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Marcus Hjulhammar

Born January 3, 1970, Stockholm

Assistant professor of Baltic Sea marine archaeology 2014–, University of Helsinki
Project director 2005-14, National Maritime Museums, Sweden
Cultural environment department official 2002-05, Västmänland County Administrative Board
Archaeologist 2002, Stockholm County Museum
Antiquarian 1999-2002, Kalmar County Museum
Post graduate 1996-2010, Södertörn University and Stockholm University
Amanuensis 1995, Swedish National Heritage Board
Antiquarian 1994, Stockholm City Museum
Director of field work 1992, Masurian Lake District, Poland
Chairman 2012–, Society of F H af Chapman

Research Themes
Prehistoric areas, society and seafaring, inventions and societal development, maritime conflicts, urbanisation, maritime meeting places and communication

Publications, research projects and other academic activity

Photo: from Marcus Hjulhammar's personal archive
Written by Marcus Hjulhammar (Tomas Sjöblom, ed.)
Translated by Matthew Billington

Submerged Prehistoric Landscapes

Since January 1, 2014, I have been an assistant professor of Baltic Sea marine archaeology at the University of Helsinki. One of the most fascinating aspects of my field is that you are studying a period of human history spanning over 10 000 years—the Baltic inland sea from the Mesolithic period all the way to the present day. Collaboration with my colleagues and closely related fields, both national and international, is all part of the charm of the discipline. The Baltic Sea itself offers unusual opportunities for research, one of the reasons being the high number of shipwrecks that have survived in good condition. Marine archaeology, however, is much more than this. For example, submerged prehistoric landscapes are of special interest to me.

Along with research, connections to the general public and students are important resources; in fact, they are indispensable to my work. Without students I could never have developed as a researcher or gained the new perspectives I have received by working with them. Several postgraduate students are in turn engaged in their own fascinating research, in which it has been extremely interesting to participate as a supervisor and colleague.

My own research covers several regions and time periods. During 2015 we have established an international research project at the University of Helsinki called “Lost Inland Landscapes.” The goal of the project is to study submerged prehistoric dwellings and landscapes in the region around Lake Saimaa. I also do archaeological work on more recent time periods in the docks of cities. My research interests also include locks and attempts at drainage, and their effect on trade, economy and society in the 17th and the 18th centuries.

Doing a marine archeological survey at the Slussen lock in central Stockholm, Sweden. Photo: Jens Lindström, Sjöhistoriska museet i Sverige.

More on Marcus Hjulhammar’s research projects:

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