Research and Projects
At Lödöse Museum, we embark on captivating projects that delve into the medieval history of Västra Götaland. Our initiatives aim to deepen the understanding of medieval Lödöse and its unique collections.
Over the years, we have conducted both archaeological research excavations and analyses of materials in our collections. Many of these projects are carried out in collaboration with other organizations, enhancing our discoveries and insights. Here you can read a litte bit about the projects our archeologist have worked on recently:
The Brick Church in Edsleskog
In the early 13th century, Dalsland was an inaccessible, forested border region. Yet, it was here, in a small, remote parish in northern Dalsland, that Sweden's largest and most monumental building of the time was constructed – the brick church in Edsleskog. Why on earth did they build it here? In 2019, Lödöse Museum initiated an extensive research project on Edsleskog's old church. The history of an intriguing saint legend and a magnificent grand church in the forested Dalsland was revived.
Excavations in Lödöse
Despite numerous excavations in Lödöse since the early 1900s, only a third of the medieval town has been explored. Our archaeologists have conducted many excavations in the area and continuously gain new insights into life in the medieval town.
Östanå Church
Lödöse Museum, in collaboration with the Department of Historical Studies at the University of Gothenburg and Bohusläns Museum, has conducted an archaeological research investigation of the medieval Östanå Church in Holms parish, Mellerud Municipality. According to written sources, the church was abandoned in the 16th century, but its founding date was unknown. The excavation aimed to gain more knowledge about medieval Östanå and to expand the understanding of Dalsland's medieval church history. The research focused on the church's chronology, construction, and whether there was an associated cemetery.
Textiles from Lödöse
Lödöse Museum houses the largest collection of medieval textiles in Northern Europe. We know that textiles were a very important trade commodity during the Middle Ages, and considering that Lödöse was one of the country's most significant export ports, it is particularly interesting to learn more about our unique collection. Today, Lödöse Museum's collections include 1,700 textile fragments dating from the 12th to the 14th century. In collaboration with the Swedish National Heritage Board and The Royal Institute of Cultural Heritage in Brussels, a fraction of the textiles has been analyzed to learn more about the substances used to dye the textiles.
