Day 1-2/5. Excavating the Kolsarby (Kiukais Culture) dwelling site in Kirkkonummi SW. Finland

Yesterday we started the third excavation season of this small late neolithic dwelling site. According to the finds from the previous excavation the site was inhabited at least during the so called Kiukais Culture (ca 2300-1500 BC) and possibly also the Corded Ware Culture (ca 3200-2300 BC). The site is a bit different than regular stone-age sites in the area as it wasn´t situated on a sea shore during its occupation.

      
Pictures from the first two excavation days.

The area was first discovered in 2000 when quartz flakes were found in roots of trees that had fallen due to strong winds but for some reason the area wasn´t registered as a stone age dwelling site at the time. It was only after a new road had been built right through it (destroying the center of the site) that it was registered as a heritage site.

A large fragment of a whetstone was foud where it was left by the inhabitants thousands of years ago.

The finds are not plentiful but give a detailed picture of life on the site around 4000 years ago. It seems that the place was not inhabited all year round but used as a base camp during seal hunting trips to the outer archipelago. Pottery is scarce and only consists of fragments of small portable clay wessels. Many of the potsherds show textile imprints.

Potsherds with textile imprints from small clay vessels .

Quite substantial amounts of quartz flkes, artefacts of quartz and slate along with a large fragment of a whetstone (photo above) bear witness to the work related activities on the site.

Base fragment of a slate chisel.