Strengthening Indigenous Land Right Cases : Exploring the role, methods and impact of archaeology

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines how archaeology contributes to Indigenous land rights cases, focusing on Sámi communities in Sweden. The aim is to evaluate archaeology’s evidentiary role and how it may be improved. The study is limited to civil contexts, primarily land claims. Source material includes legal documents, archaeological literature, and interviews with archaeologists, legal experts, and Sámi representatives. A multidisciplinary approach combines legal analysis, archaeological theory, and post-colonial frameworks. Results show that archaeology can support Indigenous claims but is limited by legal standards favouring written evidence, lack of legal training, and weak community collaboration. The thesis identifies three areas for improvement: expert witness preparation, integration of oral tradition, and increased accessibility of archaeological data. Collaborative, ethically grounded practices are essential for archaeology to play a meaningful role in evidentiary processes and support Indigenous self-determination.