University of Gothenburg
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Malou Blank

Researcher

Department of Historical Studies
Telephone
+46 31-786 18 67
Mail
malou.blank.backlund@gu.se
Visiting address
Renströmsgatan 6
41255 Göteborg
Postal address
Box 200
40530 Göteborg

About Malou Blank

Research

My research focuses on various aspects of Neolithic and Early Bronze Age societies in Sweden. I am particularly interested in the Late Neolithic period, megalithic graves (especially gallery graves), and mobility studies. I have mostly been involved in cross-disciplinary research, where archaeological and osteological data are integrated with scientific analyses such as isotope, aDNA and elemental analysis. My thesis, Mobility, Subsistence and Mortuary practices. An interdisciplinary study of Neolithic and Early Bronze Age megalithic populations of southwestern Sweden (GU-2021), focused on the use time of megalithic graves and socioeconomic change between the Middle and Late Neolithic by a multi-disciplinary approach, investigating human, mobility, diet and burial practices.

Ongoing research projects

The expansion of Late Neolithic Innovations - gallery graves and bifacial stone technology in east central Sweden, funded by the Swedish Research Council. Role: Principal investigator. Participants: Anna Tornberg, LU, Jan Apel, SU, Sweden and Ben Krause-Kyora, CAU, Germany

The Annelund gallery grave- investigating burial practices and life ways in Late Neolithic east central Sweden, funded by Berit Wallenberg foundation. Role: Principal investigator. Participants: Anna Tornberg, LU.

A Multi-species study of biological and social relatedness in Neolithic Sweden, funded by the Swedish Research Council. Role: researcher. Principal investigator: Karl-Göran Sjögren, GU. Participants: Tony Axelsson, GU, Torbjörn Ahlström, LU, Sweden and Frederik Seersholm and Martin Sikora, CU, Denmark.

Stone Age Fashion: Biographies of personal ornaments and clothing in the Baltic Sea region, c. 4000-2000 BCE, funded by the Swedish Research Council. Role: researcher. Principal investigator: Aija Macane, UU. Participants: Marija Ahola, UH, Finland.

Dolmen project. Fieldwork and analysis of material from newly discovered Early Neolithic graves in the Falbygden area, in collaboration with the University of Kiel. Role: researcher. Principal investigator: Karl-Göran Sjögren.

A deep study of the inhumations of a gallery grave in Närke, funded by the Gellerstedt Fund.

Non-destructive analysis of Neolithic amber, funded by Lennart Hägglunds foundation.

Past research projects

The missing link? Sardinia and the Bronze Age Metal Trade between Scandinavia, Atlantic Europe and the Mediterranean, funded by the Swedish Research Council. Role: researcher. Principal investigator: Serena Sabatini.

Teaching

I have been teaching archaeology actively since 2013. I have experience of teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, and have taught courses in fieldwork, artefacts, statistics and GIS etc. I have also supervised students at undergraduate and Master's level and coordinated a number of different courses.