Janne 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.
This article examines the use of airborne laser scanning data and semi-automatic detection algori... 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-au... 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 ana... 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 ... 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.
Oodeja Mikalle - Odes to Mika - Оды Мике: Festschrift for Professor Mika Lavento on the Occasion of his 60th Birthday. Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland 10, 2022
The context of a rich Early Bronze Age burial found in 1998 at Hangaskangas near the city of Oulu... 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, loc... 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 a... 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. ... 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. Wh... 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.
Entangled Beliefs and Rituals: Religion in Finland and Sápmi from Stone Age to Contemporary Times (eds. T. Äikäs & S. Lipkin). Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland 8., 2020
Autoethnography is founded on personal participation, description, and analysis that results in a... 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 ... 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 ... 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 w... 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.
Proceedings of the European Meeting on Ancient Ceramics ’07 (Katalin T. Biro ed.) , 2009
This paper presents an overview of the methodological procedures being employed by the Palatine E... 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.
This article examines the use of airborne laser scanning data and semi-automatic detection algori... 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-au... 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 ana... 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 ... 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.
Oodeja Mikalle - Odes to Mika - Оды Мике: Festschrift for Professor Mika Lavento on the Occasion of his 60th Birthday. Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland 10, 2022
The context of a rich Early Bronze Age burial found in 1998 at Hangaskangas near the city of Oulu... 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, loc... 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 a... 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. ... 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. Wh... 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.
Entangled Beliefs and Rituals: Religion in Finland and Sápmi from Stone Age to Contemporary Times (eds. T. Äikäs & S. Lipkin). Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland 8., 2020
Autoethnography is founded on personal participation, description, and analysis that results in a... 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 ... 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 ... 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 w... 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.
Proceedings of the European Meeting on Ancient Ceramics ’07 (Katalin T. Biro ed.) , 2009
This paper presents an overview of the methodological procedures being employed by the Palatine E... 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.
This paper focuses on a peculiar memorial, a pine tree encircled with an iron fence, the site of ... 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 Muinais... more 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 Muinais... more Tämä artikkeli on laadittu LIDARK-projektissa ja se on tällä hetkellä vertaisarvioitavana Muinaistutkija-julkaisussa.
Syksyllä 2017 Muinaistutkija-lehdessä todennäköisesti julkaistava näyttelyarvio, josta voi halute... more Syksyllä 2017 Muinaistutkija-lehdessä todennäköisesti julkaistava näyttelyarvio, josta voi halutessaan antaa palautetta kirjoittajalle. Palaute joko huomioidaan tai jätetään huomiotta lopullisessa käsikirjoituksessa.
Open access airborne laser scanning (ALS) data have been available in Finland for over a decade a... 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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.