Archaeology study examines war artifacts in Arctic Norway

Archaeologists published a book based on ten years of fieldwork at Sværholt, a site in Arctic Norway that served as a German artillery battery and prisoner of war camp during World War II.

The authors argue that conflict archaeology should move beyond traditional military investigations to focus on the diverse histories of objects affected by war. The study examines how items like buildings, wine bottles, and bullet cartridges possess "afterlives" as reused objects.

These items continue to function in new ways or exist in states of decay while still carrying the history of the conflict. The research suggests that these abandoned remains offer stories that traditional history might fail to recall. By analyzing the enduring presence of these objects, the authors propose a new vision for how archaeologists can study the aftermath of war.

The book provides a framework for understanding how ruined things remain present in the landscape even as they slowly disintegrate.