Bergen - en middelalderby i Norge Forvaltningspraksis og forskning fra 1955 til 2013

Abstract

Middelalderbyen i Bergen er ét samlet kulturminde. Siden 1955 er byen blevet undersøgt arkæologisk forud for enhver forstyrrelse af kulturlagene, der danner byen. Denne masteropgave undersøger og vurderer forvaltningsundersøgelserne, der er gjort siden 1955 for at evaluere forvaltningsarkæologiens forhold til kundskabsproduktionen inden for middelalderarkæologien og dermed vurdere, hvorvidt der opstår konsekvenser af den forvaltning der drives. Derudover er anvendelsen af naturvidenskabelige prøver i form af arkæobotaniske udtagninger blevet undersøgt for at vurdere, hvorvidt denne metode bliver anvendt både inden for forvaltningen, men også i den videre forskning. Forvaltning og forskning er to sider af arkæologien. Afvejningen og prioriteringen af disse vil forhåbentligvis give rum for en videre diskussioner, således at det gavner begge grene.

The aim of this thesis is to analyse and evaluate the management of cultural heritage and archaeological research in medieval Bergen. To achieve this aim, a thorough analysis of the archaeological rescue ex-cavations from 1955-2013 has been conducted, in addition to an analysis of how archaeobotanical sam-pling was used within these excavations. The complete data set consists of 140 archaeological rescue excavations, 29 research publications, seven Ph.D. dissertations, 22 master theses and archaeobotanical samplings from 46 rescue excavations. A qualitative approach was necessary as the focus of the analy-sis has been on the constant development throughout the time from 1955-2013. It has become clear that there is a correlation between an increase in the number of excavations completed, together with the diminishing square metres of these excavations. The use of archaeobotanical sampling follows the same tendency – there is an increase in the number of archaeobotanical samplings, but publications of the results decrease. In regard to the research from Bergen, the analysis shows that the excavations used are mainly from the time from 1980-1994 when Riksantikvarens utgravningskontor was responsible for the heritage management of the medieval town of Bergen. Publications on rescue excavations con-ducted after 1994 are scarce. The theoretical approach of this study is based on Michel Foucault’s theory of knowledge. To under-stand this in a Norwegian context I have partially adopted the approach which Terje Brattli used in his ph.d. thesis. This theoretical approach focuses on the way knowledge is produced. When we can under-stand the specific production of knowledge within the archaeological research carried out in the medie-val city of Bergen it might be easier to understand the use of the excavations in the research. Conclu-sions show that there seems to be a divide between the aim of heritage management and the aim of the general and educational research. This study is meant to contribute to the research done in Bergen and will hopefully be useful for further discussions on the discourse of an even closer cooperation between heritage management and archaeological research.