Vi-places in the Mälaren Region : —An interdisciplinary literature study with GIS-based Spatial Analysis of Centrality, Multifunctionality and Power in the Viking Age

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines the Vi-place names in the Mälaren region and challenges the conventional understanding of the Vi-place as solely an Old Norse cult site. Using an interdisciplinary approach combining literature studies, archaeological material, GIS, and statistical analysis, this research demonstrates the connection between the Vi-place and the Thing site, sheds light on the importance of the Vi-place in Viking Age society and provides a possible explanation for the long-term survival of the Vi-place names. The results of the study confirm that Vi-places were fundamental to pre-Christian ritual functions, but the study also suggests legal activities as a motivation behind the rituals performed at the sites. Since the Vi-place and the Thing site share many common features, this thesis argues that the Thing assembly and cult practice may have taken place at the same site—the Vi-place. Strategically situated within the central place complexes, the Vi-places were symbols of power that were used by the local rulers to position themselves in a changing society. The Vi-place can be seen as a strategic asset in a political power game that intensified as Christianity spread in the area. However, the transition from Old Norse belief to Christianity did not erase these place names; rather, the underlying power structures and ritual needs were negotiated into a new cultural framework, which may explain why the place names still exist today.