Tuesday 24 September 2019

Malmkulla 4200 BC

Last weekend we made a short but successfull trial excavation of the Malmkulla early comb ceramic dwelling site situated in the town of Raseborg (Karis) SW Finland. The extent of the site as well as
it´s preservation is poorly known. Only one small scale excavation had been carried out here before (in 1979).

The excavation team with archaeologist Janne Soisalo in the middle at the start of day one.

In order to gain a better understanding of the results of the excavation in 1979 we decided to open up a small trial excavation area in it´s immediate vicinity. The results obtained here would then later serve as a starting point for observations in the surrounding area.


The trial excavation area before excavation ...

... and with the topsoil removed.

Soon after the start of the excavation it became obvious that the area was covered with a 30 cm thick layer of disturbed soil (although containing stone-age finds). Underneath this the original topsoil could be observed and beneath this the undisturbed stone-age cultural layer.

Profile towards the east showing the disturbed soil on top of the original topsoil.

The untouched stone age find layer varied in depth between 20-40 cm:s and was quite rich in a wide variety of finds all dating to the younger phase of the early comb ceramic culture.




 A variety of finds from the trial excavation includinp potsherds, ornate burnt bone artefacts, a fragment of a clay figurine and slate and quartz tools.

During the smallscale trial excavation it became obvious that the site had been somewhat misinterpreted in 1979 (considered mostly destroyed and with no coloured find layer). Instead the actual extent of the site was quite large and the find layer clearly brown and grey coloured.

Greyish brown coloured find layer some 30 cm:s below ground surface.

After the excavation was finished we filled in the trial excavation area and the test pits. We will continue excavating the site in 2020.

Finishing off the 2019 trial excavation.

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