New data on shoreline displacement and archaeological chronology in Southern Ostrobothnia and Northern Satakunta

Shoreline displacement in southern Ostrobothnia (Pohjanmaa) and northern Satakunta was studied by using recent sediment, pollen and diatom data supplemented by radiocarbon dates from 12 lake basins at various altitudes that were successively cut off from the Baltic. The shoreline displacement shows a very rapid regression of more than 100 m from deglaciation to about 8000 B.P. after which a distinct retardation took place. Two new stratigraphical Litorina sites, Lake Kalliojärvi (47.7 m) and Lake Tuorilampi (29.3 m a.s.l.) are reported here to supplement the earlier results. The stratigraphy of Tuorilampi shows a possible transregression around 3000 B.P., but the topographic reconstruction suggests a river estuary situation at that time. The Stone Age coastal dwelling places from southern Ostrobothnia are dated with this shore displacement curve on the basis of their altitudes, and the chronology of different stylistic phases from the Mesoliticum to the Late Sub-Neolithic Kiukainen culture is thus obtained. The results are in accordance with the chronology obtained earlier by the time/gradient method. There are, however, some overlapping dates at Middle and Late Comb Ware sites

Applications of AAS, diatom analysis and stylistic studies on Finnish Subneolithic pottery

Ten prehistoric Comb Ceramic vessels found near Kotka have been studied with the aid of AAS and diatom analysis. Correspondence between stylistic and decorative groupings show that the variation in the elements determined by AAS is apparently due to the coarse sand temper added to the clay during the actual manufacture of the vessels. The composition of the Pit and Comb Ware vessel differs considerably from the others, the ornamentation suggesting East Karelian provenience. The diatom flora in the clay material of the vessels corresponds to the stylistic classification. The raw material was apparently either glacial or fresh water clay, whose technical properties correspond to those of clay in modern tile production