State formation in the Circumpolar North since the 15th century

Question of state formation has been relatively unexplored in historical archaeology. Furthermore, circumpolar areas are often seen as peripheral to the formation of states, the centers of which lie in the densely populated southern areas. Well known studies of the 19th’century nationalism and contemporary state formation, such as Imagined Communities, has been globally recognized. However, the state formation has older roots even in the circumpolar areas, and the multi-ethnic and dynamic circumpolar areas have played important roles in this process. In Northern Fennoscandia and the North Atlantic diverse patterns of the material culture, like architecture, monetary system, illustrations etc., emerge since late medieval period. The purpose of this session is to discuss what the material roots of state formation are, and, how the state formation can be studied through the material culture? We would like to encourage scholars to discuss the topic from different point of views, like urban, religious, social, colonial, and ethno archaeological perspectives.