65 A MAGNETOMETER SURVEY OF AN IRON AGE SETTLEMENT AT UPPÅKRA Introduction In September 1997 a geophysical survey was undertaken over a known Iron Age site at Uppåkra, Skåne, Southern Sweden by repre- sentatives from the Department of Archaeo- logical Sciences, University of Bradford, England Emily Mercer and Martin Henshall). The survey was performed using a FM36 flux- gate gradiometer. The decision to restrict the survey to a gradiometer survey was due to the suspicion that the archaeological layers were buried at a depth which could not be investigated by many other techniques (e.g. earth resistance survey). Indeed, the occupation layer was known to be some three metres thick in certain areas. A magnetometer survey of an Iron Age settlement site at Uppåkra, Skåne, Sweden Emily Mercer & Armin Schmidt The survey of the Iron Age Settlement site at Uppåkra, Sweden was part of a larger and continuous project being carried out under the direction of Professor Lars Larsson from the Department of Archaeology, Univer- sity of Lund. The large size of the site necessitated a thorough evaluation prior to excavation to obtain the optimum information. Investigation and exploration of the site combined research into historical records with prospection techniques including metal detecting and fieldwalking. Such investigation had led researchers to believe that remains of a manor house may exist. An explanation was also sought as to why the extent of the site was defined by the limits of the cultural soils, raising the question of whether the site was confined within a palisade.To locate target areas for excavation, further prospection was necessary. However, the deep stratigraphy of the site deemed any method other than a survey with a fluxgate gradiometer ineffectual due to its ability to detect deeper features compared to other techniques (David 1995, 11).Four areas were surveyed in total with the fluxgate gradiometer, the results of which were not as expected. Very little structural evidence was uncovered although it seems that a number of relict hearths are apparent from the data. The characteristic anomalies over the whole of the site are ditched enclosures or other similar features and, due to their defini- tion, probably later than the settlement. Unfortunately, the large amount of noise may be masking the weaker signals from deeper features within the occupation layers. This would hinder the visibility and interpretation of settlement structures.Overall although the survey showed apparent features it is, in the end, the excavation which will provide the answers to this site. Emily Mercer & Armin Schmidt, Department of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1 DP, United Kingdom. Due to the large area occupied by the known site a total of four areas were surveyed during the available two week period. The following report will begin by provi- ding a relevant background to the site of Uppåkra. Each survey area will then be examined in turn by describing the features as geophysical anomalies and interpreting these with help of archaeological knowledge. The Site of Uppåkra The village of Uppåkra and its associated site is situated 5 km to the south of Lund at an app- Uppåkra - Centrum i analys och rapport, s. 65-78.