A Central Place at Stafsinge, Halland, and Some Thoughts on the Significance of the Periphery during the Late Iron Age and Middle Ages

Abstract

In 1998 Halland County Museums and UV Väst carried out extensive excavations on several sites around Falkenberg in Halland. On one of the sites, Stafsinge RAÄ 116, several prestige objects from the Late Iron Age were found. The objects include a bird shaped brooch, a pin, a weight, pieces of soapstone, several beads and glass pieces from beakers and raw garners. The objects could in Halland be compared with objects from the famous chieftain's settlement in Slöinge. The objects signal the presence ofa magnatet farm or central place during the Late Iron Age. This is supported by old stray finds of silver treasures, coins and weapons from the Falkenberg-Stafsinge area. At the same site the excavation of a huge farm from the 12th and 13th centuries shows that a magnaret farm survived into the Middle Ages. In the paper the author discusses some ideas concerning centrality and central places during the Late Iron Age and Middle Age.