Sorkanjälkiä menneisyydestä nykypäivään – Karjan ja karjanhoidon varhainen historia Suomessa

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Keskiaikaiset eläimet kuvina kirkkojen seinämaalauksissa

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Suomalaiset olivat metsästäjäkeräilijöitä pitkään

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Ritual deposition of animals in late Iron age Finland: a case-study of the Mulli settlement site in Raisio

The paper discusses the remains of domestic animals showing signs of ritual deposition at the settlement site of Mulli at Raisio in south-western Finland, dating to the Late Iron Age and Early Medieval period. Initially, a singly deposited sheep found under the wall of a building had been interpreted as ritually buried. While selecting samples for another study the curious nature of other deposits of domestic animals at the site became apparent and a re-analysis was conducted. This paper presents the results of the osteological reexamination and discusses indicators of ritual activity at the site. In fact, the site exhibits evidence of repeated rituals involving sheep cut to small chunks and bones buried at the homestead. Since organic material seldom preserves in the local soil, Mulli offers a unique glimpse into the ritual practices involving animal remains in Late Iron Age Finland. Although previous studies suggest that Christian beliefs were already changing the burial practices of the Mulli dwellers, domestic rituals remained important in their worldview.201

Animal bones in old graves: a zooarchaeological and contextual study on faunal remains and new dated evidence for the ritual re-use of old cemetery sites in Southern and Western Finland

Animal remains from twelve Iron Age (ca. 500 BC-1200/1300AD) sites from Southern and Western Finland, showing a mixture of finds and features typical of both settlement sites and cemeteries, were investigated using a zooarchaeological, taphonomic and contextual approach. Rarefaction analysis of the species richness and anatomical distribution indicates that the samples included both general domestic waste type and species and element-selective deposits of cattle and horse skulls, mandibles and limb bones. According to radiocarbon dating results, there seems to be a gap between the dates of burials and those of other ritual activities, indicating that the context of such deposits is a disused cemetery. The faunal deposits could represent remembrance rituals or relate to votive offerings intended to ensure healthy or productive livestock, a practice described in later ethnographic sources. These deposits seem to be in use within a large geographical area over a long period, and some aspects of this belief system may even have survived into the Christianisation of society in the historical period

Husdjur och växter i Finlands medeltida kyrkomålningar ur ett arkeo-osteologiskt och arkeobotaniskt perspektiv

Denna artikel behandlar medeltida kyrkors väggmålningar och speciellt växt- och husdjursmotiven i dem. Synvinkeln är inte konsthistorisk utan skribenterna behandlar ämnet ur ett osteologiskt och arkeo-botaniskt perspektiv. Målningarna med djurmotiv härstammar från 19 olika medeltida kyrkor medan växtornamentiken kommer från två olika finska medeltida kyrkor. Bildmotiven i dessa kyrkor jämförs med den historiska och arkeologiska informationen om medeltidens djur och växter. Husdjur och växter har haft många symboliska betydelser genom historien. Dessa har även påverkat hur och i vilket sammanhang man har behandlat dem i väggmålningarna. Det har inte varit lätt att måla djur och växter som inte existerat i Finland och det syns i målningarnas rätt så omväxlande resultat. Man kan se en lokal påverkan där man bytt ut de främmande elementen med bekanta motiv från den egna miljön. Till exempel fåren i de finska målningarna härstammar från en kortsvansad nordisk ras samtidigt som de för Central-Europa typiska långsvansade fårrasen saknas i de finska kyrkomålningarna. Djur- och växtmotiven i den finska kyrkorna berättar om symbolik, traditionella seder och vardagens realiteter

Animal Husbandry and Faunal Material: Integrating Data from Finland (AD 1200–1800)

This paper is a synthesis of zooarchaeological evidence from 27 medieval and post-medieval sites from Finland. These faunal samples derive from rural, town, manor, castle and ecclesiastic sites, and their production and consumption patterns were examined by studying the role of the major domesticates (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs). As taxonomic abundance in faunal material may be altered by taphonomic processes, such as burning, these factors were assessed before comparison. The animal husbandry system in Finland was shaped by environmental constraints that limited the number of animals that could be kept over winter. However, some specialisations were observed within the frame of the basic pattern. This paper demonstrates the usefulness of zooarchaeological data in the study of animal husbandry and consumption and production patterns. These findings support data integration as a useful tool for understanding general large-scale processes, such as urbanisation, development, environmental adaptation and the specialisation of animal production.</p

From intra-site variation to inter-site comparison in medieval faunal material from Katedraalikoulu, Turku, Finland

Faunal material from urban sites is important for understanding the socio-economic specialisation and spatial development of towns and cities. Variation caused by specialised activities, such as slaughter, crafts or consumption, may affect anatomical and species distribution, which could influence inter- and intra-site comparability. To study the variation within urban faunal assemblages, bone material from seven medieval contexts in the Katedraalikoulu area of Turku, Finland was examined. In this material, the deposition of kitchen waste seems to have had the greatest effect on species and anatomical distribution, with deposits that are rich in fish and bird bones but not in cattle bones. On the other hand, the general waste deposits exhibit only minor variations in the proportions of major domesticates, indicating possibilities for valid inter-site comparisons. Faunal material contributes greatly to understanding the complexity of the archaeological deposition processes and to the more precise identification of primary and secondary layers.</div