Anton Larsson
@antonyaolarsson.bsky.social
Doctor of Archaeology. Thesis on the cultural heritage of landslide disasters. Commercial archaeology project manager. Ask me about Bohuslän.
Really enjoyed presenting some of the results from our/my research project about Late Medieval and Early Modern maritime rock art/carvings/graffitos in the Stockholm Archipelago at the County Administration's seminar. ⚱️
November 26, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Really enjoyed presenting some of the results from our/my research project about Late Medieval and Early Modern maritime rock art/carvings/graffitos in the Stockholm Archipelago at the County Administration's seminar. ⚱️
Last week, for the first time ever, we excavated a "trankokeri", a tryworks where herring oil was produced, on Lilla Askerön. It was built in 1797. We revealed two complex brick oven structures, one of them very intact, providing new insights into the Bohuslän herring fisheries.
November 7, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Last week, for the first time ever, we excavated a "trankokeri", a tryworks where herring oil was produced, on Lilla Askerön. It was built in 1797. We revealed two complex brick oven structures, one of them very intact, providing new insights into the Bohuslän herring fisheries.
Comment on the find situation!
September 26, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Comment on the find situation!
Some more pics.
September 26, 2025 at 5:06 AM
Some more pics.
Here is the first more in-depth article on the truly breathtaking discovery of a 6 kg silver hoard, containing thousands of late 1100s AD coins and ample Viking Age jewelry, found near Stockholm. Paywalled, but surely not the last you will hear of this. www.dn.se/sverige/hon-...
September 26, 2025 at 5:06 AM
Here is the first more in-depth article on the truly breathtaking discovery of a 6 kg silver hoard, containing thousands of late 1100s AD coins and ample Viking Age jewelry, found near Stockholm. Paywalled, but surely not the last you will hear of this. www.dn.se/sverige/hon-...
A trip to the Regional Archives in Gothenburg yielded some very important documents from 1797...
June 19, 2025 at 5:10 PM
A trip to the Regional Archives in Gothenburg yielded some very important documents from 1797...
I'm happy to say — mission accomplished! I can't show any photos yet, but two days of digging have revealed the small but complex ruins of a tryworks here on Lilla Askerön, once used to produce herring-based oil — and, importantly, fertilizer. Tomorrow the archives await.
June 17, 2025 at 5:14 PM
I'm happy to say — mission accomplished! I can't show any photos yet, but two days of digging have revealed the small but complex ruins of a tryworks here on Lilla Askerön, once used to produce herring-based oil — and, importantly, fertilizer. Tomorrow the archives await.
Is it the Mediterranean? No, just the sunny cliffs and clear waters of Bohuslän. The drone photography indicates that there are no submerged sections of the maritime ruin. The day has spent clearing it — I'll share that once the picture is more clear.
June 16, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Is it the Mediterranean? No, just the sunny cliffs and clear waters of Bohuslän. The drone photography indicates that there are no submerged sections of the maritime ruin. The day has spent clearing it — I'll share that once the picture is more clear.
Almost a decade after I wrote my BA dissertation on the herring oil factories of the 18th century, I'm returning to the Swedish West Coast to excavate one. Starting tomorrow, we'll spend two days digging for Anders Jerpsson's tryworks on the island of Lilla Askerön. 🐠⚓️🪔
June 15, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Almost a decade after I wrote my BA dissertation on the herring oil factories of the 18th century, I'm returning to the Swedish West Coast to excavate one. Starting tomorrow, we'll spend two days digging for Anders Jerpsson's tryworks on the island of Lilla Askerön. 🐠⚓️🪔
Spent part of Long Friday walking through a centuries-old apotropaic stone labyrinth in the fishing village of Kuggörarna, hoping to ward off bad luck. Stone labyrinths were introduced to Scandinavia in the Late Middle Ages and originally built by Catholic seafarers.
April 18, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Spent part of Long Friday walking through a centuries-old apotropaic stone labyrinth in the fishing village of Kuggörarna, hoping to ward off bad luck. Stone labyrinths were introduced to Scandinavia in the Late Middle Ages and originally built by Catholic seafarers.
Trying to find parallels or comparative dating examples for this piece of medieval spolia, once placed on a church. Anyone?
April 14, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Trying to find parallels or comparative dating examples for this piece of medieval spolia, once placed on a church. Anyone?
My office space was refurbished today. It is guarded by this wonderful wooden reproduction (not 1:1 by any means) of the Helgö Buddha (see photos below), a gift from my parents for my PhD thesis defence. The original, found in Sweden, was made in India around the 6th century AD.
March 21, 2025 at 8:57 AM
My office space was refurbished today. It is guarded by this wonderful wooden reproduction (not 1:1 by any means) of the Helgö Buddha (see photos below), a gift from my parents for my PhD thesis defence. The original, found in Sweden, was made in India around the 6th century AD.
Calling all Romanists - I need some help! Attached are some awful images (one with the handles reconstructed) of a bronze vessel found in Sweden. It is c 28.5 cm tall, mouth is c 7.5 cm wide. Allegedly it is Roman. I want to know anything you can say about it! Questions below.
March 10, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Calling all Romanists - I need some help! Attached are some awful images (one with the handles reconstructed) of a bronze vessel found in Sweden. It is c 28.5 cm tall, mouth is c 7.5 cm wide. Allegedly it is Roman. I want to know anything you can say about it! Questions below.
A rather wonderful discovery; a 1920s self-portrait by Oscar Färdig, a rural autodidact photographer, my great great grandmother's brother. He is standing by the great Iron Age menhirs of Stenehed (appropriately meaning "Stone Heath", likely refering to the monuments).
March 9, 2025 at 8:01 PM
A rather wonderful discovery; a 1920s self-portrait by Oscar Färdig, a rural autodidact photographer, my great great grandmother's brother. He is standing by the great Iron Age menhirs of Stenehed (appropriately meaning "Stone Heath", likely refering to the monuments).
In 1878, Ture Malmgren founded Bohusläningen in my hometown Uddevalla. He said that the newspaper was to be "a lantern, welcoming to those who wish to see, inconvenient for those with something to hide". Now, in 2025, it will become digital only, no more print issues. RIP!
January 21, 2025 at 10:38 AM
In 1878, Ture Malmgren founded Bohusläningen in my hometown Uddevalla. He said that the newspaper was to be "a lantern, welcoming to those who wish to see, inconvenient for those with something to hide". Now, in 2025, it will become digital only, no more print issues. RIP!
This 1902 advertisement (upper right corner) forms historical evidence for a still-extant local designation for a genetically distinct herring population.
January 9, 2025 at 6:06 PM
This 1902 advertisement (upper right corner) forms historical evidence for a still-extant local designation for a genetically distinct herring population.
Heading back home to Stockholm after spending Christmas on the West Coast, we finally made a visit to Gränna Museum, which hosts a fantastic exhibit on the failed 1897 Arctic hot air balloon expedition of Andrée and his two young companions. Their deaths remain a breathtaking mystery.
January 1, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Heading back home to Stockholm after spending Christmas on the West Coast, we finally made a visit to Gränna Museum, which hosts a fantastic exhibit on the failed 1897 Arctic hot air balloon expedition of Andrée and his two young companions. Their deaths remain a breathtaking mystery.
Today we said goodbye to our beloved cat Grafit. After years of struggling with one health issue after another, her asthma finally proved too much, and she declined rapidly despite intense medication. We loved her dearly. A piece of my heart is missing.
December 18, 2024 at 4:50 PM
Today we said goodbye to our beloved cat Grafit. After years of struggling with one health issue after another, her asthma finally proved too much, and she declined rapidly despite intense medication. We loved her dearly. A piece of my heart is missing.
Visiting the sepulchre of King Gustav Vasa (and his queens) in Uppsala Cathedral is always a special experience.
December 12, 2024 at 7:49 PM
Visiting the sepulchre of King Gustav Vasa (and his queens) in Uppsala Cathedral is always a special experience.
Today I have learned that the Esperantists of 1950s–1960s Francoist Spain were undefeated experts at graphic design, as seen here in these postcards advertising Esperanto congresses.
December 4, 2024 at 1:50 PM
Today I have learned that the Esperantists of 1950s–1960s Francoist Spain were undefeated experts at graphic design, as seen here in these postcards advertising Esperanto congresses.
Drone photograph taken for a project of mine, showing the ruins of Dragmark Abbey, a monastery of the Premonstratensian Order founded in the mid-1200s by King Haakon the Old of Norway. Photo: Paula Molander (2024).
November 27, 2024 at 5:53 PM
Drone photograph taken for a project of mine, showing the ruins of Dragmark Abbey, a monastery of the Premonstratensian Order founded in the mid-1200s by King Haakon the Old of Norway. Photo: Paula Molander (2024).
"Pope being hailed by warriors, unidentified artist (Italian), likely early 19th century". National Museum of Norway. If we only knew more!
November 24, 2024 at 8:37 PM
"Pope being hailed by warriors, unidentified artist (Italian), likely early 19th century". National Museum of Norway. If we only knew more!
Rusty shadows. Can you see the stain of the long-removed drain pipe (seen here in a photo from 1914) on the left side of this wonderful 12th century tomb slab (today walled into Brastad New Church)?
November 24, 2024 at 12:43 PM
Rusty shadows. Can you see the stain of the long-removed drain pipe (seen here in a photo from 1914) on the left side of this wonderful 12th century tomb slab (today walled into Brastad New Church)?
Some weekend reading (if you know Swedish...): my short article about the long-lost Neolithic tomb at Desarehult, beautifully depicted on an 18th century map, is now out in open access: raa.diva-portal.org/smash/record...
November 22, 2024 at 8:06 PM
Some weekend reading (if you know Swedish...): my short article about the long-lost Neolithic tomb at Desarehult, beautifully depicted on an 18th century map, is now out in open access: raa.diva-portal.org/smash/record...