In spring 2018, Södertörn University and MARIS, in collaboration with Västerviks Museum, conducted a second archaeological research survey at Stäket, Kallåker 4:4 in Gamleby socken, Västervik municipality, Kalmar County, Småland. At the survey a trenchs were dug on land in connection with a previously known “pole blockage” in the water of Dynestadviken at a place called Stäket. The trench was placed in line with a previously excavated stone construction situated close to the level of the Viking age shore line.

The stone “cairn-like” construction lays in line with a timber construction in the water. The 2018 trench was placed in the upper part of the stone construction, 10 m up the beach slope, close to the test trench dug in 2016. The aim was to collect more data regarding the stone structure, it´s construction and use. Among the findings are flint fragments, horseshoe nails, coins and a clay pipe, all with a span from the 11^th century to the 19^th century.

During late Viking period, the place for the site was the most topographical strategic part of the waterway between the bay of Gamlebyviken and the protected inner water around Dynestadsjön. The choice of place gives an indication that the construction during this time is linked to strategy and protection of the rich Iron Age homeland north of the construction.

Several of the upright standing poles, both in the water and on land have previously been dated to late Iron age, but there are also some poles and planks from late Medieval/Early Modern period. New findings from 2018 confirm some sort of activities in the area in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, probably fishing.

The exact function of the constructions at Stäket cannot be said at the present time and   there are several possible functions. The most obvious interpretation is to see it as a blockage defending the inlet, but there is also a possibility that the remains we know about today actually are a part of a larger harbour arrangement. Other possibilities which can’t be excluded is that the construction could have been used for fishing or that some of the poles are remains of a bridge over the narrow inlet. Combinations of these different functions are of course also possible. Considering the different dating and the mix of wooden material is also very likely that the use and function of the place have changed during history.

Denna lärarhandledning har tagits fram som del av forskningsprojektet Kulturmiljörelaterad SFI, ett samarbete mellan Södertörns högskola, Blekinge museum och Stockholms stad.

Handledningen vänder sig till SFI-lärare som vill lägga en del av sin undervisning utomhus i relation till den närliggande kultur- och naturmiljön. Här presenteras exempel på utomhusundervisning som på ett enkelt sätt kombinerar språkinlärning med omvärldskunskaper.