Wolf Cave considered most important archaeological site in Finland
National Board of Antiquities head lists her must-see sites around the country
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By Johanna Mannila
Paula Purhonen, director-general of the Finnish National Board of Antiquities, says that the Susiluola ("Wolf Cave") is the first place where she would take foreign colleagues if she were asked to show off Finland’s most important archaeological sites.
"It is without a doubt Finland’s most scientifically interesting archaeological location."
The Wolf Cave is in Kristinestad, on the border with Karijoki. In the cave there is evidence that it was settled by Neanderthal Man more than 100,000 years ago.
The cave was used as shelter and as a place to work in the palaeolithic stone age. The Neanderthals disappeared from Europe about 28,000 years ago, and the cave is unique evidence of man’s spread to the northern parts of Europe already before the arrival of homo sapiens.
Things have been found in the cave that have led to changes in textbooks concerning the prehistoric period.
Nothing like it has been found in Sweden or Norway, although Purhonen is certain that those areas were also inhabited.
Investigations made last summer brought to light more interesting information. A new layer of soil was found in the cave, and on the last day of excavation, a piece of charred bone was uncovered.
The time lines will be clearer after closer analysis is made during the winter.
After the Wolf Cave, the next thing that Purhonen would show a foreign colleague is the Kastellinlinna in Pattijoki. Situated on the Gulf of Bothnia, the Kastellinlinna is the largest of the jätinkirkko formations in Finland.
Jätinkirkko (literally "Giant’s Church"), is the name given to stone formations in the shape of an oval, or a rectangle with rounded corners.
The rough stone structures were probably campsites connected with seal hunting, but other theories of their origin have also been put forward. Purhonen says that these range from their having been used as foundations of houses, or as sacrificial or religious locations.
"If I had plenty of time I would take my guests to Inari, to Ukonsaari, where there is a sacred sacrificial site of the Sámi, which Sir Arthur Evans studied already back in 1873. Sir Arthur is renowned for his excavations in Knossos on the island of Crete."
The next stop on the tour would be Ristiina, and the rock paintings of Astuvansalmi. "They are important for me personally, because I was there on a dig as a student in the summer of 1969."
The rock paintings, with pictures of elk, are believed to date back to between 3800 and 2200 BC.
Finally, Purhonen would go to the southwest of Finland to look at the Untamala burial ground in Laitila.
In addition to an Archaeological Centre, there is a 2.5-kilometre walking path with ancient grave-sites, as well as idyllic villages and churches.
In the Helsinki region, Purhonen’s favourite site is Stenkulla-Maariankunnas on the banks of the Keravanjoki river.
"That was a dwelling place for stone-age fishermen and hunters. It was first settled 6,000 years ago. However, it could be a place where an archaeologist sees more than a lay person with an untrained eye."
In Helsinki Purhonen would take her colleague indoors, to the National Museum. The only obvious outdoor ancient relics are to be found in Meilahti, north-west of the centre; the Humallahti bronze age grave-site is linked with the origins of Finnish archaeology. The monument, created more than 3,000 years ago, is cordoned off by thick chains.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 12.10.2004
Paula Purhonen, director-general of the Finnish National Board of Antiquities, says that the Susiluola ("Wolf Cave") is the first place where she would take foreign colleagues if she were asked to show off Finland’s most important archaeological sites.
"It is without a doubt Finland’s most scientifically interesting archaeological location."
The Wolf Cave is in Kristinestad, on the border with Karijoki. In the cave there is evidence that it was settled by Neanderthal Man more than 100,000 years ago.
The cave was used as shelter and as a place to work in the palaeolithic stone age. The Neanderthals disappeared from Europe about 28,000 years ago, and the cave is unique evidence of man’s spread to the northern parts of Europe already before the arrival of homo sapiens.
Things have been found in the cave that have led to changes in textbooks concerning the prehistoric period.
Nothing like it has been found in Sweden or Norway, although Purhonen is certain that those areas were also inhabited.
Investigations made last summer brought to light more interesting information. A new layer of soil was found in the cave, and on the last day of excavation, a piece of charred bone was uncovered.
The time lines will be clearer after closer analysis is made during the winter.
After the Wolf Cave, the next thing that Purhonen would show a foreign colleague is the Kastellinlinna in Pattijoki. Situated on the Gulf of Bothnia, the Kastellinlinna is the largest of the jätinkirkko formations in Finland.
Jätinkirkko (literally "Giant’s Church"), is the name given to stone formations in the shape of an oval, or a rectangle with rounded corners.
The rough stone structures were probably campsites connected with seal hunting, but other theories of their origin have also been put forward. Purhonen says that these range from their having been used as foundations of houses, or as sacrificial or religious locations.
"If I had plenty of time I would take my guests to Inari, to Ukonsaari, where there is a sacred sacrificial site of the Sámi, which Sir Arthur Evans studied already back in 1873. Sir Arthur is renowned for his excavations in Knossos on the island of Crete."
The next stop on the tour would be Ristiina, and the rock paintings of Astuvansalmi. "They are important for me personally, because I was there on a dig as a student in the summer of 1969."
The rock paintings, with pictures of elk, are believed to date back to between 3800 and 2200 BC.
Finally, Purhonen would go to the southwest of Finland to look at the Untamala burial ground in Laitila.
In addition to an Archaeological Centre, there is a 2.5-kilometre walking path with ancient grave-sites, as well as idyllic villages and churches.
In the Helsinki region, Purhonen’s favourite site is Stenkulla-Maariankunnas on the banks of the Keravanjoki river.
"That was a dwelling place for stone-age fishermen and hunters. It was first settled 6,000 years ago. However, it could be a place where an archaeologist sees more than a lay person with an untrained eye."
In Helsinki Purhonen would take her colleague indoors, to the National Museum. The only obvious outdoor ancient relics are to be found in Meilahti, north-west of the centre; the Humallahti bronze age grave-site is linked with the origins of Finnish archaeology. The monument, created more than 3,000 years ago, is cordoned off by thick chains.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 12.10.2004
JOHANNA MANNILA / Helsingin Sanomat
johanna.mannila@hs.fi