JFA excavations in 2024

Upcoming and planned community archaeology excavations in 2024. No previous knowledge of archaeology is needed in order to participate. Youngsters under 14 years of age can participate in the company of an adult.

We welcome you to the facinating world of archaeology. Please send a letter of interest to jfarchaeology@gmail.com if you see something you like.

            April

1.                         ”Wohls Manor" 24.4–28.4.2024.

Excavation of the cellar of the Manor House and trial excavation of a stone-age dwelling site.

            Arranger: Sparbanksstiftelsen i Kyrkslätt.

            May

2.                          ”Porkkala 1944–1956” 4.5. – 8.5.2024.

Cold War Conflict Archaeology excavation

Arranger: Kirkkonummen kansalaisopisto.

3.                         ”Hanko 1941” 13.5 – 16.5.2024.

Excavation of a Second World War structure on the Hanko Front.

Arranger: Hangö Sommaruni ”Konfliktarkeologi pass 1” / Thure Galléns stiftelse.

4.                          

                  Hanko, Tulliniemi ”Deutsches Lager Hanko 1942–1944” 20.5. – 24.5.2024.

Excavation of a German Second World War German transition camp.

Arranger: Hangö Sommaruni ”Konfliktarkeologi pass 1” / Thure Galléns stiftelse.

5.                          Hanko Tulliniemi ”Deutsches Lager Hanko 1942–1944” 27.5. – 31.5.2024.

Excavation of a German Second World War German transition camp.

Arranger: Hangö Sommaruni ”Konfliktarkeologi pass 3”/ Thure Galléns stiftelse.

 

            June

6.                          Porvoo, Vävarsbacka II 3.6. – 9.6.2024.

Excavation of a stone-age dwelling site.

Arranger: Borgå Medborgarinstitut/Porvoon kansalaisopisto.

7.                          Turku, Jäkärlä 10.6 – 14.6.2024.

Excavation of a stone-age dwelling site.

Arranger: Åbo svenska arbetarinstitut 

8.                          Espoo, Kläppkärr 15.6 – 20.6.2024.

Excavation of a stone-age dwelling site.

Arranger: Esbo Arbis.

9.                          Vantaa, Jokiniemi 24.6. – 28.6.2024.

Excavation of a stone-age dwelling site.

Arrangers: Heureka and Helsingin seudun kesäyliopisto

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            July

10               Vantaa, Jokiniemi 1.7. – 5.7.2024.

Excavation of a stone-age dwelling site.

Arrangers: Heureka and Helsingin seudun kesäyliopisto

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11              Nordiskt Amatörarkeologiskt Utgrävningsläger 2024 Åland, Geta 21.7. – 26.7.2024.

Excavation of a stone-age dwelling site.

Arranger: Mariehamns Medborgarinstitut (MEDIS). 

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12              Nordiskt Amatörarkeologiskt Utgrävningsläger 2024 Åland, Geta  28.7.– 2.8.2024.

Excavation of a stone-age dwelling site.

Arranger: Mariehamns Medborgarinstitut (MEDIS). 

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            August

13               Kimitoön 7.8. – 11.8.2024.

Excavation of a stone-age dwelling site.

Arranger: Kimitoöns vuxenistitut/Kemiönsaaren aikuisopisto.

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14               Kouvola, Ruskiasuo 12.8. – 16.8.2024.

Excavation of a stone-age dwelling site.

Arranger: Kouvolan kansalaisopisto.

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15               Korpo, Brunskär 19.8. – 23.8.2024.

Excavation of an island settlement from the 19th to the 17th Centuries

Arranger: Brunskärs byalag.

16               Kristiinankaupunki, Rävåsen 26.8. – 30.8.2024.

Excavation of a stone-age dwelling site.

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September

17              Vasa, Korsholm 2.9. – 6.9.2024.

Ecavation of Korsholm Castle and Kings Manor with local schools.

Arranger: Svenska Österbottens förbund för utbildning och kultur SÖFUK

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18               Vasa Korsholm 7.9. – 11.9.2024.

Ecavation of Korsholm Castle and Kings Manor.

Arranger Alma opisto

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            Vasa Korsholm 12.9. – 17.9.2024.

Ecavation of Korsholm Castle and Kings Manor with Österbotten Fornforskningssällskap

Arranger: Svenska Österbottens förbund för utbildning och kultur SÖFUK

            SOLD OUT!

20               

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.

Excavating Korsholm Castle and Kings Manor 22-31.5.2023.

The first signs of summer were visible when we started this years excavation of Korsholm Castle on the 22nd of May 2023. The ten day long excavation was financed by the Finnish Cultural foundation and Alma opisto.

The first five days of this years excavation was coodinated by SÖFUK and the participants were schoolchildren from local schools. The objective was to excavate the top layers of the excavation area to a depth of one meter below ground surface. The excavation produced many beautiful finds from the 19th to the 17th centuries such as buttons, coins and glass fragments. Time sure flies when you have fun. 

   

The second leg of the excavation was reserved for adut students at the Alma opisto and arranged as a community archaeology field school. More beautiful finds turned up on a daily basis. Finally we reached timber structures and untouched cultural layers some 1,5 meters below ground surface.

Finally just two days before the end of the excavation we reached timber structures and untouched cultural layers some 70 centimeters - 1,5 meters below ground  surface. Wood, C14 and macrofossile samples were taken from the layers and sent to Moesgaard museum and the University of Turku for analysis. 

In a couple of months, after we receive the results we will decide about the research strategy of these interesting find layers. Mapping and trial excavations of other areas of Korsholm Castle will continue in September.

Part one. A fantastic week exploring the stone-age dwelling site Vävarsbacka II in Porvoo.

Between the 15th - 19th of May 2023 we continued our community archaeology excavations of this fantastic Neolithic Stone-Age site in Porvoo. Time sure flies, this was already our 6th excavation here since the start in 2018. The excavatons have been funded by Borgå Medborgarinstitut since the beginning.

Vävarsbacka II was first inhabited around 3900 BC and according to our research the last period of habitation occured around 2300 BC but this is of course only a rough estimate. This complex multiperiod site is both fascinating and rich in finds and we hope to be able to continue the excavations for several more years and with the second leg of this years excavation taking place already in September 2023.

This years excavation mostly produced artefacts from the Late Typical Comb Ceramic period (ca 3600-3400 BC) but we also found some asbestos tempered potsherds that can be attributed to the so called Pöljä phase (ca 3500-2500 BC)as well as pottery from the Pyheensilta phase (ca 3200-2400 BC).

One potshed with a cross shaped ornament is unique in Finland and shows that despite strict rules seem to have guided the decoration of pottery during the Comb Ceramic Culture at least some form of personal artistic expression was allowed.