Silenced Landscapes: Historical Public Execution Sites & Dark Heritage in Halland, Sweden

Sammanfattning

Public execution sites have long remained overlooked within Swedish archaeological research. Only a limited number out of the estimated 500-600 sites have been systematically investigated archaeologically. The public execution sites are strongly associated with death and violence, sanctioned by both the Church and the state, positioning them within what can be conceptualised as dark heritage. This study aims to explore contemporary perceptions and attitudes toward two former public execution sites in Halland, Sweden, through a dark heritage perspective. It draws on a multi-method approach, combining site visits, analysis of archival material and historical maps, a review of legislation and policies for cultural heritage preservation, and qualitative interviews with both local residents and cultural heritage practitioners and professionals. The findings demonstrate that public execution sites constitute a complex and contested form of cultural heritage. Their contemporary relevance is shaped by institutional power structures that influence visibility, interpretation, and collective memory. Largely absent from public consciousness due to their physical invisibility and anonymity, these sites emerge as a form of silenced landscapes. While they can be understood as dark heritage, they may also be framed as difficult and dissonant heritage, reflecting what seems to be divergent perspectives among stakeholders. The study shows that local residents and heritage associations often attribute historical meaning and value to these sites, whereas local authorities tend to remain silent and disengaged. The study highlights the need to critically address how marginal and uncomfortable pasts are managed within heritage practices, and how institutional dynamics shape what is acknowledged, preserved, neglected, or even actively silenced.