Happy days exploring the stone-age in Turku Jäkärlä

The huge stone-age dwelling dwelling site in Jäkärlä NE of Turku has been excavated by numerous Finnish archaeologists for over 100 years. Despite this the area still "keeps on giving" plenty of interesting finds related to the Jäkärlä Culture (4050-3850 BC) and the Corded Ware Culture (2900-2100 BC).

Jäkärlä during excavations in 1907 (photo Björn Cederhvarf).

This year the excavation was arranged in two parts ranging from 7.6. – 10.6  and  11.6. – 14.6.2023. Some 40 persons participated in the excavation that was financed by Åbo Svenska Arbetarinstitut.

Excavation in progress.

This excavation revealed part of a stone-age house. The floor had been dug some 70 cms below ground surface. All of the finds from the structure could be attributed to the Jäkärlä culture. The finds included both beautifully decorated potsherd as well as stone artefacts like slate chisels, porfyrite scrapers and what could be a stone pestle.

 Assorted finds from this years excavation.

Next years excavation will probably run for a total of ten days. In 2024 we wish to be able to look closer at the nearby Corded Ware Culture dwelling site and complete the excavation of the house foundation. Why not join us then 💛

Fantastic finds from the 2023 excavation of Lohja Kittiskoski E.

As the saying goes "only excavate beautiful places" the saying fits perfectly for the Kittiskoski E site in Lohja W of Helsinki. 

The site is still close to water as it was during prehistoric times..

But it´s not only the setting that is beautiful but so are the finds from several different prehistoric periods from the early Comb Ceramic Period (ca 4500 BC) all the way until the early Iron Age (ca 200 AD). This years excavation was a rather short one and lasting only four days from June 2nd. until June 5th. 2023. The excavation was financed by Hiiden Opisto.

A few of this years finds (pottery, a flint arrowhead and a slate ring brooch) dating to the Typical Comb Ceramic culture (3900-3400 BC).

Features like hearths have been observed during previous excavations but this season we managed to excavate a well preserved one. Several bags of soil samples were taken for macrofossile and C14 analysis.

The hearth. Photo Jarno Ekman.

Next season we hope to be able to continue the excavations for a longer period of time. The site really deserves it.