ATT LÄSA MELLAN FOGARNA: Källpluralism som verktyg för att förstå svårtolkade byggnader

Abstract

The smallest buildings in rural areas often lack documentation in historical sources, making it challenging to interpret their original function. This thesis investigates how source pluralism can be used to understand such buildings and the methodological challenges involved, using a specific small building in Kvibille, Halland, as a case study. The building presents an interpretive challenge due to physical evidence suggesting earlier, different uses and a lack of existence in historical sources. The study uses a source-pluralistic methodology based on a hermeneutic theoretical framework. The building itself serves as the primary source when documentary evidence is limited, supplemented by document analysis of historical maps, church records, statistical sources, photographs, and drawings. The iterative process of interpreting the building's physical form in conjunction with analysing documents to build contextual information is central to the approach. Building documentation revealed distinct construction phases. The oldest layer, featuring stone walls with lime mortar, indicates a possible original function as a simple residence, suggested by robust construction and potential evidence of a fireplace. Documentation for this period is limited, making this interpretation preliminary. A middle layer with lime-cement mortar and reused wood points to use as a tool shed or/and simpler residence, during the early 20th century. The youngest layer, marked by cement mortar, a filled-in window opening, a concrete slab, and corrugated iron roofing, reflects its later use as simple storage or a root cellar. Document analysis provided essential context, tracing the property's history from outfield to tenancy and offering insights into the lives and activities of its inhabitants. However, the sources were often fragmentary and sometimes contradictory, highlighting the need for critical evaluation and careful weighing of evidence. In summary, the study highlights that the smallest buildings in rural environments carries great historical information, even though they are absent from traditional documentation. To combine the building itself with historical documents as multiple sources, makes understanding the building in it’s context, a greater possibility. It also highlights the importance of the building as a primary source when written records are insufficient and the practical and methodological challenges faced when trying to understand complex buildings. Source pluralism proves a vital tool for gaining a broader understanding of these often overlooked elements of rural living.