Medieval drystone bridge in Alby

Alby, Sweden (Latitude: 59° 16' 60N; Longitude: 17° 41' 60E) is a village on the Baltic Sea in the Hulterstad district at the western fringe of the Stora Alvaret. Archaeological evidence indicates this settlement to have been one of the oldest on the island of Öland, with excavations dating to the paleolithic era showing the presence of hunter-gatherers^[1]. The village prehistory dates to the early Stone Age when settlers from the mainland migrated across the ice bridge connecting the island via the Kalmar Strait about 6000 to 7000 BC. These early inhabitants are known in the archaeological literature as the Alby People. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... A village is a human residential settlement commonly found in rural areas. ... Map of the Baltic Sea. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Excavation is the best-known and most commonly used technique within the science of archaeology. ... The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (Greek παλαιός paleos=old and λίθος lithos=stone or the Old Stone Age) was the first period in the development of human technology of the Stone Age. ... In anthropology, the hunter-gatherer way of life is that led by certain societies of the Neolithic Era based on the exploitation of wild plants and animals. ... Stone Age fishing hook. ... A family of Russian settlers in the Caucasus region, ca. ... Ice bridges are temporary bridges formed by using frozen rivers and lake surfaces. ... The Kalmar Strait is a strait in the Baltic Sea, located between the Swedish island of Öland and the Smalandia area of the Swedish mainland. ...

In the earliest times villagers subsisted by hunting, fishing and gathering, but by 4000 BC farming supplanted that lifestyle, and continues to the year 2006 to be the primary livelihood. The village lies atop the low lying north-south coastal ridge that defines the separation of the coastal plain from the Stora Alvaret. Alby is situated along the two-lane east coast highway, with the communities of Hulterstad and Triberga to the south; to the north lie the villages of Stagerstad and Stena^[2]. Alby is a component of the Stora Alvaret, which land has been designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO due to its extraordinary biodiversity and prehistory. It has been suggested that Big-game hunter be merged into this article or section. ... Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish. ... Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). ... Rugged coastline of the West Coast of New Zealand The coast is defined as the part of the land adjoining or near the ocean. ... In geography, a plain is a large area of land with relatively low relief. ... Highway in Pennsylvania, USA The Pan-American Highway, in the Peruvian town of Máncora, where it serves as the main street. ... Site #86: Memphis and its Necropolis, including the Pyramids of Giza (Egypt). ... UNESCO logo UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... Rainforests are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on earth Biodiversity or biological diversity is the diversity of life. ... The term prehistory (Greek words προ = before and ιστορία = history) is usually used to describe the period before written history became available. ...

Geology and ancient history

Drainage swale from the prehistoric Alby lagoon.

Bedrock layers are primarily Ordovician limestone that dates to at least 600 million years ago^[3]. Most of the limited supply of topsoil was created from glacial grinding of the limestone bedrock, which action created the nearly flat alvar formation^[4]. It was the end of the last ice age which led to uplift, creating the landform that is now the island of Öland. For other meanings of swale see Swale (disambiguation). ... Prehistory (Greek words προ = before and ιστορία = history) is the period of human history prior to the advent of writing (which marks the beginning of recorded history). ... This mid bay barrier in Narrabeen, a suburb of Sydney (Australia), has blocked what used to be a bay to form a lagoon. ... The Ordovician period is the second of the six (seven in North America) periods of the Paleozoic era. ... Limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... Topsoil is the uppermost layer of soil, usually the top six to eight inches. ... A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity. ... Bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the Earths surface. ... Alvar on the shoreline of Lake Eries Kelleys Island An alvar or pavement barren is a limestone plain with thin or no soil and, as a result, sparse vegetation. ...

The earliest settlers built early Stone Age wooden huts at the fringe of a prehistoric lagoon at the northwest of the present Alby. Archaeological excavations have revealed evidence of bear, marten, seal and porpoise, but also elucidate hunting and gathering technologies through discovery of bone spears, elk antler harpoons and flint. Stone Age fishing hook. ... A hut is a small and crude shelter used for dwelling. ... Prehistory (Greek words προ = before and ιστορία = history) is the period of human history prior to the advent of writing (which marks the beginning of recorded history). ... This mid bay barrier in Narrabeen, a suburb of Sydney (Australia), has blocked what used to be a bay to form a lagoon. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... Genera Ailuropoda Ailurus Helarctos Melursus Ursus Tremarctos Arctodus (extinct) A bear is a large mammal in the family Ursidae of the order Carnivora. ... Species Martes americana Martes flavigula Martes foina Martes gwatkinsii Martes martes Martes melampus Martes pennanti Martes zibellina for the Wiltshire village see Marten, Wiltshire The Martens constitute the genus Martes within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae. ... Look up seal in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Genera Neophocaena Phocoena - Harbor porpoises Phocoenoides - Dalls Porpoises The porpoises are small cetaceans of the family Phocoenidae; they are related to whales and dolphins. ... Grays illustration of a human femur, a typically recognized bone. ... Hunting spear and knife, from Mesa Verde National Park. ... Elk may refer to two distinct species of large deer: In Europe it refers to Alces alces, which is called a Moose in North America In North America it refers to Cervus elaphus, which is called a Red Deer in Europe. ... For the Poet Laureate of Milwaukee, see Antler (Poet). ... Whaling harpoon. ... Pebble beach made up of flint nodules eroded out of the nearby chalk cliffs, Cape Arkona, Rügen Flint (or flintstone) is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline silica rock with a glassy appearance. ...

Bronze Age to Viking era

Hulterstad Gravefield south of Alby with undulating barrows and standing stones.

The principal evidence of life in the Alby area from 1000 BC to 1000 AD is derived from the Hulterstad district gravefields slightly south of Alby. The Hulterstad Gravfeld is situated to the east of the coast highway and contains undulating barrows comprising over 170 individual burials, making it one of the largest gravefields on Öland. These burials span the late Bronze Age, Iron Age and Viking periods. The wavy terrain is characteristic of Iron Age barrows, and there are numerous standing stones present. Numerous artefacts have been recovered from this gravefield, including bronze chains and a bone needle case. Burial of Oleg of Novgorod in a tumulus in 912. ... Standing stones, orthostats, liths or more commonly, megaliths because of their large and cumbersome size, are solitary stones set vertically in the ground. ... Burial of Oleg of Novgorod in a tumulus in 912. ... Underwater funeral in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea from an edition with drawings by Alphonse de Neuville and Edouard Riou. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ... For other uses, see Viking (disambiguation). ... Standing stones, orthostats, liths or more commonly, megaliths because of their large and cumbersome size, are solitary stones set vertically in the ground. ... Assorted ancient bronze castings found as part of a cache, probably intended for recycling. ... Look up chain in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Grays illustration of a human femur, a typically recognized bone. ... The word needle has several meanings: Sewing Needles used for sewing In sewing, a needle is a long, slender, object with a pointed tip, usually made of metal. ...

Viking graves have also been found at the Hulterstad Gravefield as well as the extensive Strandvalle Gravfeld a few kilometers further south. These findings imply that Alby was a link within a chain of Viking settlements concentrated on the southeast coast of Öland. Seafaring viking cultures seemed to prefer the eastern side of the island, probably more due to the good beaches and ample forestation. Grave has multiple meanings: A grave (IPA: ) is a place for the dead, see tomb, burial, grave (burial) A grave accent (IPA: ) is a type of diacritical mark (as in French crème de la crème). ... A reference to colonization, or the resulting communities. ...

Middle Ages through late seventeenth century

Sixteenth century residence in Alby

While little recorded information exists for this period, Viking interments are dated to the High Middle Ages. By royal decree detailed church records began to be kept by the latter 1600s in the form of births, deaths, baptisms and annual household censuses. For the entire Hulterstad district, these archives were prepared and maintained at the Hulterstad Church. These records form a basis of estimating the population and lifespans of Alby residents at the end of the seventeenth century, since the records of Alby were kept distinct from other villages within the Hulterstad district. The late seventeenth century village population has been estimated at 35 to 60 individuals with life expectancy approximately 45 years. The oldest surviving buildings in Alby date to the sixteenth century; ironically they are Malmhouses, homes created for housing the poor and landless; in fact, these homes were built to very high standards of that early era and consist of heavy timber construction and interior fireplaces. The social and cultural values of early Swedes are evidenced by the willingness of the landed citizens to fund quality housing for the poorer members of the community as early as the 1500s; moreover, this is an early proof of the industriousness of the poor to build substantial housing on land they did not own. By other animals Humans are not the only species to bury their dead. ... The cathedral Notre Dame de Paris, a significant architectural contribution of the High Middle Ages. ... A church building (or simply church) is a building used in Christian worship. ... Birth is the process in animals by which an offspring is expelled from the body of its mother. ... Baptism in early Christian art. ... 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... The Almshouse at Sherborne, Dorset The Almshouse at Woburn, Bedfordshire West Hackney Almshouses in Stoke Newington, London. ... Timber in storage for later processing at a sawmill Timber is a term used to describe wood, either standing or that has been processed for use—from the time trees are felled, to its end product as a material suitable for industrial use—as structural material for construction or wood... A natural gas fireplace with a burning fire. ...

1680s t o 1870s

Handwritten household record from a mid nineteenth century Alby family. Source: Hulterstad Church archives.

Population continued to expand, but farming ceased to be the sole form of livelihood, even though it remained the dominant form of work. The village evolved specialists such as blacksmith and tailor. The village blacksmith's shop was constructed in this era on the west side of the coast highway, probably in the eighteenth century, and is extant as of 2006; it has been converted to a small museum. It is of interest that the smithy structure had to be erected outside of the seventeenth century drystone town wall, because the activity posed a fire risk to others. A blacksmith A blacksmith at work A blacksmith at work A blacksmiths fire Hot metal work from a blacksmith A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from iron or steel by forging the metal; i. ... A tailor is a person whose occupation is to sew clothes custom-fit to individuals, and to repair clothes. ... The National Gallery in London, a famous museum. ... A smithy is another term for a forge. ...

This era began the wave of American emigration that brought large numbers of Swedes to the New World. In addition to extensive handwritten records kept by the Hulterstad Church during this time, detailed records of ships' passages carrying immigrants were kept, and they register many people from Alby travelling to the United States of America to begin a new life. Copies of both types of records are maintained at the Swedish Emigrant Institute in the city of Växjö. Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, c. ... Växjö [] () is a Swedish city in SmÃ¥land in southern Sweden. ...

Flora and fauna

Mute swans and cormorants near shore in the Baltic Sea near Alby.

The western fringe of Alby includes some grazing land and borders on the Stora Alvaret, the greatest expanse of lvar habitat in Europe. This unique geological formation is an almost level plateau. The Stora Alvaret has an extremely thin soil mantle, that creates conditions of unusual adaptation and hence leads to a host of rare plant species. The first documented scientific study of the biota of the this eastern part of the Stora Alvaret occurred in the year 1741 with the visit of Linnaeus^[5]. He wrote of this unusual ecosystem: "It is noteworthy how some plants are able to thrive on the driest and most barren places of the alvar". The alvar here also supports rare species of butterflies, moths and other insects. Binomial name Cygnus olor (Gmelin, 1789) The Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is a common Eurasian member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. ... Genera Nannopterum Phalacrocorax Leucocarbo The Phalacrocoracidae family of birds is represented by about thirty species of cormorants and shags. ... Map of the Baltic Sea. ... Grazing is the regular consumption of part of one organism without killing it by another organism. ... Look up habitat in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of Earth; the term continent here referring to a cultural and political distinction, rather than a physiographic one, thus leading to various perspectives about Europes precise borders. ... In geology and earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat open country if the uplift was recent in geologic history. ... Rare species is an organism which is very uncommon or scarce. ... Biota can refer to several things: The plant and animal life of a region; see biota (ecology) A municipality in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain; see Biota (municipality) A superdomain in taxonomy; see Biota (taxonomy) Biota Holdings, the Australian biotech company This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists... // Events April 10 - Austrian army attack troops of Frederick the Great at Mollwitz August 10 - Raja of Travancore defeats Dutch East India Company naval expedition at Battle of Colachel December 19 - Vitus Bering dies in his expedition east of Siberia December 25 - Anders Celsius develops his own thermometer scale Celsius... A painting of Carolus Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as Carl von Linné, and who wrote under the Latinized name Carolus Linnaeus (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish scientist who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of taxonomy. ... Families Superfamily Hesperioidea: Hesperiidae Superfamily Papilionoidea: Papilionidae Pieridae Nymphalidae Lycaenidae Riodinidae A butterfly is an insect of the Order Lepidoptera, and belongs to one of the superfamilies Hesperioidea (the skippers) or Papilionoidea (all other butterflies). ... A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly. ... Classes & Orders See taxonomy Insects are invertebrate animals of the Class Insecta, the largest and (on land) most widely-distributed taxon within the phylum Arthropoda. ...

Some relict species from the glacial age are among the flora palette of the Stora Alvaret. A wide variety of wildflowers and other plants are found on the limestone pavement ecosystem. Some of the species found include stonecrop, dropwort, Artemisia Öelandica (endemic to Öland), and kidney vetch. At the northwest of Alby is a seasonal wetland having vernal pools and corresponding diversity of wetland plants. The term relict is used to refer to surviving remnants of natural phenomena. ... Flora may refer to: Flora (goddess), a goddess in Roman mythology Flora (plants), a collective term for plant life; as distinct from fauna (animals); or, a book or other work that describes the plant species occurring in a particular area or region. ... Five wildflower species Penstemon strictus A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. ... Species See text Sedum is a large genus of the Crassulaceae, representing about 400 species of leaf succulents, found throughout the northern hemisphere, varying from annual groundcovers to shrubs. ... Binomial name Filipendula vulgaris Moench Dropwort (Filipendula vulgaris), also known as Fern-leaf Dropwort is a perennial herb of the family Rosaceae closely related to Meadowsweet. ... Species See text Artemisia abrotanum (Southernwood) Artemisia absinthum (Absinth Wormwood) Artemisia alba Artemisia californica (California Sagebrush) leaves Artemisia mauiensis (Maui Wormwood) Artemisia pontica (Roman Wormwood) Artemisia pycnocephala (Beach Sagewort) flowers Dried Artemisia absinthium (Absinth Wormwood) Artemisia absinthium (Absinth Wormwood) Artemisia cina (Levant Wormseed) Artemisia is a large, diverse genus of... Endemic, in a broad sense, can mean belonging or native to, characteristic of, or prevalent in a particular geography, race, field, area, or environment; Native to an area or scope. ... Binomial name Vicia sativa Vetch or tare is a nitrogen fixing leguminous plant. ... A typical vernal pool in the western U.S. A vernal pool is usually a shallow depression in level ground with no permanent above-ground outlet. ...

The eastern part of Alby is a coastal plain leading to sand and shingle beaches. This sandy coastal plain supports a variety of native grasses and beach wildflowers different from the alvar species on Alby's west side. Avafauna on the beach side include the black tern and curlew, both of which also frequent the vernal ponds to the north. Marine birds found here include cormorants and mute swans; marine mammals such as harbour seal and harbour porpoise are also seen. Look up shingle in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Genera Numenius Bartramia Numenius redirects here. ... Genera Nannopterum Phalacrocorax Leucocarbo The Phalacrocoracidae family of birds is represented by about thirty species of cormorants and shags. ... Binomial name Cygnus olor (Gmelin, 1789) The Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is a common Eurasian member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. ... Binomial name Phoca vitulina Linnaeus, 1758 Common or Harbour Seals (Phoca vitulina) are true seals of the Northern Hemisphere. ... Binomial name Phocoena phocoena Linnaeus, 1758 Harbour Porpoise range The Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is one of six species of porpoise, and so one of about eighty cetacean species. ...

References

Dropwort plant found on this part of the Stora Alvaret at Alby.

Binomial name Filipendula vulgaris Moench Dropwort (Filipendula vulgaris), also known as Fern-leaf Dropwort is a perennial herb of the family Rosaceae closely related to Meadowsweet. ... The Holocene epoch is a geological period that extends from the present back about 10,000 radiocarbon years. ... Uppsala (older spelling Upsala) is a Swedish City in central Sweden, located about 70 km north of Stockholm. ...

See also

• Drystone wall
• Gettlinge
• Viking