I work as a senior researcher in the Past Present Sustainability Research Unit at the University of Helsinki Ecosystems and Environment Reseach Programme. I'm also associate professor (tile of docent) of Environmental archaeology (University of Turku) and Archaeology (University of Helsinki).
My main research topics are in past socio-ecological systems, hunter-gatherer archaeology, environmental archaeology & history, technological organization and human palaeoecology.
Kırdök, E., Kashuba, N., Damlien, H., Manninen, M.A., Nordqvist, B., Kjellström, A., Jakobsson, M... more Kırdök, E., Kashuba, N., Damlien, H., Manninen, M.A., Nordqvist, B., Kjellström, A., Jakobsson, M., Lindberg, A.M., Story, J., Person, P., Andersson, B., Aravena, A., Götherström, A., 2024. Metagenomic analysis of Mesolithic chewed pitch reveals poor oral health among stone age individuals. Scientific Reports 14, 22125. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48762-6
Prehistoric chewed pitch has proven to be a useful source of ancient DNA, both from humans and their microbiomes. Here we present the metagenomic analysis of three pieces of chewed pitch from Huseby Klev, Sweden, that were dated to 9,890-9,540 before present. The metagenomic profile exposes a Mesolithic oral microbiome that includes opportunistic oral pathogens. We compared the data with healthy and dysbiotic microbiome datasets and we identified increased abundance of periodontitisassociated microbes. In addition, trained machine learning models predicted dysbiosis with 70-80% probability. Moreover, we identified DNA sequences from eukaryotic species such as red fox, hazelnut, red deer and apple. Our results indicate a case of poor oral health during the Scandinavian Mesolithic, and show that pitch pieces have the potential to provide information on material use, diet and oral health.
Stones. Current Stone Age research in northern Europe. Occasional Papers in Archaeology 81, 2023
After its development in Uppsala in the early 1990’s, quartz fracture analysis has mainly been ap... more After its development in Uppsala in the early 1990’s, quartz fracture analysis has mainly been applied and discussed in terms of predictability, fragment selection and fragment use. However, the way the understanding of quartz fragmentation, and the classification of fragments into types, can be applied in other fields of lithic analysis, has rarely been discussed. Here, I present the results of two case studies in which the understanding of fragmentation patterns has been applied in lithic refitting and suggest some inferences of on-site activity that can be made using the analysis results.
Measurement systems are important drivers of cultural and technological evolution. However, the e... more Measurement systems are important drivers of cultural and technological evolution. However, the evolution of measurement is still insufficiently understood. Many early standardized measurement systems evolved from body-based units of measure, such as the cubit and fathom, but researchers have rarely studied how or why body-based measurement has been used. We document body-based units of measure in 186 cultures, illustrating how body-based measurement is an activity common to cultures around the world. We describe the cultural and technological domains these units are used in. We argue that body-based units have had, and may still have, advantages over standardized systems, such as in the design of ergonomic technologies. This helps explain the persistence of body-based measurement centuries after the first standardized measurement systems emerged.
Studies that employ probability distributions of radiocarbon dates to study past population size ... more Studies that employ probability distributions of radiocarbon dates to study past population size often use exponential increase in radiocarbon dates with time as a standard of comparison for detecting population fluctuations. We show that in the case of early postglacial interior Scandinavia, however, the summed probability distribution of radiocarbon dates has best fit with a S-shaped logistic growth curve. Despite the logistic growth model having solid grounding in ecological theory, we further argue that what our data indicate is not logistic growth in the population ecological sense but "false logistic" growth that mainly follows from climatic and environmental forcing. In the initial postglacial phase, 9500-7500 BCE, human settlement was located almost exclusively along the Scandinavian Atlantic coast and the use of the mountainous interior remained low. Thereafter the formation of separate inland adaptations resulted in population growth in tandem with increasing climatic warming and environmental productivity. Some millennia later, when environmental productivity started to decrease after the Holocene Thermal Maximum, hunter-gatherer population size in interior Scandinavia reached a plateau that lasted at least 2000 years. Lowering productivity prevented any population growth that would be detectable in the available archaeological record.
HISTORY OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY IN CHARTERSTUDY AREA, 2022
The wood- and peatland dominated Finnish Lapland is part of the northern boreal vegetation zone, ... more The wood- and peatland dominated Finnish Lapland is part of the northern boreal vegetation zone, except for patches of alpine tundra in the altitudinally highest lying areas close to the Norwegian and Swedish borders in the north, and the south-western corner of the area that belongs to the middle boreal vegetation zone (Elmhagen et al. 2015: Fig. 4). The Finnish Reindeer husbandry area covers the Lapland region and parts of the Kainuu and Pohjois-Pohjanmaa regions, that is, roughly 40% of Finland. Subsistence activities in this area during the 18th to 20th centuries consisted of hunting, gathering, fishing, animal husbandry (reindeer, cattle, goat, sheep) (Itkonen 1948) and small-scale cultivation (especially in the south) (Massa 1983). In the northern part of the area, a wider range of food sources seems to have provided a better buffer against bad years caused by annual climatic variation, compared to the southern agricultural areas (Helle & Helama 2007).
This article reviews how simple heuristics-'rules of thumb'-have guided human adaptation and the ... more This article reviews how simple heuristics-'rules of thumb'-have guided human adaptation and the evolution of complex cultures. First, we argue that rules of thumb have been important catalysts for the evolution of human knowledge systems in the Holocene past. Through a variety of examples and case studies, we discuss how human cultures have used simple heuristics in domains as diverse as foraging, agriculture, social learning, moral and legal judgement and technological development. We emphasise how rules of thumb are convenient units for cultural transmission, and how they can facilitate efficient decision making by making use of recurrent environmental features. Second, we caution that as Anthropocene environments rapidly change, many traditional heuristic problem-solving strategies will face challenges due to cultural evolutionary mismatch. Old rules may not function in new environments, creating potential challenges for traditional (ecological) knowledge.
Population genetic studies often overlook the evidence for variability and change in past materia... more Population genetic studies often overlook the evidence for variability and change in past material culture. Here, the authors use a Mesolithic example to demonstrate the importance of integrating archaeological evidence into the interpretation of the Scandinavian hunter-gatherer genetic group. Genetic studies conclude that this group resulted from two single-event dispersals into Scandinavia before 7500 BC. Archaeological evidence, however, shows at least six immigration events pre-dating the earliest DNA, and that the first incoming groups arrived in Scandinavia before 9000 BC. The findings underline the importance of conducting careful archaeological analysis of prehistoric human dispersal in tandem with the study of ancient population genomics.
In this contribution, we focus on the Lake Sarvinki area in eastern Finland and its position in t... more In this contribution, we focus on the Lake Sarvinki area in eastern Finland and its position in the postglacial colonisation of Fennoscandia. Two sites (Rahakangas 1 and Jokivarsi 1) with radiocarbon dates reaching as far as c. 11,100–10,600 cal BP, contemporary to the late part of Yoldia Sea phase in the Baltic Sea basin, have been studied on a former lake shore. The excavations at Rahakangas 1 in 2009–10 concentrated in and around a house-pit. The main finds consist of a red ochre grave, burnt bones and chipped lithics. Radiocarbon determinations show three periods of site use, one in the Early Mesolithic, one in the Late Mesolithic and one in the Early Metal Period. The refuse fauna from Rahakangas 1 indicates a versatile use of animal resources. The collection of chipped lithics shows a similar pattern, and includes some exotic flints together with local quartz, quartzite and slate. Preserved tooth enamel of a child or a juvenile was found in the grave. Charcoal from the sand fi...
Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland 10, 2022
In this paper we describe the results of small-scale archaeological fieldwork projects carried ou... more In this paper we describe the results of small-scale archaeological fieldwork projects carried out in North Karelia, Finland, in 2003-2014, which ended up having a far greater research impact than anyone could have anticipated. The projects yielded a multitude of new and relevant information, especially on the Early Mesolithic, including the earliest radiocarbon dates for human occupation in Eastern Fennoscandia. Results of this research have been published in a variety of venues. We use this opportunity to present the first summary of these results and to emphasize that even with discontinuous short-term funding it is possible to carry out ambitious and influential research. Over the years, Karelia has been one of the main focus areas of Mika Lavento's research. We want to honour Mika's 60th birthday by providing an overview of the results of our studies conducted in the northern parts of this large geographical and administrative area.
Historical records are incomplete templates for preparing for an uncertain future. The global uti... more Historical records are incomplete templates for preparing for an uncertain future. The global utility of past ecological knowledge for present/future purposes is questioned as we move from Holocene to Anthropocene. To increase the adaptive capacity of today's societies, generalizable strategies must be identified for coping with uncertainty over a wide range of conditions and contingencies. We identify two key principles that increase adaptive capacities: diversification and precautionary heuristics. These sharply contrast with the present global state represented by the global production ecosystem characterized by: (1) homogenization and simplification of cultural practices and resource bases; (2) increased global connectivity and forced dissolution of cultural borders; and (3) centralization and intensification of modes of resource production and extraction. We highlight that responses of smaller-scale societies to risks and uncertainties are in many cases emulated by professionals in the high reliability management in today's critical infrastructures. This provides a modern template for managing unpredictability in the Anthropocene.
Slotted bone tools are an iconic example of composite tool technology in which change in one of t... more Slotted bone tools are an iconic example of composite tool technology in which change in one of the components does not require changing the design of the other parts. Commonly, slotted bone tools are seen through the lens of lithic technology, highlighting organizational aspects related to serial production of insets, reliability and maintainability. In this framework, slotted bone tool technology is associated with risk aversion in demanding environmental settings. Here, we provide the first overview of radiocarbon-dated slotted bone tools in northernmost Europe and the East European Plain, including 17 new direct dates on pitch glue, and show that the Late Pleistocene to Middle Holocene period of inset slotted bone tool use in this area shows marked variation and idiosyncrasy in associated lithic technology against a trend of continuously warming climate. We suggest that historical specificity and path-dependence, rather than convergent evolution, best explain the variability seen in slotted bone tool technology in the studied case, and that slotted bone tools in general formed an organizationally flexible, adaptable and hence likely adaptive technological solution that met a wide variety of cultural and technological demands.
Population genetic studies often overlook the evidence
for variability and change in past materia... more Population genetic studies often overlook the evidence for variability and change in past material culture. Here, the authors use a Mesolithic example to demonstrate the importance of integrating archaeological evidence into the interpretation of the Scandinavian hunter-gatherer genetic group. Genetic studies conclude that this group resulted from two singleevent dispersals into Scandinavia before 7500 BC. Archaeological evidence, however, shows at least six immigration events pre-dating the earliest DNA, and that the first incoming groups arrived in Scandinavia before 9000 BC. The findings underline the importance of conducting careful archaeological analysis of prehistoric human dispersal in tandem with the study of ancient population genomics.
The article describes the results of the interdisciplinary studies of a unique bone slotted point... more The article describes the results of the interdisciplinary studies of a unique bone slotted point from Tłokowo, north-eastern Poland. The artefact was discovered in 1989, and indirect dating suggested an Early Mesolithic date. In this article we present the results of direct radiocarbon dating of the point, which shows that it is almost 2000 years younger than previously suggested. In addition, physical-chemical studies of the adhesive used to mount the flint inserts inside the point were conducted. The results of gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT-IR) analysis indicate that the adhesive is birch tar. Finally, the article presents the results of detailed traceological studies that allow interpretation of the technology of production and possible function of the point. For the analysis, as well as various types of microscopes, optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used. In the discussion the results of all the analyses are considered alongside our current knowledge of this type of Mesolithic points in Europe
Human demography research in grounded on the information derived from ancient DNA and archaeology... more Human demography research in grounded on the information derived from ancient DNA and archaeology. For example, the study on the early postglacial dual-route colonisation of the Scandinavian Peninsula is largely based on associating genomic data with the early dispersal of lithic technology from the East European Plain. However, a clear connection between material culture and genetics has been lacking. Here, we demonstrate that direct connection by analysing human DNA from chewed birch bark pitch mastics. These samples were discovered at Huseby Klev in western Sweden, a Mesolithic site with eastern lithic technology. We generated genome-wide data for three individuals, and show their affinity to the Scan-dinavian hunter-gatherers. Our samples date to 9880-9540 calBP, expanding the temporal range and distribution of the early Scandinavian genetic group. We propose that DNA from ancient mastics can be used to study environment and ecology of prehistoric populations.
All too often archaeological objects are found as stray finds. As such, they have little or no co... more All too often archaeological objects are found as stray finds. As such, they have little or no contextual information, which often makes them difficult to handle analytically and in terms of their exhibition appeal. As a consequence, they often languish un-researched in museum storerooms and there is the critical risk that such objects fall victim to the ongoing curation crisis and are deaccessioned due to a perceived lack of value. Therefore, in this paper we aim to illustrate the applicability of an extended biographical approach to such legacy material by studying the changing character of the Ulbi dagger, an Early Mesolithic flint-edged bone dagger, in its both archaeological and modern contexts. By using both a combination of traditional archaeological methods, coupled with a critical analysis of past illustrations, the dagger went from an isolated, undated, and unique object to a tool with a complex life history extending more than 9000 years. Our analysis reveals multiple stages of manufacturing and ornamentation including the presence of possible anthropomorphic figures. Use-wear analysis also allows us to address the object's likely primary function. Finally, we speculate about its deposition and discuss previously overlooked post-recovery episodes of damage and repair.
Helsinki Harvest: Proceedings of the 11th Nordic Conference on the Application of Scientific Methods in Archaeology. Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland, 2019
A two-way colonization pattern has been observed for most terrestrial pioneer and boreal forest s... more A two-way colonization pattern has been observed for most terrestrial pioneer and boreal forest species in Norway after the last glacial period: One route from the south, and another from the east through northernmost Fennoscandia. It is generally accepted that these routes represent plant and animal populations spreading from separate glacial refugia, a pattern manifested by genetic differences. The traditional model of pioneer colonization of the Scandinavian peninsula, however, suggests only a southern route for the early human dispersal and only recently has this view started to change. Here we present the foundations for the Pioneers of North-Western Europe project (Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, Norway) that aims at clarifying the colonization patterns of the early post- glacial humans in north-western Europe by challenging and testing the views of unidirectional human dispersal. This is achieved by tracing the spread of distinct knowledge-intensive operational chains of stone tool technology and by comparing the results with independent ancient human DNA data.
Technology of Early Settlement in Northern Europe, Vol. 2. Transmission of Knowledge and Culture
The post-glacial environmental development and initial human colonization of eastern Fennoscandia... more The post-glacial environmental development and initial human colonization of eastern Fennoscandia provides exceptional possibilities to study how and why technological adaptations developed in a low population density pioneering situation as a response to radical changes in the environment. This entails research on the dynamic relationships between the developing environment, technology, demography, and contact networks. The present paper discusses the data presently available from the area of present-day Finland for studies concentrating on these questions and reviews recent research in this field with a focus on work conducted using material deriving from the southern and eastern parts of the country.
In eastern Fennoscandia numerous biological and physical proxy records provide ample evidence of ... more In eastern Fennoscandia numerous biological and physical proxy records provide ample evidence of Holocene climate-environment dynamics. The region therefore has great promise for studies concentrating on the impacts of past climate change on human populations in the early Holocene, that is, in the period that saw the beginning of postglacial human dispersal into the area.
Here we provide a brief overview of the high and low frequency climate changes indicated by different proxy records in Finland and nearby areas in eastern Fennoscandia, and discuss the archaeological evidence for human responses to abrupt climate-related environmental change and low-frequency climate trends. The clearest archaeologically visible event-like responses seem to derive from ecotonal regions, i.e., the forest–tundra or coastal regions and suggest a correlation between ecological “hinge-regions” and the archaeologically clearest signs of hunter-gatherer responses to climate stress. However, the evidence of the abrupt climate events is often ambiguous and their influence on early Holocene human populations remains equivocal.
Experimental studies suggest that the high fragmentation tendency of vein quartz can be controlle... more Experimental studies suggest that the high fragmentation tendency of vein quartz can be controlled to some degree by favorable technological choices, i.e., by producing thicker artifacts and by using bipolar-on-anvil reduction. In this paper, I explore the question of whether strategies that reduce quartz fragmentation were used in prehistory and present data that suggest that this was often the case. It has been suggested that due to its fragmentation proneness vein quartz should have been avoided by highly mobile groups when raw materials of better flakeability and controllability were available because of higher transportation costs and greater risk of raw material failure when using quartz. The data presented here shows that quartz nevertheless was not always avoided by highly mobile groups but that the inclusion of quartz into the raw material base necessitated the acceptance of thicker tools when using relatively large flake blanks, or the use of technological strategies that compensated for the risk of failure when relatively thin quartz flakes were in use. DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2015.12.096
Kırdök, E., Kashuba, N., Damlien, H., Manninen, M.A., Nordqvist, B., Kjellström, A., Jakobsson, M... more Kırdök, E., Kashuba, N., Damlien, H., Manninen, M.A., Nordqvist, B., Kjellström, A., Jakobsson, M., Lindberg, A.M., Story, J., Person, P., Andersson, B., Aravena, A., Götherström, A., 2024. Metagenomic analysis of Mesolithic chewed pitch reveals poor oral health among stone age individuals. Scientific Reports 14, 22125. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48762-6
Prehistoric chewed pitch has proven to be a useful source of ancient DNA, both from humans and their microbiomes. Here we present the metagenomic analysis of three pieces of chewed pitch from Huseby Klev, Sweden, that were dated to 9,890-9,540 before present. The metagenomic profile exposes a Mesolithic oral microbiome that includes opportunistic oral pathogens. We compared the data with healthy and dysbiotic microbiome datasets and we identified increased abundance of periodontitisassociated microbes. In addition, trained machine learning models predicted dysbiosis with 70-80% probability. Moreover, we identified DNA sequences from eukaryotic species such as red fox, hazelnut, red deer and apple. Our results indicate a case of poor oral health during the Scandinavian Mesolithic, and show that pitch pieces have the potential to provide information on material use, diet and oral health.
Stones. Current Stone Age research in northern Europe. Occasional Papers in Archaeology 81, 2023
After its development in Uppsala in the early 1990’s, quartz fracture analysis has mainly been ap... more After its development in Uppsala in the early 1990’s, quartz fracture analysis has mainly been applied and discussed in terms of predictability, fragment selection and fragment use. However, the way the understanding of quartz fragmentation, and the classification of fragments into types, can be applied in other fields of lithic analysis, has rarely been discussed. Here, I present the results of two case studies in which the understanding of fragmentation patterns has been applied in lithic refitting and suggest some inferences of on-site activity that can be made using the analysis results.
Measurement systems are important drivers of cultural and technological evolution. However, the e... more Measurement systems are important drivers of cultural and technological evolution. However, the evolution of measurement is still insufficiently understood. Many early standardized measurement systems evolved from body-based units of measure, such as the cubit and fathom, but researchers have rarely studied how or why body-based measurement has been used. We document body-based units of measure in 186 cultures, illustrating how body-based measurement is an activity common to cultures around the world. We describe the cultural and technological domains these units are used in. We argue that body-based units have had, and may still have, advantages over standardized systems, such as in the design of ergonomic technologies. This helps explain the persistence of body-based measurement centuries after the first standardized measurement systems emerged.
Studies that employ probability distributions of radiocarbon dates to study past population size ... more Studies that employ probability distributions of radiocarbon dates to study past population size often use exponential increase in radiocarbon dates with time as a standard of comparison for detecting population fluctuations. We show that in the case of early postglacial interior Scandinavia, however, the summed probability distribution of radiocarbon dates has best fit with a S-shaped logistic growth curve. Despite the logistic growth model having solid grounding in ecological theory, we further argue that what our data indicate is not logistic growth in the population ecological sense but "false logistic" growth that mainly follows from climatic and environmental forcing. In the initial postglacial phase, 9500-7500 BCE, human settlement was located almost exclusively along the Scandinavian Atlantic coast and the use of the mountainous interior remained low. Thereafter the formation of separate inland adaptations resulted in population growth in tandem with increasing climatic warming and environmental productivity. Some millennia later, when environmental productivity started to decrease after the Holocene Thermal Maximum, hunter-gatherer population size in interior Scandinavia reached a plateau that lasted at least 2000 years. Lowering productivity prevented any population growth that would be detectable in the available archaeological record.
HISTORY OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY IN CHARTERSTUDY AREA, 2022
The wood- and peatland dominated Finnish Lapland is part of the northern boreal vegetation zone, ... more The wood- and peatland dominated Finnish Lapland is part of the northern boreal vegetation zone, except for patches of alpine tundra in the altitudinally highest lying areas close to the Norwegian and Swedish borders in the north, and the south-western corner of the area that belongs to the middle boreal vegetation zone (Elmhagen et al. 2015: Fig. 4). The Finnish Reindeer husbandry area covers the Lapland region and parts of the Kainuu and Pohjois-Pohjanmaa regions, that is, roughly 40% of Finland. Subsistence activities in this area during the 18th to 20th centuries consisted of hunting, gathering, fishing, animal husbandry (reindeer, cattle, goat, sheep) (Itkonen 1948) and small-scale cultivation (especially in the south) (Massa 1983). In the northern part of the area, a wider range of food sources seems to have provided a better buffer against bad years caused by annual climatic variation, compared to the southern agricultural areas (Helle & Helama 2007).
This article reviews how simple heuristics-'rules of thumb'-have guided human adaptation and the ... more This article reviews how simple heuristics-'rules of thumb'-have guided human adaptation and the evolution of complex cultures. First, we argue that rules of thumb have been important catalysts for the evolution of human knowledge systems in the Holocene past. Through a variety of examples and case studies, we discuss how human cultures have used simple heuristics in domains as diverse as foraging, agriculture, social learning, moral and legal judgement and technological development. We emphasise how rules of thumb are convenient units for cultural transmission, and how they can facilitate efficient decision making by making use of recurrent environmental features. Second, we caution that as Anthropocene environments rapidly change, many traditional heuristic problem-solving strategies will face challenges due to cultural evolutionary mismatch. Old rules may not function in new environments, creating potential challenges for traditional (ecological) knowledge.
Population genetic studies often overlook the evidence for variability and change in past materia... more Population genetic studies often overlook the evidence for variability and change in past material culture. Here, the authors use a Mesolithic example to demonstrate the importance of integrating archaeological evidence into the interpretation of the Scandinavian hunter-gatherer genetic group. Genetic studies conclude that this group resulted from two single-event dispersals into Scandinavia before 7500 BC. Archaeological evidence, however, shows at least six immigration events pre-dating the earliest DNA, and that the first incoming groups arrived in Scandinavia before 9000 BC. The findings underline the importance of conducting careful archaeological analysis of prehistoric human dispersal in tandem with the study of ancient population genomics.
In this contribution, we focus on the Lake Sarvinki area in eastern Finland and its position in t... more In this contribution, we focus on the Lake Sarvinki area in eastern Finland and its position in the postglacial colonisation of Fennoscandia. Two sites (Rahakangas 1 and Jokivarsi 1) with radiocarbon dates reaching as far as c. 11,100–10,600 cal BP, contemporary to the late part of Yoldia Sea phase in the Baltic Sea basin, have been studied on a former lake shore. The excavations at Rahakangas 1 in 2009–10 concentrated in and around a house-pit. The main finds consist of a red ochre grave, burnt bones and chipped lithics. Radiocarbon determinations show three periods of site use, one in the Early Mesolithic, one in the Late Mesolithic and one in the Early Metal Period. The refuse fauna from Rahakangas 1 indicates a versatile use of animal resources. The collection of chipped lithics shows a similar pattern, and includes some exotic flints together with local quartz, quartzite and slate. Preserved tooth enamel of a child or a juvenile was found in the grave. Charcoal from the sand fi...
Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland 10, 2022
In this paper we describe the results of small-scale archaeological fieldwork projects carried ou... more In this paper we describe the results of small-scale archaeological fieldwork projects carried out in North Karelia, Finland, in 2003-2014, which ended up having a far greater research impact than anyone could have anticipated. The projects yielded a multitude of new and relevant information, especially on the Early Mesolithic, including the earliest radiocarbon dates for human occupation in Eastern Fennoscandia. Results of this research have been published in a variety of venues. We use this opportunity to present the first summary of these results and to emphasize that even with discontinuous short-term funding it is possible to carry out ambitious and influential research. Over the years, Karelia has been one of the main focus areas of Mika Lavento's research. We want to honour Mika's 60th birthday by providing an overview of the results of our studies conducted in the northern parts of this large geographical and administrative area.
Historical records are incomplete templates for preparing for an uncertain future. The global uti... more Historical records are incomplete templates for preparing for an uncertain future. The global utility of past ecological knowledge for present/future purposes is questioned as we move from Holocene to Anthropocene. To increase the adaptive capacity of today's societies, generalizable strategies must be identified for coping with uncertainty over a wide range of conditions and contingencies. We identify two key principles that increase adaptive capacities: diversification and precautionary heuristics. These sharply contrast with the present global state represented by the global production ecosystem characterized by: (1) homogenization and simplification of cultural practices and resource bases; (2) increased global connectivity and forced dissolution of cultural borders; and (3) centralization and intensification of modes of resource production and extraction. We highlight that responses of smaller-scale societies to risks and uncertainties are in many cases emulated by professionals in the high reliability management in today's critical infrastructures. This provides a modern template for managing unpredictability in the Anthropocene.
Slotted bone tools are an iconic example of composite tool technology in which change in one of t... more Slotted bone tools are an iconic example of composite tool technology in which change in one of the components does not require changing the design of the other parts. Commonly, slotted bone tools are seen through the lens of lithic technology, highlighting organizational aspects related to serial production of insets, reliability and maintainability. In this framework, slotted bone tool technology is associated with risk aversion in demanding environmental settings. Here, we provide the first overview of radiocarbon-dated slotted bone tools in northernmost Europe and the East European Plain, including 17 new direct dates on pitch glue, and show that the Late Pleistocene to Middle Holocene period of inset slotted bone tool use in this area shows marked variation and idiosyncrasy in associated lithic technology against a trend of continuously warming climate. We suggest that historical specificity and path-dependence, rather than convergent evolution, best explain the variability seen in slotted bone tool technology in the studied case, and that slotted bone tools in general formed an organizationally flexible, adaptable and hence likely adaptive technological solution that met a wide variety of cultural and technological demands.
Population genetic studies often overlook the evidence
for variability and change in past materia... more Population genetic studies often overlook the evidence for variability and change in past material culture. Here, the authors use a Mesolithic example to demonstrate the importance of integrating archaeological evidence into the interpretation of the Scandinavian hunter-gatherer genetic group. Genetic studies conclude that this group resulted from two singleevent dispersals into Scandinavia before 7500 BC. Archaeological evidence, however, shows at least six immigration events pre-dating the earliest DNA, and that the first incoming groups arrived in Scandinavia before 9000 BC. The findings underline the importance of conducting careful archaeological analysis of prehistoric human dispersal in tandem with the study of ancient population genomics.
The article describes the results of the interdisciplinary studies of a unique bone slotted point... more The article describes the results of the interdisciplinary studies of a unique bone slotted point from Tłokowo, north-eastern Poland. The artefact was discovered in 1989, and indirect dating suggested an Early Mesolithic date. In this article we present the results of direct radiocarbon dating of the point, which shows that it is almost 2000 years younger than previously suggested. In addition, physical-chemical studies of the adhesive used to mount the flint inserts inside the point were conducted. The results of gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT-IR) analysis indicate that the adhesive is birch tar. Finally, the article presents the results of detailed traceological studies that allow interpretation of the technology of production and possible function of the point. For the analysis, as well as various types of microscopes, optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used. In the discussion the results of all the analyses are considered alongside our current knowledge of this type of Mesolithic points in Europe
Human demography research in grounded on the information derived from ancient DNA and archaeology... more Human demography research in grounded on the information derived from ancient DNA and archaeology. For example, the study on the early postglacial dual-route colonisation of the Scandinavian Peninsula is largely based on associating genomic data with the early dispersal of lithic technology from the East European Plain. However, a clear connection between material culture and genetics has been lacking. Here, we demonstrate that direct connection by analysing human DNA from chewed birch bark pitch mastics. These samples were discovered at Huseby Klev in western Sweden, a Mesolithic site with eastern lithic technology. We generated genome-wide data for three individuals, and show their affinity to the Scan-dinavian hunter-gatherers. Our samples date to 9880-9540 calBP, expanding the temporal range and distribution of the early Scandinavian genetic group. We propose that DNA from ancient mastics can be used to study environment and ecology of prehistoric populations.
All too often archaeological objects are found as stray finds. As such, they have little or no co... more All too often archaeological objects are found as stray finds. As such, they have little or no contextual information, which often makes them difficult to handle analytically and in terms of their exhibition appeal. As a consequence, they often languish un-researched in museum storerooms and there is the critical risk that such objects fall victim to the ongoing curation crisis and are deaccessioned due to a perceived lack of value. Therefore, in this paper we aim to illustrate the applicability of an extended biographical approach to such legacy material by studying the changing character of the Ulbi dagger, an Early Mesolithic flint-edged bone dagger, in its both archaeological and modern contexts. By using both a combination of traditional archaeological methods, coupled with a critical analysis of past illustrations, the dagger went from an isolated, undated, and unique object to a tool with a complex life history extending more than 9000 years. Our analysis reveals multiple stages of manufacturing and ornamentation including the presence of possible anthropomorphic figures. Use-wear analysis also allows us to address the object's likely primary function. Finally, we speculate about its deposition and discuss previously overlooked post-recovery episodes of damage and repair.
Helsinki Harvest: Proceedings of the 11th Nordic Conference on the Application of Scientific Methods in Archaeology. Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland, 2019
A two-way colonization pattern has been observed for most terrestrial pioneer and boreal forest s... more A two-way colonization pattern has been observed for most terrestrial pioneer and boreal forest species in Norway after the last glacial period: One route from the south, and another from the east through northernmost Fennoscandia. It is generally accepted that these routes represent plant and animal populations spreading from separate glacial refugia, a pattern manifested by genetic differences. The traditional model of pioneer colonization of the Scandinavian peninsula, however, suggests only a southern route for the early human dispersal and only recently has this view started to change. Here we present the foundations for the Pioneers of North-Western Europe project (Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, Norway) that aims at clarifying the colonization patterns of the early post- glacial humans in north-western Europe by challenging and testing the views of unidirectional human dispersal. This is achieved by tracing the spread of distinct knowledge-intensive operational chains of stone tool technology and by comparing the results with independent ancient human DNA data.
Technology of Early Settlement in Northern Europe, Vol. 2. Transmission of Knowledge and Culture
The post-glacial environmental development and initial human colonization of eastern Fennoscandia... more The post-glacial environmental development and initial human colonization of eastern Fennoscandia provides exceptional possibilities to study how and why technological adaptations developed in a low population density pioneering situation as a response to radical changes in the environment. This entails research on the dynamic relationships between the developing environment, technology, demography, and contact networks. The present paper discusses the data presently available from the area of present-day Finland for studies concentrating on these questions and reviews recent research in this field with a focus on work conducted using material deriving from the southern and eastern parts of the country.
In eastern Fennoscandia numerous biological and physical proxy records provide ample evidence of ... more In eastern Fennoscandia numerous biological and physical proxy records provide ample evidence of Holocene climate-environment dynamics. The region therefore has great promise for studies concentrating on the impacts of past climate change on human populations in the early Holocene, that is, in the period that saw the beginning of postglacial human dispersal into the area.
Here we provide a brief overview of the high and low frequency climate changes indicated by different proxy records in Finland and nearby areas in eastern Fennoscandia, and discuss the archaeological evidence for human responses to abrupt climate-related environmental change and low-frequency climate trends. The clearest archaeologically visible event-like responses seem to derive from ecotonal regions, i.e., the forest–tundra or coastal regions and suggest a correlation between ecological “hinge-regions” and the archaeologically clearest signs of hunter-gatherer responses to climate stress. However, the evidence of the abrupt climate events is often ambiguous and their influence on early Holocene human populations remains equivocal.
Experimental studies suggest that the high fragmentation tendency of vein quartz can be controlle... more Experimental studies suggest that the high fragmentation tendency of vein quartz can be controlled to some degree by favorable technological choices, i.e., by producing thicker artifacts and by using bipolar-on-anvil reduction. In this paper, I explore the question of whether strategies that reduce quartz fragmentation were used in prehistory and present data that suggest that this was often the case. It has been suggested that due to its fragmentation proneness vein quartz should have been avoided by highly mobile groups when raw materials of better flakeability and controllability were available because of higher transportation costs and greater risk of raw material failure when using quartz. The data presented here shows that quartz nevertheless was not always avoided by highly mobile groups but that the inclusion of quartz into the raw material base necessitated the acceptance of thicker tools when using relatively large flake blanks, or the use of technological strategies that compensated for the risk of failure when relatively thin quartz flakes were in use. DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2015.12.096
Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland, MASF 7, 2019
Articles
1. The hidden sources. Combining aDNA, stone tools, and computer
modeling in the study ... more Articles
1. The hidden sources. Combining aDNA, stone tools, and computer modeling in the study of human colonization of Norway Per Persson, Mikael A. Manninen & Eva Daskalaki
2. Lipid residues in early hunter-gatherer ceramics from Finland Vasiliki Papakosta & Petro Pesonen
3. Changing perspectives. Thin section and ICP analysis of Neolithic pottery from the Åland Islands Torbjörn Brorsson, Jenni Lucenius & Niklas Stenbäck
4 The reconstruction of functional zones at Neolithic to Early Iron Age sites in the Neva river basin (Russia) by means of geochemical markers Marianna A. Kulkova, Tatiana M. Gusentsova, L. Nesterova & Evgeny M. Nesterov
5 The Studies of Archaeological Bird Remains from Medieval Staraya Ladoga. New Results and Interpretations Dilyara Shaymuratova (Galimova), Igor Askeyev & Oleg Askeyev
6 Geoarchaeology, bedrock surveys, and geochemical analysis. Tracing the provenance of medieval building stones Jussi Kinnunen & Liisa Seppänen
7 Animal bones from medieval and early modern Saami settlements in Finnish Lapland Eeva-Kristiina Harlin, Kristiina Mannermaa & Pirkko Ukkonen
8 Globalization and tradition in Forest Sámi commemoration rituals. Textiles and animal skins in the 17th-century burial ground in Mukkala, eastern Lapland, Finland Tuija Kirkinen, Aki Arponen & Ina Vanden Berghe
The main thesis incorporates the following embedded articles:
Paper I. Manninen, M. A. & K... more The main thesis incorporates the following embedded articles:
Paper I. Manninen, M. A. & Knutsson, K. 2011. Northern Inland Oblique Point Sites – a New Look into the Late Mesolithic Oblique Point Tradition in Eastern Fennoscandia. In: T. Rankama (Ed.), Mesolithic Interfaces – Variability in Lithic Technologies in Eastern Fennoscandia. Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland 1, 143–175.
Paper II. Manninen, M. A. 2009. Evidence of mobility between the coast and the inland region in the Mesolithic of Northern Fennoscandia. In: S. B. McCartan, R. Schulting, G. Warren, P. Woodman (Eds.), Mesolithic Horizons, Vol. I. Oxbow books, Oxford, pp. 102–108. Embedded with permission from Oxbow books.
Paper III. Tallavaara, M., Manninen, M. A., Hertell, E. & Rankama, T. 2010. How flakes shatter: a critical evaluation of quartz fracture analysis. Journal of Archaeological Science 37, 2442–2448. Embedded with permission from Elsevier.
Paper IV. Manninen, M. A. & Tallavaara, M. 2011. Descent History of Mesolithic Oblique Points in Eastern Fennoscandia – a Technological Comparison Between Two Artefact Populations. In: T. Rankama (Ed.), Mesolithic Interfaces – Variability in Lithic Technologies in Eastern Fennoscandia. Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland 1, 177–211.
Paper V. Manninen, M. A. & Knutsson, K. 2014. Lithic raw material diversification as an adaptive strategy–Technology, mobility, and site structure in Late Mesolithic northernmost Europe. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 33, 84–98. Embedded with permission from Elsevier.
"This dissertation focuses on Late Mesolithic (ca. 8450 6850 cal BP) lithic technological changes in the northernmost parts of Finland, Norway, and Sweden and on the relationship between these changes and the 8.2 ka climate event that was caused by a disruption in the North Atlantic Thermohaline circulation. The study uses a framework derived from Darwinian evolutionary theory and acknowledges the effects of both environmental constraints and socially transmitted information, i.e., culture, in the way lithic technology was organised in the studied region. The study discusses whether climatic cooling and its effects on the biotic environment could explain the way lithic technology and settlement patterns were reorganised during the Late Mesolithic.
The dissertation takes an organisational approach to the study of past cultural change and seeks to understand changes in prehistoric material culture by studying lithic technology and settlement configuration using lithic technological, statistical, and spatial analyses. The results suggest that Late Mesolithic coastal communities were affected by a marked decrease in marine productivity that resulted from the cooling caused by the 8.2 ka event and a subsequent cold episode at ca. 7700 cal BP. It is concluded that the technological changes that occurred during the marine cooling were a result of developments that led to increased use of terrestrial resources and an accompanying long-distance coast/inland residential mobility pattern.
The study contributes to a wider field of research into past climate change as a factor in prehistoric ecological, cultural, and behavioural change and provides reference material for studies on the impacts of future climate change on human communities. The results suggest that in northernmost Fennoscandia, the marine ecosystem is particularly sensitive to disturbances in the North Atlantic oceanographic system. In addition, the study provides new knowledge concerning the relationships between raw material availability, lithic technology, and culture. This new knowledge is widely applicable in research on the way lithic technology was organised in relation to other behavioural and organisational dimensions in past human adaptations."
After the introduction of radiocarbon dating methodology for cremated bones (Lanting et al 2001),... more After the introduction of radiocarbon dating methodology for cremated bones (Lanting et al 2001), the process was also soon brought into use in the University of Helsinki, Finland (Jungner 2003). The acidic soil tends to effectively destroy ordinary bone material in eastern Fennoscandia. Therefore, the dating of cremated/burnt bone has been considered one of the most important means to open up the time window for the earliest human presence in the region (Tallavaara et al. 2012). Indeed, cremated/burntbone and charcoal are practically the only sample materials that allow constructing chronologies for the period pre-dating the appearance of pottery at around 5100 cal BC (Pesonen et al 2012). Altogether, 231 cremated/burnt bone dates have been obtained from eastern Fennoscandian contexts (GrA: 4, Hela: 185, Ua: 42).
Since the paper of Lanting et al (2001), the method has been successfully used in a large variety of contexts, although some concerns of the effects of burning atmosphere – particularly the used fuel – have been presented (e.g. Hüls et al 2010, Van Strydonck et al 2010, Olsen et al 2013). Our collaboration was set up in autumn 2012 to assess the quality of the cremated/burnt bone dates in the region and to develop improved quality control for the dating process. This contribution presents the status of the effort taken so far. Particularly, we compare the results of cremated/burnt bone and other sample materials from the dated contexts within eastern Fennoscandia to evaluate the success of the methodology. In addition, we take a glance to the stable carbon isotopic values obtained within the dating process to understand the origin of dated carbon and the process leading to it. Eventually, we will present the way forward, including the improved quality control processes.
References: - Hüls C M, Nadeau M J, Grootes P M, Erlenkeuser H, Andersen N 2010.Experimental study on the origin of cremated bone apatite carbon. Radiocarbon 52: pp. 587-599. - Jungner H 2003. Uusia ajoituksia vanhoista luista. Suomen arkeologinen seura ry. Arkeologipäivät 2003. - Lanting J N, Aerts-Bijma A T, van der Plicht J 2001. Dating of cremated bones. Radiocarbon 43: pp. 249-254. - Olsen J, Heinemeier J, Hornstrup K M, Bennike P, Thrane H 2013. ‘Old wood’ effect in radiocarbon dating of prehistoric cremated bones? Journal of Archaeological Science 40: pp. 30-34 - Pesonen P, Oinonen M, Carpelan C, Onkamo P 2012. Pesonen P, Early Subneolithic ceramic sequences in Eastern Fennoscandia - a Bayesian approach. Radiocarbon, in press. - Tallavaara M, Manninen M A, Pesonen P & Hertell E 2012. Radiocarbon dates and postglacial colonisation dynamics in eastern Fennoscandia. British Archaeological Reports, in press. - Van Strydonck M, Boudin M, de Mulder G 2010. The carbon origin of structural carbonate in bone apatite of cremated bones. Radiocarbon 52: pp. 578-586.
Helsingin kaupunkipuroista on yleensä varsin niukasti historiatietoja saatavissa. Purot eivät pää... more Helsingin kaupunkipuroista on yleensä varsin niukasti historiatietoja saatavissa. Purot eivät pääsääntöisesti ole olleet taloudellisesti kovin merkittäviä tai suurten tapahtumien näyttämöinä, joten varsinkin niiden esi- ja varhaishistoria on lähes kokonaan painunut historian hämäriin. Longinoja, eli Långinpuro, Pekki, Bäck, Malmby bäck, Malmbäcken, Stickelbackabäcken (1), ei tee tässä poikkeusta. Joitakin tietoja tämänkin puron historiasta, ja puroon liittyvistä tapahtumista, on sentään löydettävissä.
Vantaanjoen koskista Vanhankaupunginkoski, eli historiallinen Helsingfors, omaa pisimmän kirjoite... more Vantaanjoen koskista Vanhankaupunginkoski, eli historiallinen Helsingfors, omaa pisimmän kirjoitetun historian. Jo ennen Helsingin kaupungin perustamista oli paikalla merkittävä lohenkalastamo, joka 1500-luvulla, kaupunkia perustettaessa, oli kruunun omistuksessa ja toimitti kalaa Tukholmaan hovin tarpeisiin. Myöhemmin, kaksi sataa vuotta sen jälkeen kun kaupunki oli jo muutettu alueelta reilun viiden kilometrin päähän nykyiselle paikalleen, päätettiin kaupungin kasvavan vesiongelman takia rakentaa Vantaanjoelle vesilaitos. Paikaksi valikoitui Vanhankaupunginkoski, jonka läntinen haara oli jo aiemmin 1800-luvulla suljettu poikkipadolla.
Vaikka paikka on historiallisesti merkittävä ja kosken patoaminen oli myöhäinen vaihe sen historiassa, on säilynyt verrattain vähän tietoa siitä miltä koski kokonaisuutena näytti ennen patoamista. Olkoonkin, ettei patoaminen liittynyt mitenkään paikan historiaan Helsingin kaupungin perustamispaikkana.
Kun puhutaan Vanhankaupunginkosken patoamisesta, mainitaan yleensä sen ensimmäisinä vaiheina viim... more Kun puhutaan Vanhankaupunginkosken patoamisesta, mainitaan yleensä sen ensimmäisinä vaiheina viimeistään 1300-luvulla alkanut Padisen luostarin kalastustoiminta sekä Helsingin kaupungin ensimmäinen 1500-luvulla rakennettu mylly. On kuitenkin eri asia puhua koskeen rakennetuista laitteista ja kosken patoamisesta niin, että pato rakennetaan joen poikki. Merkittävin ero on tietenkin se, että jälkimmäisessä tilanteessa kalan kulku kokonaan estyy.
Vanhankaupunginkosken padon rakensi Kontinental Vattenverks Aktiebolaget Neptun vuosina 1873–1874... more Vanhankaupunginkosken padon rakensi Kontinental Vattenverks Aktiebolaget Neptun vuosina 1873–1874 eli muutama vuosi ennen vesilaitoksen käyttöönottoa vuonna 1876. Pato on kosken kävijöille tuttu, mutta siitä on yleensä näkyvissä korkeintaan harja ja meren puoleinen kiviseinä. Usein nämäkin ovat vesipatjan peitossa. Helsingin kaupunginarkiston kätköistä löytyvät kuitenkin padon piirustukset, jotka paljastavat padon alkuperäisen rakenteen.
“Ensimäisinä ylioppilaswuosina oleskeli Alexis Stenwall wielä paljon kodossaan. Hän(en) sanotaan ... more “Ensimäisinä ylioppilaswuosina oleskeli Alexis Stenwall wielä paljon kodossaan. Hän(en) sanotaan tähän aikaan yhä enemmän yksinäisyyttä rakastaneen. Metsissä hän mielellään käyskeli Tapion wiljaa tawoittamassa, milloin tuliluikulla, milloin pauloilla ja satimilla. Lähellä kotokyläänsä on Wantaankoski. Sen partaalle hän teki lehtimajan, jossa hän istui mietiskellen ja kirjoitellen. Oli hän kernas kalan ja krawun pyyntöihin ja koskessa hän usein wäänteli kiwilohkareita, rakastaen tuota weden salamielistä kohinaa.”
Näin kertoi Aleksis Kiven (eli Stenvallin, s. 10. lokakuuta 1834 Nurmijärvi – k. 31. joulukuuta 1872 Tuusula) ystävä ja tukija Eliel Aspelin (myöh Aspelin-Haapkylä) esitelmässään Pohjalaisten vuosijuhlassa 9. marraskuuta 1872, vain reilu kuukausi ennen kirjailijan kuolemaa. On kuitenkin yleisesti tiedossa, että Aleksis Kivi eli nuoruutensa Nurmijärven Palojoen kylässä eli ei lähelläkään nykyistä Vantaankoskea. Sekoittiko Aspelin paikkoja ja paikannimiä? Vai tarkoittiko hän jotakin muuta Vantaanjoen, eli Vantaan, koskea? Missä kalastelu ja kivien kääntely oikein tapahtui?
Erilaiset vesirakennus- ja vesistönmuokkaushankkeet alkoivat enenevissä määrin saada jalansijaa 1... more Erilaiset vesirakennus- ja vesistönmuokkaushankkeet alkoivat enenevissä määrin saada jalansijaa 1700-luvun Suomessa. Näihin kuuluivat niin järvenlaskut, koskien perkaukset kuin erilaiset kanavahankkeetkin.
Tällainen oli suunnitelma navigoitavasta vesireitistä Hämeenlinnasta Helsingin Vanhankaupunginlahteen, jonka ongelmia mm. Hans Henric John kuvaili vuonna 1789 ilmestyneessä väitöskirjassaan. Yläjuoksulla reitti Vanajavedestä Vantaanjokeen oli tarkoitus rakentaa joko Turkhaudan ja Riihimäen kautta tai vaihtoehtoisesti Loppijärven ja Kytäjärven kautta ohi Hyvinkään. Keskeiseksi ongelmaksi muodostuivat kuitenkin korkeuserot ja vedenjakaja, joiden halkominen onnistuessaan olisi vaatinut patoallasta ja jopa 48 sulkua.
Vantaanjoen Pikkukoski eli Lillfors esiintyy paikannimenä jo Samuel Brotheruksen laatimassa Oulun... more Vantaanjoen Pikkukoski eli Lillfors esiintyy paikannimenä jo Samuel Brotheruksen laatimassa Oulunkylän tiluskartassa vuodelta 1699. Nykyisin paikalta on kuitenkin vaikea koskea havaita. Mihin ja miksi se siis on aikojen saatossa kadonnut?
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Papers by Mikael A. Manninen
Prehistoric chewed pitch has proven to be a useful source of ancient DNA, both from humans and their microbiomes. Here we present the metagenomic analysis of three pieces of chewed pitch from Huseby Klev, Sweden, that were dated to 9,890-9,540 before present. The metagenomic profile exposes a Mesolithic oral microbiome that includes opportunistic oral pathogens. We compared the data with healthy and dysbiotic microbiome datasets and we identified increased abundance of periodontitisassociated microbes. In addition, trained machine learning models predicted dysbiosis with 70-80% probability. Moreover, we identified DNA sequences from eukaryotic species such as red fox, hazelnut, red deer and apple. Our results indicate a case of poor oral health during the Scandinavian Mesolithic, and show that pitch pieces have the potential to provide information on material use, diet and oral health.
Key words: vein quartz, refitting, fracture analysis, quartz fragments
for variability and change in past material culture.
Here, the authors use a Mesolithic example to
demonstrate the importance of integrating archaeological
evidence into the interpretation of the Scandinavian
hunter-gatherer genetic group. Genetic studies
conclude that this group resulted from two singleevent
dispersals into Scandinavia before 7500 BC.
Archaeological evidence, however, shows at least six
immigration events pre-dating the earliest DNA,
and that the first incoming groups arrived in Scandinavia
before 9000 BC. The findings underline the
importance of conducting careful archaeological analysis
of prehistoric human dispersal in tandem with
the study of ancient population genomics.
Here we provide a brief overview of the high and low frequency climate changes indicated by different proxy records in Finland and nearby areas in eastern Fennoscandia, and discuss the archaeological evidence for human responses to abrupt climate-related environmental change and low-frequency climate trends. The clearest archaeologically visible event-like responses seem to derive from ecotonal regions, i.e., the forest–tundra or coastal regions and suggest a correlation between ecological “hinge-regions” and the archaeologically clearest signs of hunter-gatherer responses to climate stress. However, the evidence of the abrupt climate events is often ambiguous and their influence on early Holocene human populations remains equivocal.
Prehistoric chewed pitch has proven to be a useful source of ancient DNA, both from humans and their microbiomes. Here we present the metagenomic analysis of three pieces of chewed pitch from Huseby Klev, Sweden, that were dated to 9,890-9,540 before present. The metagenomic profile exposes a Mesolithic oral microbiome that includes opportunistic oral pathogens. We compared the data with healthy and dysbiotic microbiome datasets and we identified increased abundance of periodontitisassociated microbes. In addition, trained machine learning models predicted dysbiosis with 70-80% probability. Moreover, we identified DNA sequences from eukaryotic species such as red fox, hazelnut, red deer and apple. Our results indicate a case of poor oral health during the Scandinavian Mesolithic, and show that pitch pieces have the potential to provide information on material use, diet and oral health.
Key words: vein quartz, refitting, fracture analysis, quartz fragments
for variability and change in past material culture.
Here, the authors use a Mesolithic example to
demonstrate the importance of integrating archaeological
evidence into the interpretation of the Scandinavian
hunter-gatherer genetic group. Genetic studies
conclude that this group resulted from two singleevent
dispersals into Scandinavia before 7500 BC.
Archaeological evidence, however, shows at least six
immigration events pre-dating the earliest DNA,
and that the first incoming groups arrived in Scandinavia
before 9000 BC. The findings underline the
importance of conducting careful archaeological analysis
of prehistoric human dispersal in tandem with
the study of ancient population genomics.
Here we provide a brief overview of the high and low frequency climate changes indicated by different proxy records in Finland and nearby areas in eastern Fennoscandia, and discuss the archaeological evidence for human responses to abrupt climate-related environmental change and low-frequency climate trends. The clearest archaeologically visible event-like responses seem to derive from ecotonal regions, i.e., the forest–tundra or coastal regions and suggest a correlation between ecological “hinge-regions” and the archaeologically clearest signs of hunter-gatherer responses to climate stress. However, the evidence of the abrupt climate events is often ambiguous and their influence on early Holocene human populations remains equivocal.
1. The hidden sources. Combining aDNA, stone tools, and computer
modeling in the study of human colonization of Norway
Per Persson, Mikael A. Manninen & Eva Daskalaki
2. Lipid residues in early hunter-gatherer ceramics from Finland
Vasiliki Papakosta & Petro Pesonen
3. Changing perspectives. Thin section and ICP analysis of Neolithic pottery from the Åland Islands
Torbjörn Brorsson, Jenni Lucenius & Niklas Stenbäck
4 The reconstruction of functional zones at Neolithic to Early Iron Age
sites in the Neva river basin (Russia) by means of geochemical markers
Marianna A. Kulkova, Tatiana M. Gusentsova, L. Nesterova & Evgeny M. Nesterov
5 The Studies of Archaeological Bird Remains from Medieval Staraya
Ladoga. New Results and Interpretations
Dilyara Shaymuratova (Galimova), Igor Askeyev & Oleg Askeyev
6 Geoarchaeology, bedrock surveys, and geochemical analysis.
Tracing the provenance of medieval building stones
Jussi Kinnunen & Liisa Seppänen
7 Animal bones from medieval and early modern Saami settlements in
Finnish Lapland
Eeva-Kristiina Harlin, Kristiina Mannermaa & Pirkko Ukkonen
8 Globalization and tradition in Forest Sámi commemoration rituals.
Textiles and animal skins in the 17th-century burial ground in Mukkala, eastern Lapland, Finland
Tuija Kirkinen, Aki Arponen & Ina Vanden Berghe
http://www.sarks.fi/masf/masf_7/masf_7.html
Paper I. Manninen, M. A. & Knutsson, K. 2011. Northern Inland Oblique Point Sites – a New Look into the Late Mesolithic Oblique Point Tradition in Eastern Fennoscandia. In: T. Rankama (Ed.), Mesolithic Interfaces – Variability in Lithic Technologies in Eastern Fennoscandia. Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland 1, 143–175.
Paper II. Manninen, M. A. 2009. Evidence of mobility between the coast and the inland region in the Mesolithic of Northern Fennoscandia. In: S. B. McCartan, R. Schulting, G. Warren, P. Woodman (Eds.), Mesolithic Horizons, Vol. I. Oxbow books, Oxford, pp. 102–108. Embedded with permission from Oxbow books.
Paper III. Tallavaara, M., Manninen, M. A., Hertell, E. & Rankama, T. 2010. How flakes shatter: a critical evaluation of quartz fracture analysis. Journal of Archaeological Science 37, 2442–2448. Embedded with permission from Elsevier.
Paper IV. Manninen, M. A. & Tallavaara, M. 2011. Descent History of Mesolithic Oblique Points in Eastern Fennoscandia – a Technological Comparison Between Two Artefact Populations. In: T. Rankama (Ed.), Mesolithic Interfaces – Variability in Lithic Technologies in Eastern Fennoscandia. Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland 1, 177–211.
Paper V. Manninen, M. A. & Knutsson, K. 2014. Lithic raw material diversification as an adaptive strategy–Technology, mobility, and site structure in Late Mesolithic northernmost Europe. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 33, 84–98. Embedded with permission from Elsevier.
"This dissertation focuses on Late Mesolithic (ca. 8450 6850 cal BP) lithic technological changes in the northernmost parts of Finland, Norway, and Sweden and on the relationship between these changes and the 8.2 ka climate event that was caused by a disruption in the North Atlantic Thermohaline circulation. The study uses a framework derived from Darwinian evolutionary theory and acknowledges the effects of both environmental constraints and socially transmitted information, i.e., culture, in the way lithic technology was organised in the studied region. The study discusses whether climatic cooling and its effects on the biotic environment could explain the way lithic technology and settlement patterns were reorganised during the Late Mesolithic.
The dissertation takes an organisational approach to the study of past cultural change and seeks to understand changes in prehistoric material culture by studying lithic technology and settlement configuration using lithic technological, statistical, and spatial analyses. The results suggest that Late Mesolithic coastal communities were affected by a marked decrease in marine productivity that resulted from the cooling caused by the 8.2 ka event and a subsequent cold episode at ca. 7700 cal BP. It is concluded that the technological changes that occurred during the marine cooling were a result of developments that led to increased use of terrestrial resources and an accompanying long-distance coast/inland residential mobility pattern.
The study contributes to a wider field of research into past climate change as a factor in prehistoric ecological, cultural, and behavioural change and provides reference material for studies on the impacts of future climate change on human communities. The results suggest that in northernmost Fennoscandia, the marine ecosystem is particularly sensitive to disturbances in the North Atlantic oceanographic system. In addition, the study provides new knowledge concerning the relationships between raw material availability, lithic technology, and culture. This new knowledge is widely applicable in research on the way lithic technology was organised in relation to other behavioural and organisational dimensions in past human adaptations."
Since the paper of Lanting et al (2001), the method has been successfully used in a large variety of contexts, although some concerns of the effects of burning atmosphere – particularly the used fuel – have been presented (e.g. Hüls et al 2010, Van Strydonck et al 2010, Olsen et al 2013). Our collaboration was set up in autumn 2012 to assess the quality of the cremated/burnt bone dates in the region and to develop improved quality control for the dating process. This contribution presents the status of the effort taken so far. Particularly, we compare the results of cremated/burnt bone and other sample materials from the dated contexts within eastern Fennoscandia to evaluate the success of the methodology. In addition, we take a glance to the stable carbon isotopic values obtained within the dating process to understand the origin of dated carbon and the process leading to it. Eventually, we will present the way forward, including the improved quality control processes.
References:
- Hüls C M, Nadeau M J, Grootes P M, Erlenkeuser H, Andersen N 2010.Experimental study on the origin of cremated bone apatite carbon. Radiocarbon 52: pp. 587-599.
- Jungner H 2003. Uusia ajoituksia vanhoista luista. Suomen arkeologinen seura ry. Arkeologipäivät 2003.
- Lanting J N, Aerts-Bijma A T, van der Plicht J 2001. Dating of cremated bones. Radiocarbon 43: pp. 249-254.
- Olsen J, Heinemeier J, Hornstrup K M, Bennike P, Thrane H 2013. ‘Old wood’ effect in radiocarbon dating of prehistoric cremated bones? Journal of Archaeological Science 40: pp. 30-34
- Pesonen P, Oinonen M, Carpelan C, Onkamo P 2012. Pesonen P, Early Subneolithic ceramic sequences in Eastern Fennoscandia - a Bayesian approach. Radiocarbon, in press. - Tallavaara M, Manninen M A, Pesonen P & Hertell E 2012. Radiocarbon dates and postglacial colonisation dynamics in eastern Fennoscandia. British Archaeological Reports, in press.
- Van Strydonck M, Boudin M, de Mulder G 2010. The carbon origin of structural carbonate in bone apatite of cremated bones. Radiocarbon 52: pp. 578-586.
Vaikka paikka on historiallisesti merkittävä ja kosken patoaminen oli myöhäinen vaihe sen historiassa, on säilynyt verrattain vähän tietoa siitä miltä koski kokonaisuutena näytti ennen patoamista. Olkoonkin, ettei patoaminen liittynyt mitenkään paikan historiaan Helsingin kaupungin perustamispaikkana.
http://helsingaa.blogspot.fi/2017/01/millainen-oli-historiallinen.html
http://helsingaa.blogspot.fi/2016/05/milloin-vanhankaupunginkoski-padottiin.html
http://helsingaa.blogspot.fi/2016/03/vanhankaupunginkosken-padon-rakenne.html
Näin kertoi Aleksis Kiven (eli Stenvallin, s. 10. lokakuuta 1834 Nurmijärvi – k. 31. joulukuuta 1872 Tuusula) ystävä ja tukija Eliel Aspelin (myöh Aspelin-Haapkylä) esitelmässään Pohjalaisten vuosijuhlassa 9. marraskuuta 1872, vain reilu kuukausi ennen kirjailijan kuolemaa. On kuitenkin yleisesti tiedossa, että Aleksis Kivi eli nuoruutensa Nurmijärven Palojoen kylässä eli ei lähelläkään nykyistä Vantaankoskea. Sekoittiko Aspelin paikkoja ja paikannimiä? Vai tarkoittiko hän jotakin muuta Vantaanjoen, eli Vantaan, koskea? Missä kalastelu ja kivien kääntely oikein tapahtui?
http://helsingaa.blogspot.fi/2017/01/aleksis-kivi-ja-kolme-vantaankoskea.html
Tällainen oli suunnitelma navigoitavasta vesireitistä Hämeenlinnasta Helsingin Vanhankaupunginlahteen, jonka ongelmia mm. Hans Henric John kuvaili vuonna 1789 ilmestyneessä väitöskirjassaan. Yläjuoksulla reitti Vanajavedestä Vantaanjokeen oli tarkoitus rakentaa joko Turkhaudan ja Riihimäen kautta tai vaihtoehtoisesti Loppijärven ja Kytäjärven kautta ohi Hyvinkään. Keskeiseksi ongelmaksi muodostuivat kuitenkin korkeuserot ja vedenjakaja, joiden halkominen onnistuessaan olisi vaatinut patoallasta ja jopa 48 sulkua.
http://helsingaa.blogspot.fi/2016/03/1700-luvun-kanavahanke-vantaanjoella.html
http://helsingaa.blogspot.fi/2016/04/mihin-katosi-pikkuksoki.html