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Magazine article2009

Samisk byggnadskultur : timrade kåtor och exemplet Bläckajaure

Liedgren, Lars; Östlund, Lars; Josefsson, Torbjörn

Abstract

The first known records of permanent forest Sami buildings were written by priests working in northern Sweden in the 17th century. This article discusses the development of timber-framed Sami buildings in the Pite Sami area (Pite lappmark) and describes the excavation of a Sami hut from an area north of Lake Tjeggelvas in Arjeplog. The vegetation in this area largely consists of old coniferous forests, with large numbers of culturally marked trees. The eight-sided hut was built with walls made of logs that were not jointed; a unique feature of Sami buildings. Instead, the timber was supported and held together by stones placed on the outside of the building, against its corners. The frame of the ceiling consisted of four straight poles (ådnårisa) connected by a ridge beam, similar to the arrangements described by Linné during his famous trip to Lapland 1732, and was covered by cloven logs, planks and birch bark. According to dates obtained by examining artefacts and dendrochronology (supported by dendrochronological datings of culturally marked trees in the surrounding forest), the hut seems to have been built during the latter part of the 18th century and repaired during the latter part of the 19th century. In the 19th century four-cornered timbered huts were the most common types of dwellings for groups of Sami living in the coniferus forest, although the traditional use of six- or eight-sided timbered huts survived to some degree among the mountain Sami groups in the north-easthern part of Arjeplog

Published in

Arkeologi i Norr
2009, Volume: 11, pages: 115-143