On the importance of developing new methods for bringing forth the conflict archaeology heritage

In a column in todays issue of Hufvudstadsbladet professor Laura Kolbe shared her thoughts about the Second World War cultural heritage in Finland and raised the question of why it hasn´t been seen as important despite the rather obvious value the remains contain.

The WW2 remains of the German 1942-1944 transition camp in Hanko are (along with many other sites) worth a fortune both from an educational, historical and cultural standpoint.

German WW2 barracks on Cape Tulliniemi in Hanko. Photo Japo Knuutila.

We are currently in the process of producing a completely new type of educational, social media based package that could be used both within education in schools and other learning institutions as well as tourism and museum related activities on site.

German WW2 barracks on Cape Tulliniemi in Hanko. Photo Japo Knuutila.

I´m hopeful that the words of professor Kolbe ring out to everyone with an interest in developing and sharing the research and tragic histories of war to the young and old.

"Tulludden är inte bara en naturmiljö utan en viktig historisk plats.

Under coronakrisen har virtuella museer, digitala evenemang och online-konserter blivit vardag. Vill man ha "levande upplevelser" måste man gå ut och promenera. En stor, positiv överraskning har varit de många fina naturområdena i hemlandskapet Nyland med sina pedagogiska informationstavlor. Tack Forststyrelsen!

Ett av dessa är Tulludden, Finlands sydligaste spets i Hangö, ett av de finaste naturområdena i landet. Tulludden är ett unikt promenad- och naturmål, som länge var stängt för allmänheten. Havet och den fantastiska utsikten från sandstränderna dominerar, samt Hangös frihamn.

Men Tulludden är inte bara en naturmiljö utan en viktig historisk plats. På området finns ett intressant marinarkeologiskt arv med tiotals vrak, som förbinder Hangö (och Finland) med världs- och handelshistoria. Många olika historiska händelser på havet, vid sidan av sjöslaget vid Hangö udd 1714, kan kopplas till internationell politik och krigshistoria. Udden var en viktig utsiktsplats under Krimkriget och världskrigen.

Överraskande, helt bredvid naturstigen finns mörka, raserade träbyggnader – som i en fantasifilm. Infotavlan berättar att dessa träkaserner byggdes av ryssarna och senare användes av tyskarna. Efter kriget hölls finska "fallna kvinnor" fängslade i barackerna. Arkeologen Jan Fast har gjort ett enormt jobb med sina forskningar på området. Han har visat hur tusentals tyska soldater transporterades genom Tulludden till norra Finland under åren 1942–1944.

Det finns andra intressanta landmärken relaterade till vår militärhistoria i denna del av Nyland: Hangö frontmuseum, monumentet för Röda arméns soldater i Täktom, 1918-minnesmärket i Ekenäs och Degerby Igor, Ingå-museet som berättar om Porkalaparentesen. De gjorde en smått intresserad: hur presenteras Finlands dramatiska krigshistoria på nätet? Finns det guideböcker eller nätrådgivning om våra krigshistoriska platser och minnesmärken?

Svaret lyder: det finns inget sammanställt material om krigsminnesmärken eller militära platser i Finland. I stället, på lokalnivå, finns mycket information om slagfält, fästningar, korsur och bunkrar samt gamla krigsmonument. Nationellt är kanske den förhärskande tanken: ett litet land, stora krigsförluster i krig – inte kan man stolt presentera sådant?

Även i Helsingfors har militärhistorien raderats till marginalerna, fast huvudstadens existens har varit beroende av den militära maktbalansen vid Östersjön. Krigsmuseet i Kronohagen stängdes. I Sveaborg betonas andra än militärhistoriska aspekter. Lokala vakttorn, jordbefästningar och minnesmärken samt slagfält kan nästan bara hittas på egen hand.

Forststyrelsen har gjort grundjobbet med tanke på naturinformation. Ibland innehåller den även lite information om lokalhistoria. Men i verkligheten? Vilket organ – Museiverket, Försvarsmakten, Finlands Hembygdsförbund – kunde ta över uppdraget att på ett samlat sätt presentera vår intressanta militärhistoria på plats och på nätet? Nu ligger ansvaret för mycket på lokala entusiaster och museer. De har på ett fint sätt synliggjort "osynlig" militärhistoria genom att vårda det lokala militära kulturarvet. Men vi vill veta mera och få systematisk information."

Laura Kolbe professor i europeisk historia vid Helsingfors universitet och stadsfullmäktigeledamot (C)

Source: Hufvudstadsbladet 26.4.2020.

Online lecture - The Stone-Age Mysteries of Helsinki

The anthropomorphic clay figurine found by a local amateur archaeologist in 1989. Photo TIEDE magazine.

In 1989 an amateur archaeologist found an astonishing anthropomorphic 5500 year old clay figurine in Tikkurila, Vantaa S. Finland (larger Helsinki region). The find was reported years after the discovery in 2015 but no archaeological investigation of the find site has ever been conducted.

The shoreline of the dwelling site 21 m above present sea level during the time of habitation ca 3000 BCE 

I will be lecturing about this intriguing find and the upcoming community archaeology dig of the find site in over the Internet on May 27th 2020 starting at 1 PM (Finnish time). The lecture is broadcasted live from Oodi Helsinki Central Library and will include a multitude of pictures from previous excavations and of the other exiting clay figurine finds from the site. The broadcast is in Finnish and Swedish but will also include a a summary in English. If you can´t watch the broadcast live you can watch the recorded broadcast later on the Helsinki-channel!

https://www.helsinkikanava.fi/fi/.

I´m currently in the finishing stage of a 20 page scientific article about the mysterious clay figurines found during previous excavations in Jokiniemi. The results from the 2020 excavations will be included in this article scheduled for publication in December 2020.

Sodan jäljet lähelläsi - monitieteinen konfliktiarkeologian hanke Uudenmaan kouluissa 2020 - 2021

Arkeologinen tutkimus mielletään usein nuorten keskuudessa "vanhan tonkimiseksi". Myös nuorten tavoittaminen on vaikeaa, eikä arkeologeilla yleensä ole tapana käydä kouluissa kertomassa työstään tai uusista tutkimustuloksista. Arkeologian ja historian yliopisto-opetuksen ja koulujen välillä on kuilu, jonka täyttämiseen tarvitaan lisää tutkijoiden ja innostavien opettajien verkostoitumista.

Lukiolaisia Hangon Tulliniemen toisen maailmansodan aikaisen kauttakulkuleirin kaivauksilla. Kuva Jan Fast.

Toisen maailmansodan arkeologinen tutkimus on vahvassa nousussa EU:n alueella. Konfliktiarkeologian piiriin kuuluva tutkimus on moniaistillista ja monitieteistä ja se vetoaa nuoriin eri tavalla, kun perinteinen esim. esihistoriaan suuntautuva tavanomainen arkeologinen tutkimus. Sodan arkeologia on myös muistihistoriaa se koskettaa tunteita ja aiheuttaa keskustelua. Sota on lähellä Uudellamaalla, sitä on suvussa ja piilossa ympäröivässä maisemassa, maan alla ja rakennusten seinissä.

Saksalaissotilaalta hukkunut haavoittumismerkki. Kuva Jan Fast.

Konfliktiarkeologia on eettistä ja siinä noudatetaan kansainvälisiä, sotavainajia kunnioittavia forensisia käytäntöjä. Se on myös rauhantyötä, jossa sodan kauhut avautuvat konkreettisten esineiden ja esimerkiksi sotavainajien tunnistamiseen liittyvien luu- ja muiden löytöjen kautta.

Mahdollinen propagandakuva. Venäläisiä sotilaita kaatuneen taistelutoverin haudalla. 

Nykyisessä kiihkeässä poliittisessa ilmastossa ja keskustelussa, jossa faktat usein hämärtyvät tai jopa loistavat poissaolollaan on tärkeää tarjota nuorille vankkaa, objektiivista ja tieteellistä tutkimustietoa keskustelujen ja pohdintojen pohjaksi. Maailmansodassa ihmisen mahdollisuudet vaikuttaa omaan kohtaloonsa ovat olemattomat, yksilö katoaa ja hänestä tulee osa massaa. Ihminen katoaa tilastoihin kaatuneista ja kadonneista, katoaa sananmukaisesti pimeään. Tieteellinen konfliktiarkeologia tuo nämä henkilöt ja heidän tarinansa nykyaikaan.

Gerd. Yksi Suomessa kaatuneista tuhaista saksalaissotilaista. Kuva Jan Fastin tutkimuskokoelma.

Toteutan koulukäynnit vähintään 40 eri kouluun Uudenmaan alueella lukukaudella 2020-2021. Yhden koulukäynnin kesto on 90 minuuttia. Käynneistä ei aiheudu kouluille minkäänlaisia kuluja. 

Tarjouskirje Uudenmaan kouluihin lähtee vielä tällä viikolla mutta voitte myös ilmoittaa kiinnostuksestanne minulle suoraan sähköpostitse osoitteeseen jan.fast@helsinki.fi

Nähdään koulussa,

Jan

Conflict archaeology on the Nordfront

On March 25th Iron Cross Magazine published my long due feature article about ongoing WW2 conflict archeology research in Finland!

Writing the article was very motivativating and rewarding as this was the first time I was able to share the research of the German WW2 transition camp in Hanko S. Finland to an international audience. I was also able to share a few of the hundreds of original pictures from my research collection to the readers.

Archaeologist Teemu Väisänen added a chapter on the upcoming research of the German WW2 airfield in Pori while Aleksi Rikkinen and Emil Sillanpää contributed with material related to the mapping of the  German "Sturmbock Stellung" in NW Lapland.

The research will continue when the situation with the Corona virus is under control here in Finland. If you wish to excavate the second world war with us please send a letter of interest to jfarchaeology@gmail.com

Remember that you can order a copy of the magazine online by clicking on the link below!!

https://www.militaria-history.co.uk/store/back-issues/iron-cross?fbclid=IwAR09y7bhH9ic587HetFVCj0zoQ3oINxWkdhuEQl2SF_PMma2NzTfCfy64SU

Writing an article about the Långåmossarna excavations

Good thing about the situation (at least here in Finland) right now is that there is plenty of time to write articles about previous excavations and plan upcoming (2020) digs in detail.

Early comb cermic potsherds from Långåmossarna. Photo Jan Fast 2017.

I´m currently working on an article about the excavations of the multiperod stone age dwelling site of Långåmossarna (Raseborg). The excavations of the site have been going on for a long time (almost my complete career as an archaeologist) with the first ones in 1992-1994 and then a series of excavations 2013 and 2015-2018. It feels good to finally get the results down on paper.

Work in progress on the site in 2016. Photo Jan Fast.

The site has yielded very nice finds from the mesolithic (ca 9000 BP), early comb ceramic culture (ca 6200 BP), corded ware culture (ca 4500 BP) and last but not least Kiukais culture (ca 4000 BP). The article which is in Swedish will be published later this spring.

Areas with finds from different time periods. Mesolithic (red), early comb ceramic (orange), corded ware culure (yellow) and Kiukais culture (green).

The planning of the 2020 community archaeology digs continues

Dear archaeology enthusiasts. Just here to inform everybody that we are continuing the planning process of the 2020 community archaeology excavations despite the current corona virus situation here in Finland.We will be ready when the situation takes a turn for the better.

"On the road again" The 2020 JFArchaeology community archaeology roadmap.

On Friday we will deliver the 2019 excavation reports to the National Heritage Agency and after that we will startapplying for the excavation permits.

Boxed excavation finds ready for delivery to the National Heritage Agency.

If the situation regarding the planned excavations change we will of course immediately inform everybody concerned.

Take care and stay safe <3


Best,

Jan and Janne

Ilmoittautuminen vuoden 2020 harrastajakaivauksille Vantaan Jokiniemessä on alkanut!!

Ennakkokokemusta arkeologiasta ei tarvita. Ale 14-vuotias voi osallistua kaivauksille täysi-ikäisen seurassa. Ennakkoluento Keskustakirjasto Oodissa 27.5.2020 klo 17.30-19.00. Useita eri mittaisia ja eri hintaisia kurssipaketteja tarjolla.

Harrastajakaivaus järjestetään yhteistyössä Heurekan ja Helsingin Seudun Kesäyliopiston kanssa. Lue lisää ja varaa pikaisesti paikkasi ainutlaatuiselle aikamatkalle kivikauteen klikkaamalla allaolevaa linkkiä!!

Osallistu arkeologiseen kaivaukseen!

Sinustako kesäarkeologi? Vielä mahtuu mukaan :)

Kesän kaivaukset alkavat olla täynnä mutta muutamiin JFA projekteihin mahtuu vielä mukaan. Kaikki kaivaukset on suunnattu aloittelijoille eikä ennakkokokemusta arkeologiasta tai arkeologisista kaivauksista tarvita. Mukaan voi tulla yhdeksi tai useammaksi päiväksi!

Kaivauksilla on kaikki työhön tarvittava välineistö eli tarvitset mukaan vain omat eväät, säähän sopivan vaatetuksen sekä hyvää mieltä 😊. Alle 14-vuotiaat voivat osallistua kaivauksiin täysi-ikäisen seurassa.

Raasepori (Karjaa) Malmkulla 22-24.5.2020

- Kivikautisen n 6000 vuotta vanhan asuinpaikan kaivaus. Pieni osallistumismaksu. Ilmoittautuminen Karjaan kotiseutuyhdistys/goran.fagerstedt@gmail.com

Kemiönsaari Ölmosviken 30-31.5.2020 

- Kivikautisen n. 4000 vuotta vanhan asuinpaikan kaivaus Ilmainen. Ilmoittautuminen JFA jfarchaeology@gmail.com

Espoo Kläppkärr 22-27.6.2020

- Kivikautisen n. 6000 ja n. 5000 vuotta vanhan asuinpaikan kaivaus. Kurssimaksu. Kaivaus on suunnattu kaikille arkeologiasta kiinnostuneille. Ilmoittautumiset Esbo Arbis 

https://ilmonet.fi/#fi/search/txt=Sten%25C3%25A5ldersmysterier

Vantaa Jokiniemi 8-12.7.2020

- Kivikautisen n. 5500 vuotta vanhan asuinpaikan koekaivaus. Kurssimaksu. Kaivaus on suunnattu kaikille arkeologiasta kiinnostuneille. Ilmoittautumiset Helsingin Seudun Kesäyliopisto (ilmoittautuminen alkaa n. 10 päivän sisällä)

Lohja Kittiskoski E 19-20.9.2020 ja 26.9.2020

- Pitkäaikaisen kivikautisen asuinpaikan kaivaus. Kurssimaksu. Kaivaus on suunnattu kaikille arkeologiasta kiinnostuneille. Ilmoittautumiset Hiiden Opisto (ilmoittautuminen alkaa kevään aikana)

Nähdään kaivauksilla!

Jan F ja Janne S

WW2 conflict archaeology field school, register now!

The registration for the WW2 conflict archaeology field school in Hanko has started! This season we will concentrate on the events of the Hanko front in 1941. The field school is organized by Hangö Sommaruni in co-operation with Hanko Front Museum 13.07-17.07, 20.07-24.07 and 31.08-04.09.2020. The partcipation fee is only 20 euros for five days but you don´t need to attend every day. Please register right away by clicking on the link below.

https://hangosommaruni.fi/anmalningsblankett?kursnamn=KONFLIKTARKEOLOGI&obstext=Hang%C3%B6+1941+-+F%C3%A4ltkurs+i+andra+v%C3%A4rldskrigets+konfliktarkeologi

We speak English, Finnish and Swedish during the excavation. This year we also offer daily lectures on different topics of WW2 conflict archaeology including mapping and surveying techniques, forensic archaeology and of course general lectures about the battles and conflict archaeology remains in Hanko. If you need advise on how to register please don´t hesitate to ask.

https://www.hanko1941.com/

Soviet WW2 map case with full contents found in Hanko!

A while back, a small Soviet (1940-1941) map case containing pencils and seven tightly folded different maps was found. One of the maps immediately stood out. It is very large and covers the entire length of the Gulf of Finland. The borders of the Soviet Marine Base or "Gangut" is clearly marked.

Detail of the large map found in Hanko. Photo Jan Fast/Hanko 1941 project.

Yesterday on the 12th of February 2020 me together with MA archaeologist Teemu Väisänen and museum curator Kim Kidron we had a first look at the contents of the map case. The maps are very fragile and require immediate conservation before they can be studied further.

Detail of the large map found in Hanko. Photo Jan Fast/Hanko 1941 project.

The complete find will be published in English later this year as soon as conservation work is finished. The map case and its contents will be put on display at the big, one year long "Hanko 1941" exhibition in the spring of 2025!

Detail of the large map found in Hanko. Photo Jan Fast/Hanko 1941 project.

Read more about the find on the "Hanko 1941" web page by clicking on the link below!

https://www.hanko1941.com/post/soviet-ww2-mapcase-with-full-content-discovered-in-hanko

"Another one bites the dust"

Today we surveyed the Hanko harbour magazine to find more German WW2 documents hidden in the roof structures. Very exiting "and dusty" day :)

Despite our hard efforts it seems the treasure chest of the old ventilation shafts has now been exhausted. The result is some 800 documents relating to German Gebirgsjäger passing through Hanko, S. Finland in the spring of 1944. 

Some very interesting Soviet 1941-period "attic finds" have emerged in Hanko though. More on these tomorrow :)

"Happy in Hanko". Photo Elisa Melasniemi.

Hanko 1941 news!

New stuff added to the "HANKO 1941" web page today. Why not check it out and become a member!

https://www.hanko1941.com/

The Bengtskär lighthouse after the battle. Photo Bertel Nordenstreng "Hanko 1941" project.

Pre registration for the conflict archaeology field  school in Hanko July 13th - 17th,  July  20th to 24th and August 31st to September 4th 2020 is now possible!! Please contact jfarchaeology @gmail.com and secure a spot at the upcoming digs.

Way to go Teemu! The conflict archaeology of "Feldluftpark 3/XI" Pori, W. Finland

I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate my colleague MA Teemu Väisänen who today announced that he has received funding for his scientific conflict archaeology project 👍

JU 88 in Finland in 1942. Photo Jan Fast research collection.

"Great news from Svenska Kulturfonden i Björneborg – the foundation has decided to support our WWII research project in Pori. Along with another grant by the Finnish Cultural Foundation and an archaeological field course organized for local history enthusiasts, I have now the luxury of concentrating all my attention to the project for six months straight. And who knows what next year has in store for us! Teemu "

You can read about Teemus upcoming research in Pori and other WW2 conflict archaeology projects in Finland in the March issue of Iron Cross Magazine!

https://www.facebook.com/ironcrossmagazine/

Going nuts!

Accuiring good representative samples for radio carbon (or C14) dating of stone age dwelling sites is difficult. Many times the same sites have been used during several prehistoric periods and it´s rare to find sites that have been occupied only for a very short period of time. 

Malmkulla in Raseborg S. Finland is one such place. The finds show it has been occupied exclusively during the younger phase of the early comb ceramic period approximately 6000 years ago.

The finds from the excavations here are plentiful including, frgments of clay figurines, pottery and lithic artefacts. Until recently no finds of hearths and other features or items containing organic material or charcoal for C 14 samples to exactly date the finds  have been found.

This changed yesterday when archaeologist MA Janne Soisalo looked through the finds from the 2019 excavations. An attentive participant had collected small bits of coal and included with these were fragments of charred hazel nuts.

A sample of these will be sent for dating to Uppsala University in Sweden and we hope to know the exact date of the short term settlement of the site next autumn.

URGENT! The stone-age excavation in Espoo. Only 9 spots left!

The exciting excavation of the 6000 year old stone-age dwelling site is scheduled for  22.06.2020 - 27.06.2020. The site is very rich in finds from the early comb ceramic and corded ware culture.

Act now and secure a spot by clicking on the link below. We speak Finnish, Swedish and English. No previous knowledge of archaeological fieldwork is required and children under 14 years of age can participate in the company of an adult.

https://ilmonet.fi/#fi/search/txt=Sten%25C3%25A5ldersmysterier

"Buried with care" a new exhibition at the Museum and Science Centre Luuppi

The interesting exhibition, “Buried with care” brings to life the human stories behind the graves under the floorboards and inside the churches of Northern Finland from the 13th to the 19th century. 

The coffin of a newborn child from the Keminmaa old church. Photo T. Kallio-Seppä.

The exhibition is based on recent archaeological excavations (1990-2010) in Oulu, Hailuoto, Ii, Tornio and Keminmaa. 

Researchers under the floorboards of Haukiputaa church. Photo S. Lipkin.

The exhibition is the third one in a series of exhibitions on the same theme. The two previous exhibitions where “Rungius, buried in a church” and “Anna, buried in a church”.

A flower made out of silk has been put in the hand of a deceased newborn child. Haukiputaa church. Photo S. Lipkin 

Pearls from a childs grave. Hailuoto old church. Photo S. Lipkin

The exhibition promises to apply to all senses. It also includes a virtual exhibit where the visitor can travel to the church of Keminmaa and familiarize him (or herself) with the mummy of chaplain Rungius and examine the deceases that computed tomography scanning of his mummified body has revealed.  

A cross shaped pendant was found in a womans grave during the excavations of the site of the medieval church of Ii in Hamina.

The exhibition is based on interdisciplinary scientific work at the University of Oulu and has been funded by the Emil Aaltonen Foundation and the Academy of Finland. The exhibition is produced in co-operation with archaeologists at the University of Oulu, Pohjois-Pohjanmaa museum, Tornionlaakso museum and Kemi historical museum.

Read more here:

https://www.ouka.fi/oulu/luuppi/huolella-haudatut

From Hanko to Pechenga

I´m currently in the process of writing a feature "WW2 Conflict Archaeology of the Nordfront" for "Iron Cross Magazine".

Over 60 million people perished in the Second World War and in this almost unapprehensive scale, the German losses and the events of the war on the northern front may seem tiny. Set against this backdrop the events that occurred in Lappland or the small seaside town of Hanko S. Finland, between 1942 and 1944 appear almost microscopic.

SS Kriegsberichters in Hanko 1941. Photo SA-kuva.

And still, the continuous stream of German soldiers heading for the battles of the “Eismeerfront” through Hanko and Finland between 1942 and 1944 is a reminder of the all engulfing power of a world war.

Photos of German soldiers who died on the in Finland during WW2 and a decaying German barrack in Hanko. Photo Japo Knuutila.

These forgotten battlefields, long lost camps and decaying artefacts in the soil, tell thousands of different and personal stories about war.  The words of the German soldiers in their letters and diaries, photographs and documents, the slowly decaying barracks as well as the common and mundane artefacts in the soil, all bear witness of the helplessness that ordinary human beings felt and experienced amongst the crushing and devastating historical events of a world war.

"Iron Cross is the UK’s only magazine focusing entirely on German military history from 1914 to 1945. It launched with great success in June 2019 and is available worldwide in both print and digital formats.

Iron Cross puts the German military under the microscope; looking at organisations and tactics, as well as at materiel, technology, politics and the more personal and human elements of the German serviceman’s experience.

The content covers the land, sea and air war across all periods of both wars and is written by a team of international experts and historians. To a more limited extent, it covers the inter-war period in Germany between 1919 and 1939."