The Cultural Heritage of Mass Graves : A Heritagisation Study of the Battle of Visby 1361 and Human Remains from Korsbetningen, Gotland

Sammanfattning

How are mass graves a cultural heritage? Due to the reoccurring events that utilises mass graves, the burial phenomenon is starting to become a norm in contemporary geopolitical wars. Previous research has not considered the social and cultural implications mass graves has on the future cultural heritage, nor the heritagisation process that makes a cultural heritage boff the mass graves. How the cultural heritage of Korsbetningen mass graves evolved from a intangible to a tangible heritage, and how that change has affected the tangible cultural heritage (i.e. the human remains). Thus, the purpose of this thesis is to understand the heritagisation process regarding how mass graves become a cultural heritage, and what consequences it may unfold. To understand the heritagisation process, the data in this thesis is conducted through the method of Forensic Heritage. The results this thesis indicates that the mass graves of Korsbetningen, Visby, have become a cultural heritage for Gotland. Highlighting that the archaeological excavations changed the heritagisation process based on the mythology, intangible, tangible heritage, archaeological excavations, and the presentation of the human remains. The mass graves an incredible vital part in the cultural heritage of Gotland.