Småstäder och andra orter i senmedeltidens Småland

Late medieval towns have often been neglected within the urban archaeological paradigm. This article tries to discuss the medieval urbanization from the perspective of small late medieval towns in relation to other types of central places by using a regional perspective. The towns of Vimmerby and Eksjö, and the central places of Värnamo and Vetlanda in Småland are used as examples. In this region, the functional similarities between places that became formal towns, and places that never got formal town privileges, are very evident. Markets, judicial and religious functions were present regardless of whether the place was a formal town or not. It is also evident that formal towns lacked the expected presence of densely built up areas.