Tomorrow WW2 conflict archaeology Deutsches Lager Hanko (5-11.10.2015).

In the footsteps of German soldiers an WW 2 prisoners of war. This will be the last excavation of the site this season. I will be updating here every day starting tomorrow evening. Stay tuned!

Sovjet prosioners of war outside the former German barracks in Hanko in the autumn of 1944. Photo SA-kuva.

One of the barracks of the camp photographed in 2014.

A great excavation weekend in Raseborg

Rounding up the 2015 dig at the Långåmossarna site. Lots of nice finds from around 4300 BC this time too (large potsherds, large fragments of burnt bone etc.) and some nice features that kept us busy until the last minutes.

Large potsherds of so called Ka I:2 pottery (ca 4300 BC)

The potsherds were collected with the greatest care in order to investigate their stone-age contents through starch analysis. Radiocarbon samples will also be prepared from the charcoal remains on the inside of the potsherds!

Digging a large hearth or a refuse pit.

4.10.2015.

This years excavation was the largest community archaeology dig so far on this site. The total number of participants was around 60 people! I would like to thank each and everyone of the participants for a job well done. 

I would especially like to thank Göran Fagerstedt and my trustworthy archaeology students Jimena, Anu and Max for helping me with the fieldwork.

The excavation was financed by "Svenska Kulturfonden" "Karis musei- och hembygdsförening" and "Sällskapet Natura".

Up for a date with "Lippotena Cervi" (deer fly)

"Lippotena Cervi"'

While fighting off the deer flies we will also be rounding off the excavation of the 4000 B.C stone-age dwelling site at Långåmossarna in Raseborg S Finland on the lookout for lipids and starch on comb ceramic potsherds. See video below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iztPMTMee5I

Working full time, writing my dissertation about the WWII German transition camp and Ukrainian prisoner of war camp in Hanko S. Finland.

The documentation work is almost finished!

Ruins of one of the "Mannschaftsbaracke" in 2014 (thank God I got there in time to document it before it was demolished.)

The fieldwork with local schools has been a success!

Students from Hangö Gymnasium and Hankoniemen lukio dig in (2015)

The finds are overwhelming!

You can look into the research process on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1392847977683622/?fref=ts

or on Academia.edu.fi

https://www.academia.edu/s/1b18c8b704?source=news

Documenting the Telegrafberget site

Today I spent one day documenting the Telegrafberget site were we cleared off vegetation earlier this summer. The light was exeptionally good, resulting in some great photos of this Optical Telegraph station from the Crimean war on Kimitoön SW Finland.

The building remains consist of three separate features (I-III). In the upcoming weeks we will try to get photos of the site from above using a drone.

 Feature I, from SW

  Feature I, from S.

  Feature I, from NE.

Feature I, NE corner.

 Feature II (between features I and III), from E.

  Feature III, SE corner.

 Feature III, from N.

The rain came pouring down over "Deutsches Lager Hanko"

But we managed to do some 6 hours of intense fieldwork despite of the wind and the rain.

Autumn weather in DL Hanko today. Photo Yle.

Many interesting items of both military and civilian nature today although I can only post a few here because of having most of them securely packed down in plastic bags in the fridge (awaiting conservation).

(Me myself and I) documenting the excvation process.Photo by J. Knuuttila.

A few of todays finds! A Gebirgsjäger aluminium tent peg, Ink bottles, a  brass kettle, fork and spoon etc etc..

Todays finds also included several plastic German moisture lenses for the Gasmask (1940) along with beautifully preserved Ink- and (Mouson) perfume bottles...

Along with Ink- and Mouson perfume bottles

 Mouson Haut 0,1 l.

Because of the bad weather we won´t be able to excavate tomorrow but the dig will continue in october. Please join us then!

Over 50 000 vistors mark of JFArchaeology crossed today!

I would like to thank You all for the continuing interest in my work and archaeological research in Finland in general!

Best,

Jan

Pizza time ;)

Deutsches Lager Hanko day two (1.9)

Another great day with a multitude of different fnds illustrating the daily activities of the German WW2 transition camp. The many different types of finds occasionally makes the site very difficult to excavate.

Cans and buckets litter the WW2 dump area.

Among the food cans we found aa awesome  range of personal and other artefacts including many paper items.

A package of "Juno Zigarretten"

The finds included leather items, wine- ink- and other bottles, different types of bakelite items as well as combs, mirror fragments, land pins and luggage tags and even a large candle holder from a Christmas tree.

"Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin"

 Christmas tree candle holder!

Wine bottle coming up :)

The weather report for tomorrow suggests it will be a rainy day. Because of the many paper items in the soil digging in the rain is not an option. 

Surprisingly large amounts  of 70-year old paper stuff has been found during the excavations :)

Deutsches Lager Hanko day one (31.8)

The dig started off in perfect summer weather, the sea was totally calm too. Today was quite a short day were we only concentrated on the excavation area from june, making sure it was dug to the bottom.

Brushing finds "in situ".

I was slightly surprised in the amount of finds though the layers were clean yellow sand. Some 12 + food cans a couple of bottles and beer capsules were among the more frequent finds.

Food ration cans.

We also found some smoking utensils such as a German cigarrette box (Echt Orient) and even one cigarrette. Seems like the sandy soil has helped preserve paper items.. A mirror and a comb were the only finds associated with personal hygiene today.

 Lemonade bottle.

Todays "Reichspfennig" coins were from 1940 and 1941...

 10 Reichspfennig (1940)

Back to "Deutsches Lager Hanko" 31.8 - 3.9.2015

Finally it´s time to continue were we left off in june 2015. We will continue  excavating the first large German WW2 dump we located in the area in the autumn of 2014. There are at least two others too but at the moment we will be taking it slow and concentrate on the documentation.

Wehrmacht standard food cans from "Deutsches Lager Hanko".

This is only the start of the conflict archaeology excavations of this large WW2 site. The excavations are a part of my doctoral dissertation about the camp. Other fieldwork will take me on roadtrips to the Eismeerfront and to Germany (Bremen and Berlin) and Austria  (Wienna) in the year to come.

More cans "in situ"... :)

The buildings that have stood the test of time for 70 + years are also being documented, drawn and published as part of the project but more about this interesting part of the project later.

 Gebirgsjäger  Bergschuhe "in situ".

Quality research takes time and patience

Several people have been asking me about the status of the "Deutsches Lager Hanko 1942-1944" project, results of interviews and the upcoming book and exhibition. Below are some answers to the more FAQ:s.

- Interviews with locals living in Hanko start next week. Next Tuesday I will also be making telephone calls to all of You in Hanko who want to participate in my research!

- All schools and other educational institutions in Hanko will be contacted about the project next week!

- Archaeological excavations of "Deutsches Lager Hanko" will take place from 31.8-3.9.2015. Anyone interested in participating should  email me at jfarchaeology@gmail.com. More excavations will take place in October 2015!

- Archive and other research will start after the first meeting with fellow researchers @ the University of Helsinki on the 4th of september 2105.

- A first trip to Bremen and  war archives in Germany is scheduled for November 2015.

- An exhibition of the project has been agreed upon with Hanko Museum and will be shown in Hanko in 2017.

- A book with the theme "Deutsches Lager Hanko 1942-1944" will be presented in Hanko in 2017.

Best,

Jan Fast

The WW2 conflict archaeology project "Deutsches Lager Hanko 1942-1944" announces new excavations in 2015!

The archaeological excavation of the WW2 Ukrainian prisoner of war camp and the large German transition camp in Hanko S. Finland continue in September and October!! The digs are part of my doctoral dissertation of the camp.

German and Finnish soldier in the harbour of  Hanko S. Finland probably in 1942. Photo SA-kuva.

The first leg of the excavations is scheduled for 31.8 - 3.9. 2015.  The second dig will probably be from 5.10 - 11.10.2015. Anyone interested in WW2 history or archaeology is invited to participate. There is no participation fee and all necessary digging equipment is provided on site by JFArchaeology.

The scientific research has made possible by grants from "Sparbanksstiftelsen i Hangö" and the photographic art project ("Poetic Archaeology") is funded by "Vetenskapsrådet" (Sweden). The excavations are carried out in close co-operation with the National Board of Antiquities, Hanko Museum, the City of Hanko and Metsähallitus. Permits for the excavations have been granted by the landowner (city of Hanko). All finds are documented, catalogued and kept at Hanko Museum.

Luftwaffe eagle.

Bakelite box for the Gebirgsgeschütz 36.

Razor parts.

Food can and ink bottle (Faber)

Digging a pair of  "Gebirgsjäger" boots.

The excavation will produce large amounts of period finds illustrating the German military prescence in Hanko during WW2. I invite local as well as foreign participants to join the dig. Send your letters of interest to jfarchaeology@gmail.com.