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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.
This paper presents the development and application of a deep learning-based approach for semi-automated detection of tar production kilns using new Finnish high-density Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data in the boreal taiga forest zone.... more
This paper presents the development and application of a deep learning-based approach for semi-automated detection of tar production kilns using new Finnish high-density Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data in the boreal taiga forest zone. The historical significance of tar production,
an important livelihood for centuries, has had extensive environmental and ecological impacts, particularly in the thinly inhabited northern and eastern parts of Finland. Despite being one of the most widespread archaeological features in the country, tar kilns have received relatively little attention until recently. The authors employed a Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) U-Net-based algorithm to detect these features from the ALS data, which proved to be more accurate, faster, and capable of covering systematically larger spatial areas than human actors. It also produces more consistent, replicable, and ethically sustainable results. This semi-automated approach enabled the efficient location of a vast number of previously unknown archaeological features, significantly
increasing the number of tar kilns in each study area compared to the previous situation. This has implications also for the cultural resource management in Finland. The authors’ findings have influenced the preparation of the renewal of the Finnish Antiquities Act, raising concerns about the perceived impacts on cultural heritage management and land use sectors due to the projected tenfold increase in archaeological site detection using deep learning algorithms. The use of environmental
remote sensing data may provide a means of examining the long-term cultural and ecological impacts of tar production in greater detail. Our pilot studies suggest that artificial intelligence and deep learning techniques have the potential to revolutionize archaeological research and cultural resource management in Finland, offering promising avenues for future exploration.
This paper presents the initial results of a research program combining non-invasive chemical analyses with a quantitatively and chronologically representative assemblage of chert finds from two site clusters located on the eastern coast... more
This paper presents the initial results of a research program combining non-invasive chemical analyses with a quantitatively and chronologically representative assemblage of chert finds from two site clusters located on the eastern coast of the Bothnian Bay in northwest Finland to answer not only methodological but also archaeological research questions. The research method, an X-ray fluorescence analysis performed with a portable analyzer (pXRF), has become very common over recent years in archaeology, but the ways the method is applied
The study of pet cemeteries has recently intensified in multiple disciplines. However, the focus of this research has been more on the interpretation of information available on grave markers, while only touching on the geographical... more
The study of pet cemeteries has recently intensified in multiple disciplines. However, the focus of this research has been more on the interpretation of information available on grave markers, while only touching on the geographical context, the land use zone of these sites. The advantages of focusing on the broader context are shown here through a case study focusing on the Hiironen pet cemetery in the city of Oulu in northern Finland. First, by combining a variety of sourcesarchival documents, photographs, maps, and news reportswith field documentation, a contextual site history extending both before and after the official period of use of the pet cemetery (1971-1993) is established. This history mirrors temporal changes in societal values regarding human-companion animal relations. By defining and examining these changes, the current notion of the increasing status of present-day companion animals as dear family members is confirmed.
The context of a rich Early Bronze Age burial found in 1998 at Hangaskangas near the city of Oulu is examined here regarding its structure and wider topographic setting. The burial is seen as a node in a Bronze Age communication and... more
The context of a rich Early Bronze Age burial found in 1998 at Hangaskangas near the city of Oulu is examined here regarding its structure and wider topographic setting. The burial is seen as a node in a Bronze Age communication and exchange network of Eurasia, in which local and supraregional ideas about cosmology and worldview are reflected through a slab of golden mica, some water-rounded pebbles as well as its liminal location on an island in a river mouth.
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.
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.
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.
Christianisation is a process that manifests as locally distinctive traditions and behaviours. While traditionally in Finland it has been assumed that local populations were subjected to a forced conversion, recent research has abandoned... more
Christianisation is a process that manifests as locally distinctive traditions and behaviours. While traditionally in Finland it has been assumed that local populations were subjected to a forced conversion, recent research has abandoned such top-down approaches and has emphasised local agency in the Christianisation process. This article contributes to the investigation of religious conversion in the Bothnian Bay coastal region of Finland, where the northernmost Catholic parish of Kemi was established in the early medieval period. The site under scrutiny, the Cape Valmarinniemi burial ground, presents archaeological evidence that questions long-held assumptions about the area’s Christianisation. We employ AMS-radiocarbon dating, geographic information systems (GIS) mapping, and a thorough
osteological analysis to examine the site. This article addresses the importance of scientific methods and the careful analysis of excavation data in the investigation of religious transformations.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This paper examines the late 1st millenium BC battle and battlefield of Allia near Rome from the perspective of the changing topography caused by the meandering Tiber river. It is argued that in the past scholars have paid too much... more
This paper examines the late 1st millenium BC battle and battlefield of Allia near Rome from the perspective of the changing topography caused by the meandering Tiber river. It is argued that in the past scholars have paid too much attention to the current topography of the region where the battle of Allia is presumed to have been fought, and have not taken into account the fact that Tiber river - a dominating feature in the site - has changed its course several times over the centuries. Accordingly, also the ancient authors - who wrote centuries after the event - describing the battle may give faulty information as they too might have been mislead by the contemporary Tiber river valley topography of their time which may not have corresponded with that of the time of the battle.
The unknown and exotic North fascinated European minds in the early modern period. A land of natural and supernatural wonders, and of the indigenous Sámi people, the northern margins of Europe stirred up imagination and a plethora of... more
The unknown and exotic North fascinated European minds in the early modern period. A land of natural and supernatural wonders, and of the indigenous Sámi people, the northern margins of Europe stirred up imagination and a plethora of cultural fantasies, which also affected early antiquarian research and the period understanding of the past. This article employs an alleged runestone discovered in northernmost Sweden in the seventeenth century to explore how ancient times and northern margins of the continent were understood in early modern Europe. We examine how the peculiar monument of the Vinsavaara stone was perceived and signified in relation to its materiality, landscape setting, and the cultural-cosmological context of the Renaissance–Baroque world. On a more general level, we use the Vinsavaara stone to assess the nature and character of early modern antiquarianism in relation to the period's nationalism, colonialism and classicism.
Research Interests:
The Suomussalmi copper adze is a native copper artefact discovered in 1980 on Kukkosaari Island (Suomussalmi, north-eastern Finland). Since then the artefact has been repeatedly used as an example when narrating the introduction of metal... more
The Suomussalmi copper adze is a native copper artefact discovered in 1980 on Kukkosaari Island (Suomussalmi, north-eastern Finland). Since then the artefact has been repeatedly used as an example when narrating the introduction of metal technology in prehistoric Finland, while its chronological position, function and significance have remained poorly studied. Here the object is reviewed both through the results of new metallographic analyses and by re-examining its position in the context of early metal use in north-eastern Europe during the Neolithic and the Bronze Age. The results of metallographic analyses indicate that the adze was shaped by melting/casting followed by cold hammering; both techniques are shown to have been used in the research area – Finland and north-west Russia – as early as during the Neolithic. While the provenance of the metal remains to be assigned, possible domestic, Karelian as well as Uralian sources are assayed critically. Instead of plain analyses regarding techno-typology and function, the Suomussalmi adze is here connected to the general enrichment of the (material) world that took place multi-locally through the adoption of new raw materials and the increased interest in their real or presumed properties.

Download a free PDF from:http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/TsdwMbvJsE4kvewDKtrv/full
Research Interests:
Neo-relics, constructions borrowing their looks from ancient structures or sites ranging from the mighty Stonehenge to a humble Troy town, have recently been erected in different parts of Finland. In authorized heritage discourse, they... more
Neo-relics, constructions borrowing their looks from ancient structures or sites ranging from the mighty Stonehenge to a humble Troy town, have recently been erected in different parts of Finland. In authorized heritage discourse, they are often seen as a potential threat. However, we demonstrate here, with a variety of examples from various social contexts, how ordinary people assign meanings and functions to archaeological heritage through them. We also approach the question of their authenticity by applying Cornelius Holtorf’s materialistically infused constructivist definition of pastness – a property related to an object’s age-value rather than its actual age – to find out why personal involvement, localness and stories are important features in enhancing pastness. Finally, instead of seeing neo-relics as a threat for archaeological heritage and interpretation, we propose that they be embraced as a novel way for people to experience and interact with the past. [free download link to 48 viewers]
Research Interests:
On the fringe of the city centre of Oulu, Finland, stands a peculiar memorial commemorating the last death sentence by hanging in Finland. Here people remembered the ill-fate of Taavetti Lukkarinen, a young man in his early 30s, who was... more
On the fringe of the city centre of Oulu, Finland, stands a peculiar memorial commemorating the last death sentence by hanging in Finland. Here people remembered the ill-fate of Taavetti Lukkarinen, a young man in his early 30s, who was hanged for high treason by Russian officers in 1916. In 2014, archaeological excavation at the hanging tree memorial revealed an interesting group of finds consisting of a deliberately fractured proximal end of a calf tibia with two shards of clear glass and an iron wire inserted into its marrow channel, in addition to a rubber shoe heel pad. These finds can be interpreted as a deposit hidden in the base of the memorial to tie the presumably restless soul to the monument. Examples of this kind of magical thinking with connections to, for example, concealed shoes, are known from different parts of the world. The memorial of Taavetti Lukkarinen may therefore be regarded as an example of a place where both individual people and the society tried to deal with a dark and shameful part of their past.
Research Interests:
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.
Research Interests:
Archaeologists of the University of Oulu conducted a small-scale test excavation on the Pirttitörmä site in the parish of Ii during the summer of 2014. The site is situated on Illinsaari, an island standing on the mouth area of the River... more
Archaeologists of the University of Oulu conducted a small-scale test excavation on the Pirttitörmä site in the parish of Ii during the summer of 2014. The site is situated on Illinsaari, an island standing on the mouth area of the River Iijoki, just NE of the modern day town of Ii in Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland. The site was first discovered in 2013 by a local metal detector enthusiast who dug up multiple artefacts and artefact fragments dating to the Late Iron Age and the Early Medieval period. The aim for the excavation was to clarify the context of the metal detector finds as well as to specify the dating of the site.

During the field work, it was concluded that the Pirttitörmä site is most likely a Late Iron Age dwelling site with at least some magnitude. Although no clear evidence of an actual house was found, the site offered the evidence of specialized constructions such as a possible cooking tent and a cooking or storage pit. Also the find assemblage, consisting mostly of osteological material, pieces of flint and some fragments of copper containers and other metal artefacts, contribute to the notion of the site being a dwelling site. Based on the artefact typologies and the shore displacement as well as the C14 datings of the nearby Suutarinniemi cemetery, it seems likely that the site was in use sometime during the AD 1100 and 1300.
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.
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

And 13 more

This paper focuses on a peculiar memorial, a pine tree encircled with an iron fence, the site of the last official execution by hanging in Finland. Mr. Taavetti Lukkarinen was hanged in Kontinkangas, Oulu on 3.10.1916 for high treason,... more
This paper focuses on a peculiar memorial, a pine tree encircled with an iron fence, the site of the last official execution by hanging in Finland. Mr. Taavetti Lukkarinen was hanged in Kontinkangas, Oulu on 3.10.1916 for high treason, because he had assisted the escape of three German POWs from the Murmansk railroad labor camp. The cadaver was disgraced by burying it by the hanging tree, from where it
was exhumed and reburied to the churchyard in summer 1917, just before Finland became independent from Russia. Today, the site is a memorial whose authenticity has also been questioned. The memorial is approached here through the results of dendrochronological analysis and small-scale excavations that also aimed to investigate the various forms of memorization taken place at the site during the past century. Question regarding ethical rights of archaeologists to disclaim the authenticity experienced by the public will also be dealt with.
Tämä artikkeli on laadittu LIDARK-projektissa ja se on tällä hetkellä vertaisarvioitavana Muinaistutkija-lehdessä
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.
Research Interests:
My MA thesis from 1992 (in Finnish) on the Ploughsoil Finds from Trench 4 at Ficana.
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/m 2), 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/m 2. 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.