Janne Ikäheimo
University of Oulu, Archaeology, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty Member
- Archaeology of the Contemporary Past, Medieval, Roman Pottery, Late Roman Pottery, Pseudoarchaeology, Archaeology, and 15 moreLate Antique Archaeology, Arkeologia, African Cooking Ware, Economic history/Trade history/Oriental trade, Archaeometry, Stone Age (Archaeology), Finnish archaeology, Medieval trade, Finnish History, Medieval Economy, Novgorod the Great, Finno-ugric, History of astronomy, ancient sundials, islamic astronomical instruments, Roman Archaeology, and Archaeology of Ancient Russia, the Viking Age, Medieval Archaeology of Novgorodedit
- Janne Ikäheimo works as a lecturer in archaeology at the University of Oulu. While his dissertation focused on cerami... moreJanne Ikäheimo works as a lecturer in archaeology at the University of Oulu. While his dissertation focused on ceramic cooking pots produced in Roman Africa, his current research interests include neo-relics and pet burial customs in contemporary society, material culture and sociology of craft beer, popular music heritage, and the Early Metal Age/Bronze Age period in Northern Finland, in particular the introduction of metallurgy to Eastern Fennoscandia and North-West Russia.edit
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This article examines the use of airborne laser scanning data and semi-automatic detection algorithms to identify pitfall sites in the northern part of the Suomenselkä watershed in Finland. The results show that new sites can be... more
This article examines the use of airborne laser scanning data and semi-automatic detection algorithms to identify pitfall sites in the northern part of the Suomenselkä watershed in Finland. The results show that new sites can be effectively detected with these methods, even in areas recently surveyed archaeologically. Most of the previously known pitfall sites were also easily distinguishable from the data. The geographic location of the newly discovered sites confirmed previous interpretations of the prehistoric and historic hunting of cervids with pitfalls in the research area. Yet, further research is needed to refine the interpretations concerning the use and temporal sequence of pitfall rows both in Finland and elsewhere in Fennoscandia.
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Research Interests: History, Geography, Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Metalwork (Archaeology), and 15 moreNeolithic Archaeology, Neolithic & Chalcolithic Archaeology, History of Russian North, Russian History, Metal Finds (Archaeology), Neolithic Europe, Neolithic, Finland, Scandinavian Archaeology, Ancient Metallurgy, Copper age, Chalcolithic, Estonian archaeology, Estonian, and peninsula
An assemblage consisting of sixteen Bronze Age crucible fragments from the Halosentörmä site, located by the Bothnian Bay in northern Finland, is analysed here using the interpretative framework developed recently by Scandinavian... more
An assemblage consisting of sixteen Bronze Age crucible fragments from the Halosentörmä site, located by the Bothnian Bay in northern Finland, is analysed here using the interpretative framework developed recently by Scandinavian scholars. At least two crucibles, both apparently applied for casting several times due to the amount of use-wear, are first identified. The examination of the interior surfaces of selected fragments with a portable XRF analyser for traces of metal confirms their use in copper-alloy metallurgy. Their find context at the site, however, hints at shortlived experiments rather than the existence of a proper bronze workshop. As such experiments might have had important social and even cosmological functions, the results underline the significance of metallurgical ceramics and their find contexts for archaeological interpretation both in Finland and elsewhere in northern Fennoscandia.
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Open access airborne laser scanning (ALS) data have been available in Finland for over a decade and have been actively applied by the Finnish archaeologists in that time. The low resolution of this laser scanning 2008–2019 dataset (0.5... more
Open access airborne laser scanning (ALS) data have been available in Finland for over a decade and have been actively applied by the Finnish archaeologists in that time. The low resolution of this laser scanning 2008–2019 dataset (0.5 points/m2), however, has hindered its usability for archaeological prospection. In the summer of 2020, the situation changed markedly, when the Finnish National Land Survey started a new countrywide ALS survey with a higher resolution of 5 points/m2. In this paper we present the first results of applying this newly available ALS
material for archaeological studies. Finnish LIDARK consortium has initiated the development of semi-automated approaches for visualizing, detecting, and analyzing archaeological features with this new dataset. Our first case studies are situated in the Alpine tundra environment of Sápmi in northern Finland, and the assessed archaeological features range from prehistoric sites to indigenous Sámi reindeer herding features and Second Word War-era German military structures. Already
the initial analyses of the new ALS-5p data show their huge potential for locating, mapping, and assessing archaeological material. These results also suggest an imminent burst in the number of known archaeological sites, especially in the poorly accessible and little studied northern wilderness areas, when more data become available.
material for archaeological studies. Finnish LIDARK consortium has initiated the development of semi-automated approaches for visualizing, detecting, and analyzing archaeological features with this new dataset. Our first case studies are situated in the Alpine tundra environment of Sápmi in northern Finland, and the assessed archaeological features range from prehistoric sites to indigenous Sámi reindeer herding features and Second Word War-era German military structures. Already
the initial analyses of the new ALS-5p data show their huge potential for locating, mapping, and assessing archaeological material. These results also suggest an imminent burst in the number of known archaeological sites, especially in the poorly accessible and little studied northern wilderness areas, when more data become available.
Research Interests: Remote Sensing, Arctic Archaeology, Survey (Archaeological Method & Theory), Remote sensing and GIS applications in Landscape Research, Remote sensing and GIS, and 7 moreLiDAR for topographic mapping, Archaeological survey, Archaeological field survey, Computer Applications in Archaeology, Sámi Archaeology, LiDAR for Archaeology, and Lapland War
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Neolocalism has been identified as an important component in the current boom in microbreweries. When constructed actively and consciously, it can also be deployed in marketing as a method of brand-related storytelling. This argument is... more
Neolocalism has been identified as an important component in the current boom in microbreweries. When constructed actively and consciously, it can also be deployed in marketing as a method of brand-related storytelling. This argument is strengthened here through a case study focusing on Tornio Brewery, a microbrewery located near the southern edge of the Arctic in northern Finland. The qualitative research method used here involves the identification of stories related to neolocalism from the brand narrative composed of media releases, advertisements and other promotional material, in addition to beer names and labels. The themes emerging from this material—history and heritage, Lapland and the Arctic as geographic locations, the use of local ingredients and community involvement, as well as the culture and heritage of northern Finland—are then explored. Neolocalism is shown to provide a rich vein of storytelling that can be used effectively for marketing purposes as a holistic concept. While craft brewers have already explored neolocalism in their marketing efforts, the use of professional assistance in creating all-encompassing and meditated storylines is strongly recommended.
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Autoethnography is founded on personal participation, description, and analysis that results in a higher consciousness of the studied subject when personal experiences are transformed through systematic sociological introspection into... more
Autoethnography is founded on personal participation, description, and analysis that results in a higher consciousness of the studied subject when personal experiences are transformed through systematic sociological introspection into understanding regarding other people's feelings and behavior. Hence, the chapter describes the rescue excavation of late family companion animals from the backyard flowerbed and their subsequent re-burial to the local pet cemetery through the lens of explorative archaeological autoethnography. While being physically routine, the excavation caused deep emotions of self-reflection and self-confrontation ranging from the questioning of the author's capabilities as a field archaeologist to human-animal relationships and the afterlife. On the contrary, the activity at the pet cemetery involved significant physical input, as each pet owner is responsible for backfilling their pet burial. Emotional and physical are here argued to enrich and deepen the interpretative framework of pet cemetery studies by offering new insights into the motives and actions of pet owners. Along this line, a somewhat excessive and constantly evolving memorial combining elements from several religions and cultures was set up on the grave. It aims to establish a material-culture-based dialogue with other pet owners in a dynamic deathscape, where pet memorials designs constantly seek to redefine and renegotiate the acceptable limits of pet animal commemoration.
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Kastelli mound near Oulu – Medieval castle or something else The article discusses the artifacts and structures found at the Kastelli mound, the presumed location of the 14th century Swedish stronghold located by the Oulujoki River ca. 4... more
Kastelli mound near Oulu – Medieval castle
or something else
The article discusses the artifacts and structures
found at the Kastelli mound, the presumed
location of the 14th century Swedish
stronghold located by the Oulujoki River ca.
4 kilometers upstream from the city of Oulu.
The finds– including an iron knife blade, nine
iron balls of grapeshot and a brass button
from a military uniform – are, however, post-
Medieval; some probably pertaining to a military
clash that took place in the area during
the early 18th century. Moreover, the structures
at the site are shown to belong to a
fairly modern farmstead. Therefore, the idea
about the Kastelli mound as a place for a medieval
stronghold is categorically rejected.
or something else
The article discusses the artifacts and structures
found at the Kastelli mound, the presumed
location of the 14th century Swedish
stronghold located by the Oulujoki River ca.
4 kilometers upstream from the city of Oulu.
The finds– including an iron knife blade, nine
iron balls of grapeshot and a brass button
from a military uniform – are, however, post-
Medieval; some probably pertaining to a military
clash that took place in the area during
the early 18th century. Moreover, the structures
at the site are shown to belong to a
fairly modern farmstead. Therefore, the idea
about the Kastelli mound as a place for a medieval
stronghold is categorically rejected.
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The date and location of the earliest chapel on the Hailuoto Island is examined by reviewing the archaeological and geological data gathered in late 1980s, on which the original hypothesis about the existence of the early 14th century AD... more
The date and location of the earliest chapel on the Hailuoto Island is examined by reviewing the archaeological and geological data gathered in late 1980s, on which the original hypothesis about the existence of the early 14th century AD ecclesiastic building at the site of the ‘Old Church’ stood on. As old wood and marine reservoir effects were unrecognised back then, the calibrated radiocarbon dates gave systematically older date estimates. The coin evidence suggests a mid-15th century AD terminus post quem, while the preserved wooden statuettes of saints date to the late 15th century AD. As the data regarding local land-uplift rate is today more reliable than in 1980s and precise information on elevation gathered with airborne LiDAR can be analysed using the GIS, a new reconstruction regarding the environment around the ‘Old Church’ is also presented. Finally, reasons for further archaeological research on Hailuoto are sketched in brief.
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Archaeological native copper finds pertaining to Neolithic sites in Finland and Russian Karelia were analysed using a multi-method approach comprising portable X-ray fluorescence spectrom-etry (pXRF), electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA),... more
Archaeological native copper finds pertaining to Neolithic sites in Finland and Russian Karelia were analysed using a multi-method approach comprising portable X-ray fluorescence spectrom-etry (pXRF), electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA), metallography and the Vickers hardness test of microhardness. The results indicate how the processing of this exotic raw material took place in several ways. Native copper nuggets show evidence of annealing. Small copper sheets and strips have been produced by both cold hammering and hot working, while the making of some artefacts has involved smelting and casting. Some finds previously interpreted as possible Neolithic native copper objects are shown to be made of copper alloys or other metals and dated to later periods. The use of float copper of local or regional origin, or even the utilization of copper ore, instead of or alongside native copper are also briefly discussed.
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This paper presents an overview of the methodological procedures being employed by the Palatine East Pottery Project to study and publish the 12 tons of Roman pottery recovered in the Palatine East Excavations in Rome. By combining... more
This paper presents an overview of the methodological procedures being employed by the Palatine East Pottery Project to study and publish the 12 tons of Roman pottery recovered in the Palatine East Excavations in Rome. By combining traditional and innovative procedures used for the classification, characterization, quantification, and presentation of the materials dated to ca. AD 50-450/500, the final result of the project will represent a methodologically ambitious exposition of a large pottery assemblage spanning nearly the entire period of the Roman Empire.
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The common idea about the success of African cookware being based solely on the subsidizing effect of state-promoted shipments of provisions is revalued through some 2,100 vessels recovered from six distinct Late Roman horizons (AD... more
The common idea about the success of African cookware being based solely on the subsidizing effect of state-promoted shipments of provisions is revalued through some 2,100 vessels recovered from six distinct Late Roman horizons (AD 270-550) of the Palatine East excavations, Rome. The production of African cookware is shown to have profited from suitable raw materials, abundance of fuel guaranteed by the exploitation of agricultural by-products and a favourable climate. Furthermore, the analysis of vessel forms, pottery fabrics and vessel surfacings depict a ware that offers the necessary performance characteristics for efficient cooking and meets the requirements of sea-borne transportation.
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The aim of the present paper is to examine through the preliminary study of some 2,600 regional, i.e., West-Central Italian cookware vessels recovered from the excavations of a late Roman domus on the northeastern slope of the Palatine... more
The aim of the present paper is to examine through the preliminary study of some 2,600 regional, i.e., West-Central Italian cookware vessels recovered from the excavations of a late Roman domus on the northeastern slope of the Palatine Hill, whether the 5 th-early 6 th century AD ceramic manufacture in Rome and its environs was affected by external and internal pressures. The observations focus on the comparison of pottery fabrics, vessel forms, various vessel dimensions as well as the evidence on the use of these cook-pots. It will be shown that, by AD 550, cookware production in this area had undergone changes: new forms had been introduced, the production of others either terminated or modified, while raw materials already used during previous centuries were now employed in different proportions.
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Rauta-aika (The Age of Iron, 1982), a four episode TV-series produced by YLE-the Finnish Broadcasting Company, transported the audience into a world of fantasy by successfully mixing the Finnish national epic Kalevala with elements of the... more
Rauta-aika (The Age of Iron, 1982), a four episode TV-series produced by YLE-the Finnish Broadcasting Company, transported the audience into a world of fantasy by successfully mixing the Finnish national epic Kalevala with elements of the local Iron Age. This paper focuses on the dismantled film set of the Pohjola village at the Seinävuori Hill in Hämeenkyrö, documented using archaeological methods in 2012, from the perspective of material heritage. While the remains visible today at the Seinävuori Hill are scarce, they continue to give a context for various meanings and experiences assigned to this place in the recent and more distant past and hence impact the heritagisation of the place.
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The date and location of the earliest chapel on the Hailuoto Island is examined by reviewing the archaeological and geological data gathered in late 1980s, on which the original hypothesis about the existence of the early 14th century AD... more
The date and location of the earliest chapel on the Hailuoto Island is examined by reviewing the archaeological and geological data gathered in late 1980s, on which the original hypothesis about the existence of the early 14th century AD ecclesiastic building at the site of the ‘Old Church’ stood on. As old wood and marine reservoir effects were unrecognised back then, the calibrated radiocarbon dates gave systematically older date estimates. The coin evidence suggests a mid-15th century AD terminus post quem, while the preserved wooden statuettes of saints date to the late 15th century AD. As the data regarding local land-uplift rate is today more reliable than in 1980s and precise information on elevation gathered with airborne LiDAR can be analysed using the GIS, a new reconstruction regarding the environment around the ‘Old Church’ is also presented. Finally, reasons for further archaeological research on Hailuoto are sketched in brief.
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Purpose-As Finland became an associate member of the European Free Trade Association in early 1960s, the domestic brewing industry faced a new threat posed by imported beer. It was neutralized effectively with joint and individual efforts... more
Purpose-As Finland became an associate member of the European Free Trade Association in early 1960s, the domestic brewing industry faced a new threat posed by imported beer. It was neutralized effectively with joint and individual efforts of the breweries. This paper aims to analyze the maneuvers taken by Tornion Olut Oy to brand its new product, Lapin Kulta, which ultimately became the most popular beer in Finland. In addition, the contemporary changes in the Finnish society with related social tensions are shown to have contributed to its success significantly. Design/methodology/approach-Archival research focusing on primary sources complemented with biographies, historical newspaper and magazine articles as well contemporary research papers with an aim to reconstruct and better understand the historical and social context of the events. Findings-The success of the Lapin Kulta beer in 1960s was not only based on the effective marketing, although a well-thought name, the successful participation in international beer "competitions" enhancing the brand and both improved distribution and logistics certainly contributed to it. Instead the success is shown to have depended also on seemingly odd collection of external factors. However, when put together, the success is shown to have been based on brand's capability to address the social tensions present in Finland during 1960s. Originality/value-The importance of the context reconstruction in historical marketing research is underlined as developments traditionally attributed solely to product qualities and marketing may equally stem from a multitude of external factors. As a case study, the research represents a fresh take on the subject through a variety of previously neglected sources.
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This article develops the idea that the emergence of the Neolithic world was closely linked to discovering and becoming aware of new aspects and dimensions of reality. Practices such as pottery making and cultivation promoted... more
This article develops the idea that the emergence of the Neolithic world was closely linked to discovering and becoming aware of new aspects and dimensions of reality. Practices such as pottery making and cultivation promoted attentiveness to new aspects of things and the environment, which in turn generated a new kind of lived world that was, in a sense, richer, larger and deeper than before. It is proposed that new forms of material culture and new material practices – new ways of engaging with the material world – expanded people’s horizons of perception and thinking. This cultivation of perception was an important mechanism through which new ways of life and thought associated with the Neolithic came into being.
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Research Interests: Stone Age (Archaeology), Copper Artefacts, Finnish archaeology, and European Copper and Bronze Age – Archaeometallurgy – Prehistoric Metalworking in Social Context – Settlement Archaeology – Application of Geophysical Methods in Archaeology – Neolithic – Theory / Cultural Anthropology – Material Culture Studies
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Die Neo-Relikte des Urnenfriedhofs von Kirkkonummi Dieser Artikel befasst sich mit dem von Architekt Bey Heng entworfenen und 2001 in Kirkkonummi eröffneten St. Michael-Urnenhain. Es sollen diejenigen architektonischen Elemente in... more
Die Neo-Relikte des Urnenfriedhofs von Kirkkonummi
Dieser Artikel befasst sich mit dem von Architekt Bey Heng entworfenen und
2001 in Kirkkonummi eröffneten St. Michael-Urnenhain. Es sollen diejenigen
architektonischen Elemente in diesem Urnenfriedhof identifiziert und beschrieben
werden, die wesentliche Elemente einem archäologischen Denkmal oder Relikttyp
entliehen haben. Vier solcher Elemente konnten identifiziert werden. Die „Tore der
Ewigkeit” (Iäisyyden portit Abb. 1) erinnern entweder an die Megalithkonstruktion
Stonehenge oder eine römische Olivenpresse in Nordafrika, die „Danksteine” (Kiitoskivet
Abb. 2) sind von eisenzeitlichen sog. Schiffssetzungen inspiriert, der
„Hoffnungsfelsen“ (Toivonkallio Abb. 3), ein Platz zum Ausstreuen der Asche
Verstorbener, setzt die Idee eines Brandgräberfelds aus der späten Eisenzeit um, und
die „Nord-mauer“ (Pohjoismuuri Abb. 4) ist das Urnengewölbe oder Kolumbarium
des Urnenfriedhofs.
Im Artikel wird auch die Bedeutung der identifizierten Neo-Relikte im neuen Kontext
analysiert. Die Kontextanalyse antwortet auf die Frage, auf welche Weise vermittelt der
Urnenhain dem ”lesekundigen” Besucher Botschaften welchen Inhalts? Ein Teil der
Botschaften legt dem informierten Betrachter die Frage nahe, hat sich in Finnland
ein funktionales Neuheidentum seinen Weg auf christliche Friedhöfe gebahnt, handelt
es sich um die Mission eines einzelnen Friedhofsplaners oder Gedankenlosigkeit?
In jedem Fall zeigen die Beispiele nachdrücklich, wie ein gedankenloses visuelles
Recycling eines scheinbar bekannten und anerkannten archäologischen Monuments
im Geiste postmoderner Architektur vor allem auf einem christlichen Friedhof im
Blick auf die Deutung des Endergebnisses ein risikoreiches Unterfangen sein kann.
Andererseits machen jene bekenntnisbezogenen Probleme die visuelle Attraktivität
der architektonischen Elemente auf dem Friedhof keineswegs zunichte. Sie atmen
Konstanz und Vergangenheit. Die Bezugnahme auf Traditionen repräsentiert im
friedhöflichen Kontext zielbewusste Planung, denn eine auf Friedhöfen ursprünglich
fremde Handlung – beispielsweise die substanzlose Ausstreuung der Asche eines
Verstorbenen – samt der Orte ihres Vollzugs stößt unter dem Denkmantel einer
fiktiven Traditionalität wahrscheinlich
Dieser Artikel befasst sich mit dem von Architekt Bey Heng entworfenen und
2001 in Kirkkonummi eröffneten St. Michael-Urnenhain. Es sollen diejenigen
architektonischen Elemente in diesem Urnenfriedhof identifiziert und beschrieben
werden, die wesentliche Elemente einem archäologischen Denkmal oder Relikttyp
entliehen haben. Vier solcher Elemente konnten identifiziert werden. Die „Tore der
Ewigkeit” (Iäisyyden portit Abb. 1) erinnern entweder an die Megalithkonstruktion
Stonehenge oder eine römische Olivenpresse in Nordafrika, die „Danksteine” (Kiitoskivet
Abb. 2) sind von eisenzeitlichen sog. Schiffssetzungen inspiriert, der
„Hoffnungsfelsen“ (Toivonkallio Abb. 3), ein Platz zum Ausstreuen der Asche
Verstorbener, setzt die Idee eines Brandgräberfelds aus der späten Eisenzeit um, und
die „Nord-mauer“ (Pohjoismuuri Abb. 4) ist das Urnengewölbe oder Kolumbarium
des Urnenfriedhofs.
Im Artikel wird auch die Bedeutung der identifizierten Neo-Relikte im neuen Kontext
analysiert. Die Kontextanalyse antwortet auf die Frage, auf welche Weise vermittelt der
Urnenhain dem ”lesekundigen” Besucher Botschaften welchen Inhalts? Ein Teil der
Botschaften legt dem informierten Betrachter die Frage nahe, hat sich in Finnland
ein funktionales Neuheidentum seinen Weg auf christliche Friedhöfe gebahnt, handelt
es sich um die Mission eines einzelnen Friedhofsplaners oder Gedankenlosigkeit?
In jedem Fall zeigen die Beispiele nachdrücklich, wie ein gedankenloses visuelles
Recycling eines scheinbar bekannten und anerkannten archäologischen Monuments
im Geiste postmoderner Architektur vor allem auf einem christlichen Friedhof im
Blick auf die Deutung des Endergebnisses ein risikoreiches Unterfangen sein kann.
Andererseits machen jene bekenntnisbezogenen Probleme die visuelle Attraktivität
der architektonischen Elemente auf dem Friedhof keineswegs zunichte. Sie atmen
Konstanz und Vergangenheit. Die Bezugnahme auf Traditionen repräsentiert im
friedhöflichen Kontext zielbewusste Planung, denn eine auf Friedhöfen ursprünglich
fremde Handlung – beispielsweise die substanzlose Ausstreuung der Asche eines
Verstorbenen – samt der Orte ihres Vollzugs stößt unter dem Denkmantel einer
fiktiven Traditionalität wahrscheinlich
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Tämä artikkeli on laadittu LIDARK-projektissa ja se on tällä hetkellä vertaisarvioitavana Muinaistutkija-julkaisussa.
Syksyllä 2017 Muinaistutkija-lehdessä todennäköisesti julkaistava näyttelyarvio, josta voi halutessaan antaa palautetta kirjoittajalle. Palaute joko huomioidaan tai jätetään huomiotta lopullisessa käsikirjoituksessa.
My MA thesis from 1992 (in Finnish) on the Ploughsoil Finds from Trench 4 at Ficana.