Clas Tollin, Riksarkivet

The aim of Project Younger Geometrical maps is to make the large scale maps (byakartorna) from 1680 to 1700 available. Mostly, these are surveying's over farms and settlements affected by king Charles XI:s reduction.
In total, the original material consists of 50 Map Collections (Geometriska jordeböcker). Each act can content two or more maps of various scales and in contrast to the older geometric maps also include wood and grazing land. The files contain rich text descriptions (Notarum explicatio) on various economic and other phenomena that affect the mapped settlements. Notarum explicatio is generally far more extensive for the younger geometric maps than for the older maps. The maps are usually at a scale of 1: 4000 while the wood and grazing land (utmark) are in 1: 8 000. The maps show various types of buildings, land use in form of arable land, hay meadows, pastures and waste land and sometimes even the forests. The spatial structure of the farm land and protection system against grazing animals is shown by fences. In contrast to the older geometric maps are often ancient monuments like, burial grounds and runic stones marked.
The project consists of the following operations:
1. Development of high-resolution DjVu images for display as Open access through the National Archives website. 2. Transcript of Notarum explicatio and all map text. 3. Input of information to the new coordinate related database KARL (after king Charles XI). KARL is designed according to the same principle - but is independent against - the existing database GEORG. 4. Geokodning and GIS registration, including topographic identification and coordinate setting of the settlements. Coordinate setting of circa 20 different thematic items. (In principle, the same items that were recorded in the database GEORG). 5. Statistical registration of qualitative and quantitative data (e.g. arable land, hay yield, presence of mills, hops gardens, access to firewood, fence material timber, grazing land etc.). The registration of arable land requires more time for younger than older geometric maps because the arable is reported by the fertility in several classes.
During the project, additional geometrical maps were found. Mainly two early map collections from 1660 and 1661 over the hundreds of Oxie and Skytt in the southwest of Skåne. The map collections were localized to Härnösands provincial archives. For various reasons, these geometric maps were unknown to the scientific community since the 1920s. The maps are at a scale of 1:3333 and are the oldest large-scale maps of Skåne villages. The maps, however, was in poor condition and in need of preservation and repair. The maps therefore have been secured the National Archives conservators. The costs had been paid by the National Archives. Furthermore, a map collection of Stegeborg and underlying farms in the parish of Västra Husby from 1672 have been found (National Archives, Stegeborgs Samlingen). Additionally, a number of older geometrical maps were discovered. These have been added to the existing database GEORG.
The new found material, and the increase in costs because of this were financed by The Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities (KVHAA) (February 12, 2013) as a supplementary funding. The previously unknown maps have been treated in the same way as the rest but have been handled by special budget and are therefore not included in the following statistics.
The project younger geometric maps is now finished after plan. Following quantitative results have been achieved: 50 Map Collections (48 geometriska jordeböcker and two geografiska jordeböcker) have been processed. This means that 6430 pages with geometric maps and 276 pages with geographical maps have been scanned. Text from Notarum Explicatio and map image has been transcribed for 6430 acts; settlements (villages, manors) in 6419 acts have been identified and through coordinates been incorporated into a GIS. 2926 new TORA (Topographically records in the National Archives) settlements coordinates have thus been noted. Statistical data on arable land, yields of hay mm. has been introduced for the 6419 acts. A total of 20 919 thematic items have been identified and through coordinates been incorporated into a GIS, containing 8403 homesteads (farms), 2862 crofts, 589 mills, 203 churches, 826 hops, 487 kitchen gardens and 277 orchards besides a number of other thematic objects. The statistical registration of all 48 map collections includes approximately 300,000 separate entries/registrations.
Project-YGK have followed the plan as formulated in the application. There are now two historical databases one from the first half of 1700's and one from end of the century. It is natural to raise questions about changes in the settlement structure, land use and agrarian economy during the intervening period. This comparison is especially interesting as it coincides with the Swedish great power period the its formation of manors and donations of crown farms and taxes to the nobility. To implement such larger studies a model of spatial comparisons are needed. This has led to a larger question of creating the ability to integrate and cross-checking data from KARL with other historical infrastructure data bases. A tentative solution has been proposed in the creation of a set of unique coordinates for each settlement (TORA). This coordinate table makes it possible to link various historical databases with each other and create new opportunities for a range of research areas.
The project YGK and database Karl will 2015 be transferred to the National Archives which is also responsible for the availability. The database will be posted online and be searchable as Open Access through the National Archives website. Archivist Mats Höglund will also return to regular duty at the National Archives and thus ensure that the material is kept up to date.
The project has been co-funded between KVHAA and RJ (2012-10-25 granted RJ 3 000 000 SEK to the project (Ref In12-0568: 1). An additional appropriation of 1 000 000 RJ (Ref In12-0568: 2) meant that the project's initial budget could be followed and that the project could be completed.