A traditional Swedish fence is a wooden wall with horizontal and diagonal rods, usually split spruce. They are often made in pairs and are anchored with binding cord. A fence is usually about 1.5-2 metres high and is used to separate cultivated fields and meadows from each other and to protect livestock from wild animals. A fence is also used to mark property boundaries between different settlements and farms.More info : www.dalagardesgard.se

Fences were an important part of early modern agriculture in Sweden, as they promoted synchronisation between field cultivation and animal grazing. Moreover, fences facilitated cooperation between farmers. For example, a farmer’s obligation to keep his fence in good condition and his right to let his livestock graze in other farmers’ fields after harvesting were clearly stated in the country law of the thirteenth century.

Exploring the Beauty of Traditional Swedish Fences

Our aim is to analyse the organisation of the landscape through fences in early modern times, using quantitative and spatial data from historical large-scale maps. The research is conducted in two study areas in southwestern Sweden, province Vastergotland, which differ in their degree of one-field system and three-field system.

Compared to other parts of Europe, the agricultural landscape in Sweden was characterised by small hamlets and an infield system that combined grain cultivation with animal husbandry. In the infield systems, the cultivated arable fields were fenced and kept separated from the outlying meadows (allmanning), which was usually owned by the hamlet, parish or hundred (district). The use of fences facilitated collaboration between neighbouring settlements and farms.…