This chapter approaches two ritual sites located in the territory of modern Finland from the pers... more This chapter approaches two ritual sites located in the territory of modern Finland from the perspective of heritage-making. Taatsi is an offering site used by indigenous Saami starting from the 10th century AD, whereas Jönsas is a cemetery site connected with the Stone Age populations but used also in the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. What is common to these sites is that they have been used and reused for long periods and gained new meanings also in the contemporary world. By using a site-biographical approach, we suggest that past and present ritual activities, along with other meaning-making processes, such as town planning and youth gatherings, have all been an important part of the heritage-making processes of the Taatsi and Jönsas sites. Accordingly, we propose that archaeological sites should be seen as active places that have obtained changing meanings during and after their original use. Based on the life histories of these two sites, we further suggest that the core idea of heritage existed already deep in prehistory.
In this paper, we study the role of power animals in contemporary Saami shamanism and how past an... more In this paper, we study the role of power animals in contemporary Saami shamanism and how past and present are entwined in the presentation of power animals. In the old Saami worldviews, in addition to animals, spirits and sacred rocks (sieidi, SaaN) were also considered to be able to interact with people. Animals were an important part of offering rituals because livelihood and rituals were intertwined. Past “religions” are used as an inspiration for contemporary shamanistic practices, in line with one of late modernity’s core concepts, namely creativity. Present-day shamanistic practices can be described as ritual creativity, and they combine traces of old and new ritual activities. At the shamanistic festival Isogaisa, organized in northern Norway, these different roles of animals and ritual creativity become evident. Here, animals appear as spirit animals, as well as decorative elements on drums and clothes and as performance. In this paper, we combine material culture studies, ...
This article presents the results of a combined archaeological and cultural anthropological study... more This article presents the results of a combined archaeological and cultural anthropological study of 170 horse burials at a pet (companion animal) cemetery in Mikonkangas, Oulu, Finland. The applied methods include archaeological documentation, interviews with the horse caretakers, and visits to the site. Contrary to socially and legislatively controlled human burial grounds with organized maintenance, companion animal cemeteries with their inherent do-it-yourself character are often displays for more spontaneous expressions of grief and longing. The evidence of remembrance varies from nearly unmarked graves to elaborate memorials with headstones, epitaphs, flowers, and personal objects. The thought of a reunion in the afterlife is evident in some of the epitaphs and could also have influenced the use of crosses and angel symbols on some of the graves.
"In Northern Finland, by the rock painting of Värikallio (ca. 3000–500 BC), several echoes c... more "In Northern Finland, by the rock painting of Värikallio (ca. 3000–500 BC), several echoes can be heard. The most remarkable of these appear to be originating from the painted rock itself. The article presents the first results of the research project that seeks to explore the role of sound in the development and use of Finnish rock art and Sámi offering sites. Field recordings, made at the site of Värikallio in summer 2013, are analyzed with a sound analysis and visualization toolkit, and interpreted with the help of GIS data and a 3D model of the site. A probable depiction of a drummer, identified in the painting in the course of the fieldwork, provides a further clue to the significance of sound rituals at rock paintings."
In autumn 2012, samples were taken from three sieidi stones in order to test blood residue analys... more In autumn 2012, samples were taken from three sieidi stones in order to test blood residue analysis as a method for identifying marks of Sámi sacrifi cial practices. Prior to the fi eldwork, test samples were taken from stones that the authors smeared with blood and left outside fi rst for six and then for fi ve more months. Altogether 19 samples from sieidi stones were analysed. Prior research has not concentrated on blood traces on stones that are exposed to sunlight. The analyses using mass spectrometry revealed that blood proteins could be identifi ed in the test stones. There were nevertheless indications of a rapid disintegration of the blood proteins when exposed to open-air conditions. All the samples from sieidi stones gave a negative result. Currently it is unclear whether the degradation of blood proteins has exceeded the detection limit of the method, or whether sacrifi cial practices at those sites did not include blood offerings.
Vanhat teollisuusympäristöt ovat viime vuosina saaneet osakseen huomiota, kun niitä on purettu, m... more Vanhat teollisuusympäristöt ovat viime vuosina saaneet osakseen huomiota, kun niitä on purettu, muutettu asuinalueiksi ja virkistyskäyttöön mutta myös käytetty sellaisenaan esimerkiksi urbaanin löytöretkeilyn ja taiteellisten projektien näyttämöinä. Artikkelissamme käsittelemme teollisuuskohteeseen liittyviä paikan muuttuvia merkityksiä käyttäen esimerkkinä Varjakan saha-aluetta Oulunsalossa. Muun muassa materiaalista kulttuuria, historiallisia lähteitä ja muistitietoaineistoa hyödyntäen pystymme tarkastelemaan Varjakan elinkaarta tehtaiden toiminnan ajalta aina nykypäivään ja tulevaan käyttöön asti. Aineistomme pohjaa Varjakassa tehtyihin koekaivauksiin, kartoitukseen, muistitiedon keruuseen sekä Varjakan materiaalin arkistotutkimukseen. Artikkelissamme nostamme esiin kysymyksiä sahaympäristöjen ja -yhteisöjen rakennettujen tilojen tulevaisuudesta sekä suojeltuina tiloina, erilaisten toimintojen näyttämöinä, paikallisten identiteetin osana että arkeologisina kohteina. Varjakan saha...
Reindeer herding emerged among the indigenous Sámi of Northern Fennoscandia between ca. 800 and 1... more Reindeer herding emerged among the indigenous Sámi of Northern Fennoscandia between ca. 800 and 1500 CE. While the details of the reindeer domestication process are still actively debated, it has been hypothesized that the transition to reindeer herding affected Sámi ritual practice, especially animal offerings given at various sacred sites. To explore this hypothesis, we analyzed DNA from reindeer bone samples dating to ca. 1200-1700 CE from Sámi offering sites located in present-day Northern Finland as well as from samples originating from ancient dwelling site in Southern Finland and Kola Peninsula, Russia. The results show that haplotypes related to wild Finnish forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus) began to be replaced by haplotypes common in modern domesticated reindeer in the faunal assemblages from offering sites starting between 1400 and 1600 CE. The results suggest that, although the role of reindeer herding in the economy of the Sámi communities varied greatly, the transition to reindeer herding may have affected ritual practices, testifying to a shared way of reciprocating with the land and animals.
Late Iron Age and medieval trade in northern Fennoscandia has arguably often thought to have been... more Late Iron Age and medieval trade in northern Fennoscandia has arguably often thought to have been primarily fur trade. However, recent discoveries of Late Iron Age and early medieval sites in the north together with the reexamination of previous evidence reveals a more nuanced picture and indicates that trade in bulk goods-namely inland stockfish and reindeer productsmay have played a significant role in the northern trade. This article examines both archaeological and zooarchaeological evidence from several sites in northern Fennoscandia from the perspective of trade economy, and it is suggested that the northern trade began to flourish at the beginning of the Viking Age in the early 9th century and may have been driven by the demand of fish by the European markets. It is also suggested that at the beginning of the 13th century at the latest, the trade economic importance of reindeer became prominent and would increasingly remain so up until the historical period. The authors therefore suggest that although the role of furs in the northern trade was significant, reindeer hunting and inland fishing should also be considered to have been of major trade economic importance.
This Special Issue of Religions approaches “Sámi religion” from a long-term perspective seeing bo... more This Special Issue of Religions approaches “Sámi religion” from a long-term perspective seeing both the past religious practices and contemporary religious expressions as aspects of the same phenomena. This does not refer, however, to a focus on continuity or to a static or uniform understanding of Sámi religion. Sámi religion is an ambiguous concept that has to be understood as a pluralistic phenomenon consisting of multiple applications and associations and widely differing interpretations, and that highlights the complexities of processes of religion-making. In a historical perspective and in many contemporary contexts (such as museum displays, media stories, as well as educational programs) the term Sámi religion is mostly used as a reference to Sámi pre-Christian religious practices, to Laestadianism, a Lutheran revival movement that spread among the Sámi during the 19th Century, and last but not least to shamanism. In this issue, we particularly aim to look into contemporary c...
This study focuses on the contemporary use of two well-known Sámi offering sites in Alta, Finnmar... more This study focuses on the contemporary use of two well-known Sámi offering sites in Alta, Finnmark, Norway. Today, these are hiking destinations and sightseeing points for both the Sámi and the non-Sámi local population, as well as a few non-local visitors. Many of these visitors leave objects at the sites, such as parts of recently slaughtered reindeer, clothing, coins, toys, sweet wrappers and toilet paper. This indicates that visitors have different levels of knowledge about and reverence for the traditional significance of these places. Through repeated surveys over several years, we also observed a certain development and change in the number and character of these depositions, as well as a variation in depositions between different sites. A series of interviews with various users and key stakeholders were performed to clarify the reasons for these changing practices, as well as what individuals and groups visit these sites, their motivation for doing so and for leaving specifi...
This paper presents new osteometric and stable isotope evidence of Sámi reindeer offerings. Previ... more This paper presents new osteometric and stable isotope evidence of Sámi reindeer offerings. Previous archaeological studies have shown that reindeer domestication and intensification of reindeer herding transformed Sámi indigenous religion. However, because of the methodological challenges in the identification of wild and domesticated reindeer in the archaeological record, the exact nature of the relationship between people and offered reindeer has remained elusive. To address this problem, we analyze zooarchaeological and stable isotope data from thirteen Sámi offering sites situated in Finland and Sweden and dating to c. 1200-1700 CE. We employ zooarchaeological analysis of age, sex and size and explore the possibilities of these analyses to identify domestication and other characteristics of reindeer selected for offering. Analyses of stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur are utilized to identify human influence on reindeer feeding patterns and mobility. Our results show that many kinds of reindeer with different engagements with people were offered. The results confirm that people had different motives for giving offerings and that a simple dichotomy of wild/domesticated does not adequately reflect the range of relationships the Sámi had with reindeer.
VIEW Journal of European Television History and Culture, 2019
Rauta-aika (The Age of Iron, 1982), a four episode TV-series produced by YLE – the Finnish Broadc... 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.
Supplement 1. Species frequencies per site and language area as number of identified specimens (N... more Supplement 1. Species frequencies per site and language area as number of identified specimens (NISP) and minimum number of individuals (MNI).
individuelles et nationales de souvenir et d'oubli associées au monument font la lumière sur la f... more individuelles et nationales de souvenir et d'oubli associées au monument font la lumière sur la façon dont la commémoration a transformé le décès d'un homme ordinaire en symbole nationaliste à utiliser et exploiter à diverses fins au cours du siècle passé. Keywords memorial. execution site. memorialization. heritagization. nationalism. Finland To forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.-Elie Wiesel (1928-2016) 1
Journal of Community Archaeology & Heritage, 2018
While his dissertation focused on (2003) ceramic cooking pots produced in Roman Africa, his curre... more While his dissertation focused on (2003) ceramic cooking pots produced in Roman Africa, his current research interests include "neo-relics" in contemporary society, the early Medieval period in Northern Finland and the use of native copper in eastern Fennoscandia and northwest Russia during the Neolithic. Janne is principal investigator of the research project "The use of materials and the Neolithisation of NorthEastern Europe (c 6000-1000 BC)" funded by the Academy of Finland (2013-2017). Tiina Äikäs is a post-doctoral researcher funded by the Academy of Finland working in Archaeology at the University of Oulu. Her dissertation (2011) focused on the landscape analyses and site biographies of Sámi offering sites, including their use from Iron Age to present. Tiina's research interests include contemporary archaeology, ritual archaeology, and the use of interviews in archaeological research. She is interested in the meanings of cultural heritage in the contemporary world.
In northern Finland, near the canyon lakes of Julma-Ölkky, Somerjärvi and Rotkojärvi, steep rock ... more In northern Finland, near the canyon lakes of Julma-Ölkky, Somerjärvi and Rotkojärvi, steep rock cliffs produce distinctive acoustic spaces. On these cliffs, prehistoric rock paintings (5200 to 1000 BC) as well as an ancient Sámi offering site (circa 1100 to present) can be found. Ethnographic sources describe that the Sámi used to sing and listen to echoes while making offerings there. This article presents the results of an archaeoacoustic research project that seeks to explore the role of sound in the development and use of these archaeological sites. The innovative set of methods includes multichannel impulse response recording, angle-of-arrival estimation of early reflections, spectrum analysis, digital image processing and 3D laser scanning. On the basis of the analyses, it is concluded that the cliffs that have been painted or held as sacred are efficient sound reflectors. They create discrete echoes and, accordingly, phantom sound sources. Especially at the Värikallio cliff near Lake Somerjärvi, the sound appears to emanate directly from the painted figures. These results, together with previously unnoticed drumming figures in the Värikallio painting, provide a clue to the significance of the sound rituals at these sacred sites.
Neo-relics, constructions borrowing their looks from ancient structures or sites ranging from the... more Neo-relics, constructions borrowing their looks from ancient structures or sites ranging from the mighty Stonehenge to a humble Troy town, have been recently erected in different parts of Finland. While they are often seen in authorized heritage discourse as a potential threat, 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 regarding their authenticity by applying Cornelius Holtorf's materialistically infused constructivist definition of pastness-a property related to object's age-value rather than its actual age-to find out how 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 them to be embraced as a novel way for people to experience and interact with the past.
This chapter approaches two ritual sites located in the territory of modern Finland from the pers... more This chapter approaches two ritual sites located in the territory of modern Finland from the perspective of heritage-making. Taatsi is an offering site used by indigenous Saami starting from the 10th century AD, whereas Jönsas is a cemetery site connected with the Stone Age populations but used also in the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. What is common to these sites is that they have been used and reused for long periods and gained new meanings also in the contemporary world. By using a site-biographical approach, we suggest that past and present ritual activities, along with other meaning-making processes, such as town planning and youth gatherings, have all been an important part of the heritage-making processes of the Taatsi and Jönsas sites. Accordingly, we propose that archaeological sites should be seen as active places that have obtained changing meanings during and after their original use. Based on the life histories of these two sites, we further suggest that the core idea of heritage existed already deep in prehistory.
In this paper, we study the role of power animals in contemporary Saami shamanism and how past an... more In this paper, we study the role of power animals in contemporary Saami shamanism and how past and present are entwined in the presentation of power animals. In the old Saami worldviews, in addition to animals, spirits and sacred rocks (sieidi, SaaN) were also considered to be able to interact with people. Animals were an important part of offering rituals because livelihood and rituals were intertwined. Past “religions” are used as an inspiration for contemporary shamanistic practices, in line with one of late modernity’s core concepts, namely creativity. Present-day shamanistic practices can be described as ritual creativity, and they combine traces of old and new ritual activities. At the shamanistic festival Isogaisa, organized in northern Norway, these different roles of animals and ritual creativity become evident. Here, animals appear as spirit animals, as well as decorative elements on drums and clothes and as performance. In this paper, we combine material culture studies, ...
This article presents the results of a combined archaeological and cultural anthropological study... more This article presents the results of a combined archaeological and cultural anthropological study of 170 horse burials at a pet (companion animal) cemetery in Mikonkangas, Oulu, Finland. The applied methods include archaeological documentation, interviews with the horse caretakers, and visits to the site. Contrary to socially and legislatively controlled human burial grounds with organized maintenance, companion animal cemeteries with their inherent do-it-yourself character are often displays for more spontaneous expressions of grief and longing. The evidence of remembrance varies from nearly unmarked graves to elaborate memorials with headstones, epitaphs, flowers, and personal objects. The thought of a reunion in the afterlife is evident in some of the epitaphs and could also have influenced the use of crosses and angel symbols on some of the graves.
"In Northern Finland, by the rock painting of Värikallio (ca. 3000–500 BC), several echoes c... more "In Northern Finland, by the rock painting of Värikallio (ca. 3000–500 BC), several echoes can be heard. The most remarkable of these appear to be originating from the painted rock itself. The article presents the first results of the research project that seeks to explore the role of sound in the development and use of Finnish rock art and Sámi offering sites. Field recordings, made at the site of Värikallio in summer 2013, are analyzed with a sound analysis and visualization toolkit, and interpreted with the help of GIS data and a 3D model of the site. A probable depiction of a drummer, identified in the painting in the course of the fieldwork, provides a further clue to the significance of sound rituals at rock paintings."
In autumn 2012, samples were taken from three sieidi stones in order to test blood residue analys... more In autumn 2012, samples were taken from three sieidi stones in order to test blood residue analysis as a method for identifying marks of Sámi sacrifi cial practices. Prior to the fi eldwork, test samples were taken from stones that the authors smeared with blood and left outside fi rst for six and then for fi ve more months. Altogether 19 samples from sieidi stones were analysed. Prior research has not concentrated on blood traces on stones that are exposed to sunlight. The analyses using mass spectrometry revealed that blood proteins could be identifi ed in the test stones. There were nevertheless indications of a rapid disintegration of the blood proteins when exposed to open-air conditions. All the samples from sieidi stones gave a negative result. Currently it is unclear whether the degradation of blood proteins has exceeded the detection limit of the method, or whether sacrifi cial practices at those sites did not include blood offerings.
Vanhat teollisuusympäristöt ovat viime vuosina saaneet osakseen huomiota, kun niitä on purettu, m... more Vanhat teollisuusympäristöt ovat viime vuosina saaneet osakseen huomiota, kun niitä on purettu, muutettu asuinalueiksi ja virkistyskäyttöön mutta myös käytetty sellaisenaan esimerkiksi urbaanin löytöretkeilyn ja taiteellisten projektien näyttämöinä. Artikkelissamme käsittelemme teollisuuskohteeseen liittyviä paikan muuttuvia merkityksiä käyttäen esimerkkinä Varjakan saha-aluetta Oulunsalossa. Muun muassa materiaalista kulttuuria, historiallisia lähteitä ja muistitietoaineistoa hyödyntäen pystymme tarkastelemaan Varjakan elinkaarta tehtaiden toiminnan ajalta aina nykypäivään ja tulevaan käyttöön asti. Aineistomme pohjaa Varjakassa tehtyihin koekaivauksiin, kartoitukseen, muistitiedon keruuseen sekä Varjakan materiaalin arkistotutkimukseen. Artikkelissamme nostamme esiin kysymyksiä sahaympäristöjen ja -yhteisöjen rakennettujen tilojen tulevaisuudesta sekä suojeltuina tiloina, erilaisten toimintojen näyttämöinä, paikallisten identiteetin osana että arkeologisina kohteina. Varjakan saha...
Reindeer herding emerged among the indigenous Sámi of Northern Fennoscandia between ca. 800 and 1... more Reindeer herding emerged among the indigenous Sámi of Northern Fennoscandia between ca. 800 and 1500 CE. While the details of the reindeer domestication process are still actively debated, it has been hypothesized that the transition to reindeer herding affected Sámi ritual practice, especially animal offerings given at various sacred sites. To explore this hypothesis, we analyzed DNA from reindeer bone samples dating to ca. 1200-1700 CE from Sámi offering sites located in present-day Northern Finland as well as from samples originating from ancient dwelling site in Southern Finland and Kola Peninsula, Russia. The results show that haplotypes related to wild Finnish forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus) began to be replaced by haplotypes common in modern domesticated reindeer in the faunal assemblages from offering sites starting between 1400 and 1600 CE. The results suggest that, although the role of reindeer herding in the economy of the Sámi communities varied greatly, the transition to reindeer herding may have affected ritual practices, testifying to a shared way of reciprocating with the land and animals.
Late Iron Age and medieval trade in northern Fennoscandia has arguably often thought to have been... more Late Iron Age and medieval trade in northern Fennoscandia has arguably often thought to have been primarily fur trade. However, recent discoveries of Late Iron Age and early medieval sites in the north together with the reexamination of previous evidence reveals a more nuanced picture and indicates that trade in bulk goods-namely inland stockfish and reindeer productsmay have played a significant role in the northern trade. This article examines both archaeological and zooarchaeological evidence from several sites in northern Fennoscandia from the perspective of trade economy, and it is suggested that the northern trade began to flourish at the beginning of the Viking Age in the early 9th century and may have been driven by the demand of fish by the European markets. It is also suggested that at the beginning of the 13th century at the latest, the trade economic importance of reindeer became prominent and would increasingly remain so up until the historical period. The authors therefore suggest that although the role of furs in the northern trade was significant, reindeer hunting and inland fishing should also be considered to have been of major trade economic importance.
This Special Issue of Religions approaches “Sámi religion” from a long-term perspective seeing bo... more This Special Issue of Religions approaches “Sámi religion” from a long-term perspective seeing both the past religious practices and contemporary religious expressions as aspects of the same phenomena. This does not refer, however, to a focus on continuity or to a static or uniform understanding of Sámi religion. Sámi religion is an ambiguous concept that has to be understood as a pluralistic phenomenon consisting of multiple applications and associations and widely differing interpretations, and that highlights the complexities of processes of religion-making. In a historical perspective and in many contemporary contexts (such as museum displays, media stories, as well as educational programs) the term Sámi religion is mostly used as a reference to Sámi pre-Christian religious practices, to Laestadianism, a Lutheran revival movement that spread among the Sámi during the 19th Century, and last but not least to shamanism. In this issue, we particularly aim to look into contemporary c...
This study focuses on the contemporary use of two well-known Sámi offering sites in Alta, Finnmar... more This study focuses on the contemporary use of two well-known Sámi offering sites in Alta, Finnmark, Norway. Today, these are hiking destinations and sightseeing points for both the Sámi and the non-Sámi local population, as well as a few non-local visitors. Many of these visitors leave objects at the sites, such as parts of recently slaughtered reindeer, clothing, coins, toys, sweet wrappers and toilet paper. This indicates that visitors have different levels of knowledge about and reverence for the traditional significance of these places. Through repeated surveys over several years, we also observed a certain development and change in the number and character of these depositions, as well as a variation in depositions between different sites. A series of interviews with various users and key stakeholders were performed to clarify the reasons for these changing practices, as well as what individuals and groups visit these sites, their motivation for doing so and for leaving specifi...
This paper presents new osteometric and stable isotope evidence of Sámi reindeer offerings. Previ... more This paper presents new osteometric and stable isotope evidence of Sámi reindeer offerings. Previous archaeological studies have shown that reindeer domestication and intensification of reindeer herding transformed Sámi indigenous religion. However, because of the methodological challenges in the identification of wild and domesticated reindeer in the archaeological record, the exact nature of the relationship between people and offered reindeer has remained elusive. To address this problem, we analyze zooarchaeological and stable isotope data from thirteen Sámi offering sites situated in Finland and Sweden and dating to c. 1200-1700 CE. We employ zooarchaeological analysis of age, sex and size and explore the possibilities of these analyses to identify domestication and other characteristics of reindeer selected for offering. Analyses of stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur are utilized to identify human influence on reindeer feeding patterns and mobility. Our results show that many kinds of reindeer with different engagements with people were offered. The results confirm that people had different motives for giving offerings and that a simple dichotomy of wild/domesticated does not adequately reflect the range of relationships the Sámi had with reindeer.
VIEW Journal of European Television History and Culture, 2019
Rauta-aika (The Age of Iron, 1982), a four episode TV-series produced by YLE – the Finnish Broadc... 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.
Supplement 1. Species frequencies per site and language area as number of identified specimens (N... more Supplement 1. Species frequencies per site and language area as number of identified specimens (NISP) and minimum number of individuals (MNI).
individuelles et nationales de souvenir et d'oubli associées au monument font la lumière sur la f... more individuelles et nationales de souvenir et d'oubli associées au monument font la lumière sur la façon dont la commémoration a transformé le décès d'un homme ordinaire en symbole nationaliste à utiliser et exploiter à diverses fins au cours du siècle passé. Keywords memorial. execution site. memorialization. heritagization. nationalism. Finland To forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.-Elie Wiesel (1928-2016) 1
Journal of Community Archaeology & Heritage, 2018
While his dissertation focused on (2003) ceramic cooking pots produced in Roman Africa, his curre... more While his dissertation focused on (2003) ceramic cooking pots produced in Roman Africa, his current research interests include "neo-relics" in contemporary society, the early Medieval period in Northern Finland and the use of native copper in eastern Fennoscandia and northwest Russia during the Neolithic. Janne is principal investigator of the research project "The use of materials and the Neolithisation of NorthEastern Europe (c 6000-1000 BC)" funded by the Academy of Finland (2013-2017). Tiina Äikäs is a post-doctoral researcher funded by the Academy of Finland working in Archaeology at the University of Oulu. Her dissertation (2011) focused on the landscape analyses and site biographies of Sámi offering sites, including their use from Iron Age to present. Tiina's research interests include contemporary archaeology, ritual archaeology, and the use of interviews in archaeological research. She is interested in the meanings of cultural heritage in the contemporary world.
In northern Finland, near the canyon lakes of Julma-Ölkky, Somerjärvi and Rotkojärvi, steep rock ... more In northern Finland, near the canyon lakes of Julma-Ölkky, Somerjärvi and Rotkojärvi, steep rock cliffs produce distinctive acoustic spaces. On these cliffs, prehistoric rock paintings (5200 to 1000 BC) as well as an ancient Sámi offering site (circa 1100 to present) can be found. Ethnographic sources describe that the Sámi used to sing and listen to echoes while making offerings there. This article presents the results of an archaeoacoustic research project that seeks to explore the role of sound in the development and use of these archaeological sites. The innovative set of methods includes multichannel impulse response recording, angle-of-arrival estimation of early reflections, spectrum analysis, digital image processing and 3D laser scanning. On the basis of the analyses, it is concluded that the cliffs that have been painted or held as sacred are efficient sound reflectors. They create discrete echoes and, accordingly, phantom sound sources. Especially at the Värikallio cliff near Lake Somerjärvi, the sound appears to emanate directly from the painted figures. These results, together with previously unnoticed drumming figures in the Värikallio painting, provide a clue to the significance of the sound rituals at these sacred sites.
Neo-relics, constructions borrowing their looks from ancient structures or sites ranging from the... more Neo-relics, constructions borrowing their looks from ancient structures or sites ranging from the mighty Stonehenge to a humble Troy town, have been recently erected in different parts of Finland. While they are often seen in authorized heritage discourse as a potential threat, 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 regarding their authenticity by applying Cornelius Holtorf's materialistically infused constructivist definition of pastness-a property related to object's age-value rather than its actual age-to find out how 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 them to be embraced as a novel way for people to experience and interact with the past.
In this paper, we consider the use of Sámi sacrificial places called sieidi in terms of their cha... more In this paper, we consider the use of Sámi sacrificial places called sieidi in terms of their changing meanings to the Sámi people at the meeting point of the indigenous northern tradition and colonial expansion of the agrarian/Christian culture from the south. The paper is based on evidence from written sources and material from excavations that were conducted at six sieidi sites during the years 2008–2009. Sieidi sites have had a long period of use – since the late Iron Age until the 18th century or even present. During this time, the influence of Church and agrarian society has increased in the North, and the peoples’ attitudes towards the indigenous beliefs have varied from destroying the pagan sites to scientific curiosity and simultaneous use of Christian churches and sieidi sites. The Sámi attitudes towards the sacrificial sites of their ethnic religion have been in constant dialogue with the colonial and the subsequent post-colonial/neo-colonial contacts with the people from the south. The use of the sieidi sites has in some cases been a hidden and shameful secret, whereas in other cases, it has been a vital part of the local identity.
During summer 2008 three Sámi offering sites (sieidi) were excavated in Utsjoki (Ohcejohka), Enon... more During summer 2008 three Sámi offering sites (sieidi) were excavated in Utsjoki (Ohcejohka), Enontekiö (Eanodat) and Kittilä (Gihttel). The excavations were part of the “Human-animal relationship among Finland´s Sámi” –project. One of the research questions was to study the ritual activities at the sites. The written sources that describe sieidi sites are of relatively late date and they were mainly written by priests who had their own views about Sámi ethnic religion. Hence from the study of the material remains we can gain new knowledge about the ritual activities.
Another important aspect is the long use of the sieidi sites. During the excavations also finds from recent years were documented. These help to examine the re-use of the site and the site biography. The meanings attached to the sites vary during time and among different groups of people.
Maiseman kokemisessa yhdistyvät kaikkien aistien välittämät aistihavainnot sekä niiden saamat mer... more Maiseman kokemisessa yhdistyvät kaikkien aistien välittämät aistihavainnot sekä niiden saamat merkitykset. Maisemantutkimus on kuitenkin pitkään painottunut näköhavaintoja. Tuomalla muutkin aistit osaksi maisemantutkimusta saadaan kokonaisvaltaisempi kuva ihmisen kokemusmaailmasta. Esitelmässäni pohdin äänten merkitystä maiseman kokemisessa käyttäen esimerkkinä saamelaisten pyhiä paikkoja. Koska monet näistä paikoista ovat tunnettuja ainoastaan historiallisista lähteistä ja arkeologisten löytöjen kautta, ovat tutkimuksen kohteena jo vaienneet äänet.
Äänet ovat merkittävä osa myös rituaaleja ja pyhyyden kokemista. Saamelaisten pyhät paikat ovat luonnonpaikkoja, joissa ei usein näy ulkoisia merkkejä ihmisen toiminnasta. Pyhäksi on voitu kokea esimerkiksi tunturi, saari tai uhrikivi eli seita. Myös pyhiin paikkoihin liittyvät äänet ovat toisaalta luonnon aikaansaamia ja toisaalta rituaaleihin liittyviä.
Lähestyn saamelaisten rituaaliseen maisemaan liittyviä ääniä kolmella tavalla, joita ovat GIS, äänikävelyt ja kirjalliset lähteet. Paikkatietoanalyysien (GIS) avulla hahmotetaan pyhien paikkojen ympärille alueita, joilla jokin ääni on ollut kuultavissa. Tässä tarkastelun kohteena on vesi pyhien paikkojen äänimaiseman elementtinä. Toinen tapa lähestyä menneitä äänimaisemia on nykyisten äänten kirjaaminen. Vaikkei näin tavoitetakaan jo kadonneita ääniä, avataan tutkijan korvat äänten moninaisuudelle. Kolmas keino lähestyä pyhien paikkojen äänimaisemia ovat kirjalliset lähteet, joissa on kuvattu rituaaleihin liittyviä ääniä sekä sitä, minkälaiset äänet katsottiin soveliaiksi pyhillä paikoilla. GIS:n, äänikävelyjen ja kirjallisten lähteiden pohjalta hahmottuu kuva siitä, mitkä olivat rituaalisten maisemien merkityksellisiä ääniä, ns. äänimaamerkkejä.
Multiple collaborations and interchanges have been conducted between archaeologists and artists d... more Multiple collaborations and interchanges have been conducted between archaeologists and artists during the past 20 years or so. Archaeology has, for example, inspired street art, performances, and literature to mention but a few. Aside from art itself, these projects have created a new venue in which archaeological topics and interpretations can be expressed to a wider audience that might not be interested in traditional museum exhibitions. However, as has been pointed out, the traffic has mainly been moving in one direction: from artist to archaeology. Indeed, even when archaeologists have invited the artists, archaeology has worked as an inspiration to art while artistic practices as methods to understand the past have not been as commonly explored. However, art could provide archaeologists with e.g., tactile, sensual and non-discursive knowledge of the world, not easily obtained by standard scientific practice. Art can also be employed to engage the public with cultural heritage and the past.
We are planning to organize a session entitled “Indigenous perspectives on historical archaeology... more We are planning to organize a session entitled “Indigenous perspectives on historical archaeology of colonialism” in the SHA (Society for Historical Archaeology: https://sha.org/conferences/) conference in Texas in January 2017. The session will focus on colonial encounters between indigenous peoples and European state powers from a trans-indigenous perspective (see abstract attached). The deadline for the paper abstracts is already at the end of June so we wish to have a preliminary list of papers by the end of May. If you are interested, contact us with your preliminary title before that. tiina.aikas@oulu.fi
Please feel free to circulate the session this to anyone who might be interested.
Some Sámi offering sites have been used for over a thousand years. During this time the offering ... more Some Sámi offering sites have been used for over a thousand years. During this time the offering traditions have changed and new people have started using the places. Contemporary archaeological finds give evidence of both continuing traditions and new meanings attached to these sites, as well as to sites that were probably not originally used for rituals in the Sámi ethnic religion. In some cases the authenticty of the place seems to lie in the stories and current beliefs more than in a historical continuity or any specifically sacred aspects of the topography or nature it is situated in. Today´s new users include e.g. local (Sámi) people, tourists, and neo-pagans. This paper discusses what informs these users both about what places are offering sites and about how they should relate to them. What roles do scholarly tradition, heritage tourism, and internal cultural have in (re)defining Sámi offering sites and similarly what roles do “appropriate” rituals have in ascribing meaning to particular places? How do we mediate wishes for multivocality with our professional opinions when it comes to defining sacredness?
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.
New deadline 19 February 2018: Please submit your paper abstract for EAA 2018 session #483: "Road... more New deadline 19 February 2018: Please submit your paper abstract for EAA 2018 session #483: "Roads of the North. Medieval and Early Modern Infrastructure of Travel and Exchange in the Far North" at https://e-a-a.org/EAA2018. Any questions about the session can be directed to Marte Spangen by email (see details in CfP) or here at academia.edu.
Colonial encounters between indigenous peoples and European state powers are overarching themes i... more Colonial encounters between indigenous peoples and European state powers are overarching themes in the historical archaeology of the modern era, and postcolonial historical archaeology has repeatedly emphasized the complex two-way nature of colonial encounters. This volume examines common trajectories in indigenous colonial histories, and explores new ways to understand cultural contact, hybridization and power relations between indigenous peoples and colonial powers from the indigenous point of view. By bringing together a wide geographical range and combining multiple sources such as oral histories, historical records, and contemporary discourses with archaeological data, the volume finds new multivocal interpretations of colonial histories.
This study focuses on the contemporary use of two well-known Sámi offering sites in Alta, Finnmar... more This study focuses on the contemporary use of two well-known Sámi offering sites in Alta, Finnmark, Norway. Today, these are hiking destinations and sightseeing points for both the Sámi and the non-Sámi local population, as well as a few non-local visitors. Many of these visitors leave objects at the sites, such as parts of recently slaughtered reindeer, clothing, coins, toys, sweet wrappers and toilet paper. This indicates that visitors have different levels of knowledge about and reverence for the traditional significance of these places. Through repeated surveys over several years, we also observed a certain development and change in the number and character of these depositions, as well as a variation in depositions between different sites. A series of interviews with various users and key stakeholders were performed to clarify the reasons for these changing practices, as well as what individuals and groups visit these sites, their motivation for doing so and for leaving specific objects, and what potential conflict of interest there is between different users. Furthermore, we surveyed what information has been available to the public about these sites and their significance in Sámi religion and cultural history over time. The results show that a diverse group of individuals visit the sites for a variety of reasons, and that there are contrasting views on their use, even among different Sámi stakeholders. While it is difficult to limit the knowledge and use of these places because they are already well known, more information about old Sámi ritual practices and appropriate behaviour at such sites may mediate latent conflicts and promote a better understanding of the importance of offering sites in both past and present Sámi societies.
The marketplace in Kolari, Northern Finland was used until the 1880s. Located on Kolarinsaari isl... more The marketplace in Kolari, Northern Finland was used until the 1880s. Located on Kolarinsaari island on the Muonionjoki river in close proximity to the Kolari church, it was a winter meeting place for local farmers and Sámi, as well as for tradesmen from the areas that are now Sweden, Finland, and Karelia. Archaeological excavations were carried out in summer 2018 and in connection to these, soil geochemical values were analysed. This paper focuses on the Kolari marketplace as a part of a landscape shared by Swedes, Finns, and Sámi. Furthermore, through the soil analyses we examine the intercultural interactions that took place during the winter market and scrutinize how different activities, people, and animals were located in the marketplace as well as in the wider landscape surrounding the marketplace. The latter is approached using GIS analysis and Tim Ingold's concept of taskscape. This case study shows how the historical archaeology of landscapes and taskscapes can contribute to our understanding of contacts and multicultural encounters between the Sámi and other groups.
Uploads
Papers by Tiina Äikäs
Another important aspect is the long use of the sieidi sites. During the excavations also finds from recent years were documented. These help to examine the re-use of the site and the site biography. The meanings attached to the sites vary during time and among different groups of people.
Äänet ovat merkittävä osa myös rituaaleja ja pyhyyden kokemista. Saamelaisten pyhät paikat ovat luonnonpaikkoja, joissa ei usein näy ulkoisia merkkejä ihmisen toiminnasta. Pyhäksi on voitu kokea esimerkiksi tunturi, saari tai uhrikivi eli seita. Myös pyhiin paikkoihin liittyvät äänet ovat toisaalta luonnon aikaansaamia ja toisaalta rituaaleihin liittyviä.
Lähestyn saamelaisten rituaaliseen maisemaan liittyviä ääniä kolmella tavalla, joita ovat GIS, äänikävelyt ja kirjalliset lähteet. Paikkatietoanalyysien (GIS) avulla hahmotetaan pyhien paikkojen ympärille alueita, joilla jokin ääni on ollut kuultavissa. Tässä tarkastelun kohteena on vesi pyhien paikkojen äänimaiseman elementtinä. Toinen tapa lähestyä menneitä äänimaisemia on nykyisten äänten kirjaaminen. Vaikkei näin tavoitetakaan jo kadonneita ääniä, avataan tutkijan korvat äänten moninaisuudelle. Kolmas keino lähestyä pyhien paikkojen äänimaisemia ovat kirjalliset lähteet, joissa on kuvattu rituaaleihin liittyviä ääniä sekä sitä, minkälaiset äänet katsottiin soveliaiksi pyhillä paikoilla. GIS:n, äänikävelyjen ja kirjallisten lähteiden pohjalta hahmottuu kuva siitä, mitkä olivat rituaalisten maisemien merkityksellisiä ääniä, ns. äänimaamerkkejä.
Please feel free to circulate the session this to anyone who might be interested.
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.