Trägärdesgårdar i Skaraborg. Den levande trägärdesgården sedd genom historiska fotografier

Abstract

The historical wood fence has served to separate growing crops from grazing animals as well as to mark the boundaries between villages and farms. The fences were continuously subject to repairs, which in course of time affected their appearance. This fact though is rarely taken into consideration when aiming to reconstruct an historical environment, for instance in open-air museums and on valuable historical sites. This essay therefore aims to gain in-depth knowledge of the appearance and construction of the wood fences in former Skaraborg County by analyzing photographs from the period 1860-1920. Twenty-one photographs of wood fences have been studied and analysed with regard to construction details and appearance. Previous research and knowledge have been considered, including theories on image analysis, as well as modern craft science and the author’s own craft experience. The study showed that the fences in the picture material differ in appearances, this mainly due to continuous repairs, though local building methods are also to be considered. Concluding; the effort to define a specific model of the Historical Wood Fence for Skaraborg County has proved to be a most difficult task.