Saturday, 22 February 2020
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.
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.
Thursday, 13 February 2020
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!
Wednesday, 12 February 2020
"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.
Friday, 7 February 2020
Hanko 1941 news!
New stuff added to the "HANKO 1941" web page today. Why not check it out and become a member!
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.
Thursday, 6 February 2020
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 👍
"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 "
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!
Wednesday, 5 February 2020
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.
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.
Sunday, 26 January 2020
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.
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.
Wednesday, 22 January 2020
"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:
Saturday, 11 January 2020
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."
Sunday, 5 January 2020
Bradshaw Foundation - Ancient Rock Paintings in Finland and Scandinavia!
"Ismo
Luukkonen is a photographer living and working in Turku, Finland. For twenty
years he has specialized on photographing rock art and other prehistoric sites,
mainly in Finland and Scandinavia."
Part of the Värikallio rock painting in Hossa. Photo Ismo Luukkonen.
"In his work the documentary approach to ancient images and landscapes is joined
with thoughts on time, momentariness and eternity. Ismo Luukkonen also works as
a senior lecturer of photography in the Arts Academy at the Turku University of
Applied Sciences."
Links and more to Ismos amazing work here!
Saturday, 4 January 2020
Registration to the 2020 excavation in Elimäki starts in three days!!
Kouvolan Kansalaisopisto has announced that the registration for the 2020 excavation in Elimäki starts on January 7th at 9.30 am! There are 16 spots available for the excavation that runs from June 16th to June 18th 2020 so please act fast if you wish to paticipate!
The excavation was fully booked on January 7th 2020.
This year we will continue the research of the Ruskiasuo stone-age dwelling site. The aim is to gain as much data as possible about this intriguing site to help preserve it for future generations. Last year the finds from the site showed that it had been inhabited both during the early comb ceramic and the corded ware culture period.
No previous experience of archaeology is needed in order to participate in the excavation. Children under 14 years of age can participate in the company of an adult.
Click here next Tuesday if you wish to register!
The excavation was fully booked on January 7th 2020.
Early comb ceramic rimsherd from the 2019 trial excavation of the site. Photo Jan Fast.
This year we will continue the research of the Ruskiasuo stone-age dwelling site. The aim is to gain as much data as possible about this intriguing site to help preserve it for future generations. Last year the finds from the site showed that it had been inhabited both during the early comb ceramic and the corded ware culture period.
The stone-age dwelling site of Kouvola (Elimäki) Ruskiasuo. Photo Jan Fast.
No previous experience of archaeology is needed in order to participate in the excavation. Children under 14 years of age can participate in the company of an adult.
Click here next Tuesday if you wish to register!
Friday, 3 January 2020
Registration for this years excavation in Porvoo has started!!!
The registration for this years community archaeology excavation in Porvoo has started. This years excavation will be the largest this beautiful neolithic stone age dwelling site so far! Update 3.1.23:20 hrs. THE EXCAVATION IS FULLY BOOKED.
The excavation will run from the 3rd of June to June 7th 2020. It is possible to participate for one or several days. No previous knowledge of archaeology or archaeological fieldwork is required. Children under 14 years of age can participate in the company of an adult.
Register here and secure jour spot at the excavation in June!
Picture from the excavations in 2019. Photo Jan Fast.
Comb ceramic potsherd. Photo Jan Fast
Register here and secure jour spot at the excavation in June!
Saturday, 28 December 2019
2020 community archaeology dig @ Vantaa Jokiniemi confirmed
The antropomorphic clay figurine "Tuima" was found in 1989.
In 1989 an
amateur archaeologist found an astonishing anthropomorphic 5500 year old clay
figurine in Vantaa Jokiniemi. He decided to keep it secret. The find was finally reported 26 years later, and in 2015 the fragile figurine was handed over to the National Heritage Agency. Despite the importance of the find no archaeological field work has been conducted of the find site.
Heureka, the Finnish Science Centre has been conducting community archaeology excavations on the Jokiniemi site 1990-1994 and 2014-2015.
This will
change in July 2020 when Helsinki Summer University and Heureka join forces and
arrange a community archaeology trial excavation of the findsite. The excavation will make use of state of the art measuring and other equipment in order to better understand the site as a whole and help protecting it in the future.
Wooden post markin the shore line ca 3000 BC (approx. 21 m above present sea level)
I´m
currently in the finishing stage of a 20 page scientific article about the 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.
8.7-12.7.2020 Vantaa Jokiniemi
Trial excavation of the find site of the anthropomorphic clay figurine "Tuima".
Helsingin seudun kesäyliopisto/Heureka.
Registration starts soon https://www.kesayliopistohki.fi/en/
Pre registration and letters of interest jfarchaeology@gmail.com
Helsingin seudun kesäyliopisto/Heureka.
Registration starts soon https://www.kesayliopistohki.fi/en/
Pre registration and letters of interest jfarchaeology@gmail.com
Hanko 1941 new updates on the website
I added some more stuff to the Hanko 1941 webpage. Remember to check in on a regular basis.
I hope to have information on next years battlefield archaeology field school soon. If you wish to participate you can send a letter of interest already!
Excavating the German WW2 transition camp with Hangö Sommaruni conflict archaeology field school in Hanko 2019.
I hope to have information on next years battlefield archaeology field school soon. If you wish to participate you can send a letter of interest already!
Friday, 27 December 2019
Follow the conflict archaeology project "Hanko 1941" on Internet
I have
started work on a web page about the "Hanko 1941" project. Hanko 1941
is a scientific WW2 conflict archaeology project (2018 -2025) that surveys,
documents and excavates remains and battlefield locations from 1941 in Hanko S.
Finland.
Finnish soldier on the Hanko Front in the summer of 1941. Photo Bertel Nordenstreng
We work in
close association with Sotavainajien Muiston Vaalimisyhdistys r.y. The Russian
Embassy in Finland, Hangö Sommaruni, Hanko Museum and Hanko Front Museum. We report
our research results to the National Heritage Agency on a regular basis.
Although it is still under construction you can check it out by clicking on the link below.
Tuesday, 3 December 2019
JFArchaeology for schools in 2020
Visiting schools to speak about my work as an archaeologist has been a big part of my work since my days at Heureka the Finnish Science Centre in the 1990´s. Today in 2019 and almost 30 years later I feel that communicating scientific archaeology to schoolchildren is as important as it was back then.
I started doing excavations with schoolchildren first in Raseborg in the early 1990´s and later after 2000 in other towns in Southern Finland as well. There is no better place to teach students about their origins and history than an archaeological excavation. Make no mistake, the young participants know how to dig too!
In 2019 me and my colleague Janne Soisalo, together with Sagalundsgillet rf. organized the biggest excavation with schoolchildren ages 10-12 so far and with some 100 kids participating! The excavation was carried out on the exiting late neolithic dwelling site of Ölmosviken on the island of Kimitoön in SW Finland. The excavation at Ölmosviken will continue in May 2020 once again with funding from The Finnish Cultural Foundation. In 2020 the excavation will reach out to schoolchildren ages 13 and up.
In May we will make another school project, this one in Tampere were the students will investigate the history of the Annisto homestead. This project combines photographic art (Juha Suonpää), history and pedagogy (Marja-Leena Korte-Suonpää), archaeology and responsible metal detecting (Lasse Nyman) to touch all senses and create a unique learning by doing (and feeling) experience.
In the spring of 2020 I will once again tour schools in the larger Helsinki area to speak about archaeology and my work on prehistoric and Second World War sites. Looking forward to it!
Pedagogic archaeology in 1990-1994 with Heureka The Finnish Science Centre. Photo Heureka.
Archaeology with schools in SW Finland 1992-2020. Photo Västra Nyland.
In 2019 me and my colleague Janne Soisalo, together with Sagalundsgillet rf. organized the biggest excavation with schoolchildren ages 10-12 so far and with some 100 kids participating! The excavation was carried out on the exiting late neolithic dwelling site of Ölmosviken on the island of Kimitoön in SW Finland. The excavation at Ölmosviken will continue in May 2020 once again with funding from The Finnish Cultural Foundation. In 2020 the excavation will reach out to schoolchildren ages 13 and up.
Pedagogic archaeology at Ölmosviken 2018-2020. Photo Jan Fast.
In May we will make another school project, this one in Tampere were the students will investigate the history of the Annisto homestead. This project combines photographic art (Juha Suonpää), history and pedagogy (Marja-Leena Korte-Suonpää), archaeology and responsible metal detecting (Lasse Nyman) to touch all senses and create a unique learning by doing (and feeling) experience.
Archaelogy and history for all senses at Annisto. Photo Marja-Leena Korte-Suonpää.
In the spring of 2020 I will once again tour schools in the larger Helsinki area to speak about archaeology and my work on prehistoric and Second World War sites. Looking forward to it!
Friday, 22 November 2019
Updated!!! JFA community archaeology excavations in 2020!
Join us in exploring the stone-age and WW2 next field season. Please send a letter of interest to us if you wish to participate (jfarchaeology@gmail.com).
We also welcome foreign archaeology students especially if you have an interest in the neolithic or WW2 Conflict- or Battlefield Archaeology!
Best,
MA Jan Fast and MA Janne Soisalo
2020
6.5-8.5.2020 Tampere, Vuores
”Vuores ja kadonneen aarteen metsästäjät” Pedagogic and photographic art related archaeology project around the historic "Annisto" homestead with Vuoreksen koulu.
Fully booked!
22.5-24.5.2020 Raseborg, Malmkulla
Rescue excavation of an early comb ceramic dwelling site.
Karis Hembygdsförening with financial support från Svenska Kulturfonden.
Registration starts soon.
goran.fagerstedt@gmail.com
25.5 and 30.5.-31.5.2020 Kemiönsaari, Ölmosviken
Community archaeology excavation of a late neolithic "Kiukais culture" dwelling site. No admission fee! Registraton has begun, there are still a few spots left!
jfarchaeology@gmail.com.
Karis Hembygdsförening with financial support från Svenska Kulturfonden.
Registration starts soon.
goran.fagerstedt@gmail.com
25.5 and 30.5.-31.5.2020 Kemiönsaari, Ölmosviken
Community archaeology excavation of a late neolithic "Kiukais culture" dwelling site. No admission fee! Registraton has begun, there are still a few spots left!
jfarchaeology@gmail.com.
26.5-29.5.2020 Mullankaivajat Kemiönsaari, Ölmosviken
Pedagogic excavation of a late neolithic, Kiukais culture dwelling site, with local schools.
Sagalundsgillet r.f. with funding from Suomen Kulttuurirahasto
Pedagogic excavation of a late neolithic, Kiukais culture dwelling site, with local schools.
Sagalundsgillet r.f. with funding from Suomen Kulttuurirahasto
3.6-7.6.2020 Porvoo, Vävarsbacka II
Excavation of a stone-age dwelling site. The excavation is arranged by Borgå Medborgarinstitut.
Fully booked!
Fully booked!
10.6-14.6.2020 Kirkkonummi, Kolsarby
Excavation of a neolithic stone-age dwelling site. The excavation is arranged by Kirkkonummen Kansalaisopisto.
Fully booked!
Fully booked!
16-18.6.2020 Kouvola, Ruskiasuo
Excavation of an early comb ceramic and corded ware culture dwelling site. The excavation is arranged by Kouvolan Kansalaisopisto.
Fully booked!
Fully booked!
22.6-27.6.2020 Espoo, Kläppkärr
Excavation of an early comb ceramic and corded ware culture dwelling site.
The excavation is arranged by Esbo Arbetarinstitut. Only a few spots left!!
https://ilmonet.fi/#fi/search/txt=Sten%25C3%25A5ldersmysterier
The excavation is arranged by Esbo Arbetarinstitut. Only a few spots left!!
https://ilmonet.fi/#fi/search/txt=Sten%25C3%25A5ldersmysterier
8.7-12.7.2020 Vantaa Jokiniemi
Trial excavation of the find site of the anthropomorphic clay figurine "Tuima".
The excavation is arranged by Helsingin seudun kesäyliopisto and Heureka.
Registration starts very soon!
Pre registration and letters of interest jfarchaeology@gmail.com
The excavation is arranged by Helsingin seudun kesäyliopisto and Heureka.
Registration starts very soon!
Pre registration and letters of interest jfarchaeology@gmail.com
13.7-17.7.2020 "Hanko 1941" (period 1)
WW2 battlefield archaeology of the Hanko front in the vicinity of Hanko Front Museum.
Register now at Hangö Sommaruni https://hangosommaruni.fi/studieprogram/22-ovriga-kurser/arkeologi/66-konfliktarkeologi
Register now at Hangö Sommaruni https://hangosommaruni.fi/studieprogram/22-ovriga-kurser/arkeologi/66-konfliktarkeologi
20.7-24.7.2020 "Hanko 1941" (period 2)
WW2 battlefield archaeology of the Hanko front in the vicinity of Hanko Front Museum.
Register now at Hangö Sommaruni https://hangosommaruni.fi/studieprogram/22-ovriga-kurser/arkeologi/66-konfliktarkeologi
Register now at Hangö Sommaruni https://hangosommaruni.fi/studieprogram/22-ovriga-kurser/arkeologi/66-konfliktarkeologi
31.8-4.9.2020 "Hanko 1941" (period 3)
WW2 battlefield archaeology of the Hanko front. WW2 battlefield archaeology of the Hanko front. Register now at Hangö Sommaruni https://hangosommaruni.fi/studieprogram/22-ovriga-kurser/arkeologi/66-konfliktarkeologi
Community archaeology excavation of a neolithic stone-age dwelling site. Planning in progress. Registration starts in the spring of 2020
Hiiden Opisto https://www.hiidenopisto.fi/
Hiiden Opisto https://www.hiidenopisto.fi/
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