, demonstrating the need for such regulations.

Author - Edman, Therese Marie, Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research, Oslo, Norway (Presenting author)