Sanne Houby-Nielsen

"Samfundet Nordiska museets och Skansens Vänner är en stöttande vänkrets som är gemensam för de två museerna. Det hela började för 100 år sedan med ett fokus på gåvor av föremål. I dag kan bidragen gå även till exempelvis pedagogisk utveckling, fördjupad samlingsvård, artbevarande eller omvärldsbevakning. Med vännernas hjälp har vi kunnat göra nödvändiga insatser men också satt guldkant på tillvaron. De som vinner mest på detta är givetvis våra besökare." I denna årgång av Fataburen presenterar en rad medarbetare vid Nordiska museet och Skansen ett urval vängåvor och bidrag från både fjärran tid och det nyss förflutna.

Homeric Chalkis is situated on the coast of Aetolia at the very ‘gateway’ of the Gulf of Patras. The foundation occurred during an important period in early Greek history when trade and movement of peoples along the Gulf intensified with a resulting strong pull to the coast. Well-preserved stratigraphies date the foundation to the early seventh century BC and testify to a flourishing settlement in the sixth century lasting till the early fifth century BC when the site was temporarily given up. Walls and roads follow a rectilinear layout. A broad spectre of pottery shapes and wares attest to innovative local and regional workshops already from the onset of the settlement. Alongside the pottery, tools for complex textile manufacture were found in all houses, among which were many small, pyramidal loom weights and spools. These findings indicated a high degree of experimental weaving techniques and demonstrated how the courtyard house, as a new house model, was particularly well suited to accommodate this manufacture, probably mantels. The results therefore offer important new evidence on relations between gender behaviour and Greek houses. The catalogue is richly illustrated with profile drawings, plans, black-and- white and colour photos and accompanied by discussions of the material.