"Krigare" i graven? Praktik, ideal och iscensättning under skandinavisk vikingatid

Summary This article has focused on the relation between warriors and warrior ideals, studied through the presence of weapons in Viking age graves. Archaeological studies have repeatedly shown that objects, such as weapons, do not necessarily reflect certain lived identities as that of warriors. Moreover, weapons in burials seem to be able to transform and may not primarily be “weapons” when included in burials and burial processes. In trying to understand why certain people were buried with weapons despite having no lived experience of battle or war-like activity, I explore how identity is created, shaped and staged in connection to burials. I argue that ‘weapon-graves’ may be results of people wanting to materialize warrior ideals, rather than warrior identities.