Made by History

If the third week in Savukoski had to be summarized using only one word, it definitely would be "documentation". After two weeks of preparations and initial work with the first excavation layers of each trench, the excavations started to suddenly speed up and it was time to carefully document each layer that we had uncovered. It was also time to dig into the potential trapping pit of Malmio 2 using a bit heavier machinery than archaeologists are traditionally known for! Eagerly awaiting what will be revealed. Drawing the podzol. As each archaeological site gets destroyed as it's being excavated, it's vital to pay attention to exact documentation. To get a good overview of what we're excavating and to document all features that we face, it's typical to excavate in thin layers. This means digging 5 cm evenly around the whole excavation trench, revealing an excavation layer which is then documented both by drawing and photographing. When drawin...

Due to some changes in the schedule, planned advances on the oldest site of Lapland were pushed back a bit and instead we focused on the three other trenches we had already opened the week before. In this post I'm giving some insight into the methods we're using to locate the sites we're excavating for the following weeks. As a case study, I will share the first steps we made at the Malmio 10B site by the lush coast of lake Loitsana in Savukoski. Digging the first layer of the Malmio 10B test trenches . Malmio 10B  is a Stone Age site that was found in the 2013 archaeological field survey. Based on factors such as topography and locations of waterways, the survey team visited the most suitable areas for human habitation through time. There were multiple shovel test pits done in such areas and at Malmio 10B, these pits revealed a wide cultural layer rich in quartz flakes and burnt bones. Based on the distribution of these pits, the human influenced area was e...

Last week I once again joined the payroll of the Finnish Heritage Agency, but this time the work was something entirely different. Instead of traveling around the country like last year, I'm stationed in the municipality of Savukoski for two months. By opening twelve excavation trenches around the far eastern parts of the Finnish Lapland, we're hoping to get a glimpse into the life of the first humans who set their foot in Lapland more than 10,000 years ago. Preparing an excavation area with a total station. Savukoski is one of the cradles of early human habitation in Finland and one would think that any archaeologist would be eager to be the one to research it. However, due to the relatively isolated location of the potential sites and lack of funding for archaeological research, the sites have seen very little research and all finds from the area are from field surveys. Thus, our excavation has a plenty of potential to shed light into the distant past of the whol...