3D scanning of neolithic clay figurines

As part of the work around the upcoming "Archaeology Night" at Heureka the Finnish Science  Centre (4.12.2014) this day was dedicated to 3D scanning of three of the stone-age figurines found on the neolithic dwelling site of Jokiniemi  (Vantaa S. Finland).

The mobile equipment and staff came from Versoteq but the printing will be done at Heureka.

The idea is to give the visitors a "hands on experience" of the figurines as well as a chance to see and rotate the figurines in 3D on screen.

3D scanning in progress.

With the good lighting in the room I managed to take a few more pictures of the figurines myself :)

"Tuima"

"Pappa"

Fingerprints from the neolithic on "Poika".

A true diamond in exhibition design

I have always had high hopes for archaeologist (PhD) Anna Wessman (Wickholm), in her younger years she worked with me on several excavations in S. Finland.Still... I have to admit I felt "fatherly" anxieties when I stepped into her world of exhibitions today.

Glims museum entrance

The theme of the exhibition is about the world of metal detecting and archaeology and is the first of it´s kind in Finland. The entrance suggested this would be another one of those exhibitions in an old house (not suitable for exhibitions). The happy sight of her welcoming us today will never leave me, Congratulations Anna and the staff of Espoo City Museum.

"Come on in" 

Hands on detecting

Clear presentations...

and lots of interesting finds :)

http://www.espoonkaupunginmuseo.fi/fi-FI/Talomuseo_Glims

Courtcase. Illegal diving and recovery of items from an 18th century shipwreck in Finland

Well preserved cannon on the ships gundeck (picture copyright Badewanne)

And this one goes to court... It will be very interesting to see what the courts decision will be as this is the first case of it´s kind in Finland.

Four very experienced divers (ages 30-40 yrs) stand accused of stealing artifacts from a  18th century shipwreck located outside of Porvoo S Finland. The divers have worked as guides and arranged legal diving tours.

The 40 meter long wreck wreck lies at a depth of around 60 meters. The ship has had two gun decks and is in a remarkable state of preservation

The police (who previously were doing nothing) were tipped off by another diver and a reporter who is making a documentary about the looting of shipwrecks in the Baltic Sea region. The accused divers claim that they are innocent.

(Source Helsingin Sanomat)

http://www.hs.fi/kotimaa/a1413868553264

NEW “NAZI WAR DIGGERS” ALLEGATIONS... Introducing "The Pipeline" !

http://thepipeline.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Facebook-Dainis-Dilba-ammunition-24-October-2013.jpg

Interesting new Archaeology website here with some quite scary although by no means unexpected "breaking" news about the recently pulled National Geographic TV-series "Nazi War Diggers". Allegations.

Mixed "finds".

"REPRESENTATIONS OF SHIPWRECKS AND MARITIME TECHNOLOGIES" Interesting seminar at the University of Helsinki next week

The seminar is free of charge and open to all with an interest in Maritime Archaeology.

Place: Porthania (Yliopistonkatu 3, Helsinki)
Time: 10.00-18.00

The programme looks very interesting indeed!!!

- Mars (1564) - shipwreck and battlefield (professor Johan Rönnby, Södertörn University)

- Presenting a 16th Century Ship in a new 21 st Century Museum: The Mary Rose (Head of interpretation Christopher Dobbs, Mary Rose Trust, UK)

- The art of emptying a dry dock-the use of 3D to enchance understanding of 1700s technology (Tom Ohlsson, Senior Curator, The Karlskrona Dockyard Historical Society)

- In Situ Representations? Diver Trails and the Iona II Paddle Steamer (Victoria Cooper, Project Manager, Wessex Archaeology, UK)

- A Rembrandt lying on the Balticum Seabed: The Dutch Ghost Ship (Drs B.A Tilburg, Ministry of Education and Culure and Science, The Netherlands)

Wise words about metal detecting by Suzie Thomas

She calls this "scribbling", I call it genious. Read it here!

http://theconversation.com/discovering-a-viking-hoard-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-metal-detectorist-32972

Totally amazing Viking hoard unearthed in Scotland

Although the info of this find still is rather limited this one certainly seems to be of great importance. A true "closed find"  with some 100 items!!!  WOW!

Video here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e4tAqmAWCA#t=45

Golden pin

Large silver ally Carolingian lidded vessel with textile remnants.

9th or 10th century Christian cross!

Read more about the find here

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-29582866

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2790197/metal-detectorist-finds-britain-s-biggest-haul-viking-treasure-hundreds-artefacts-including-ancient-silver-cross.html

Planned community archaeology in S Finland 2015 (JFArchaeology)

Field course "Metal Detecting and Archaeological Surveying"

8-.9.5.2015 in Karis (Raseborg, SW Finland) in association with Karis Musei- och Hembygdsförening and Sällskapet Natura.

Archaeological excavation and field course "Graves and Grave Cult in the Neolithic"

22-28.5.2015 in Karis (Raseborg, SW Finland) in association with Karis-Billnäs Gymnasium, Ekenäs Gymnasium, Karis Musei- och hembygdsförening and Sällskapet Natura.

Trial excavation "WW2 1941-1944 Conflict Archaeology"

Late may 2015. One week of WW2 conflict archaeology of the German transito camp, the site of  a "Lotta Svärd" cantine and an Ukrainan  pisoner of war camp with Hankoniemen lukio and Hangö Gymnasium.


Archaeological excavation "Vantaa Jokiniemi 2015" 

22.6-12.7.2015 Community archaeology excavation of a magnificient central neolithic dwelling site in the larger Helsinki region. Organized by HEUREKA the Finnish Science Centre participation is limited to 25 persons/day. Registration is to start shortly, more info here soon.


Trial excavation and documentation project "Kimito Telegrafberget 1854" 

July 2015. Site of an optical telegraph station from the Crimean war in association with the Museum of Sagalund and Hembygdsforskarna i Kimitobygden". Possibly also an archaeological excavation in Västanfjärd.


More to come soon :)

Another schoolvisit to SYK

This time for approx one hundred 6th graders (11-12 year olds) in the schools marvelous auditorium. What a lovely crowd! Some ten of the children had access to a metal detector, not quite as many knew one or more archaeologists but every single one had visited HEUREKA the Finnish Science Centre which proves how important this institution is for schoolchildren.

SYK was built in 1972 (architects Kaija and Heikki Siren) 

The auditorium has excellent acoustics!

I was quite surprised about the many really good and poignant questions after my lecture too! Thank You so much for making me feel so welcome today. I´m looking forward to seeing at least some of you guys at some of my excavations next summer!

Very nice visit to Jokiniemi with reporter Anne Hietanen from FST5 (Kollektivet)

Just when You thought the archaeology season of 2014 had definitely come to an end here in Finland I received a telephone call from the TV show "Kollektivet" who wanted to make a small but "a little different story about archaeology and the archaeologist "as soon as possible".

Kollektivet (Anna on the far left)

http://svenska.yle.fi/program/kollektivet

Very good reporter and very good cameraman, the result of our endeavours will be aired soon here on Finnish national television (probably already next friday). Some great new ideas came up today so I really hope we will be able to work together in the future too!