This dissertation focuses on Early Medieval and Medieval (c. AD 900–1400) inhumation burial customs in Upper Satakunta and Häme regions in Finland. The aim is to clarify the find contexts of Early Medieval inhumation burials in Finland, and to explore the research potential of studying the variations in burial customs. The methodology is based on archaeothanatological analysis which aims at distinguishing the human and natural taphonomic processes in burials. Although some of the burials have been considered atypical in previous research, the studies on the contexts of all the graves in the area reveal that there has been significant variation in Early Medieval inhumation burial customs. This variation is likely explained by individual choices at different stages of the burial ritual. These choices may have been influenced by different social motives, beliefs, and local events. Therefore, the variations in burial practices emphasize the impact of individual agency. In addition to general variation, a possible slight increase in double and multiple burials around AD 1200 was observed. This is also a period when “antique” spearheads were occasionally struck into the coffin structures – a habit previously considered dramatic and unusual. Based on environmental studies and recent molecular studies in the Baltic countries and Scandinavia, it is possible that crop failure and epidemic outbreaks caused a mortality crisis at the time, leading to an increase in double and multiple burials. However, the political instability of the period could also have also provoked local power struggles, which could have emphasized the ritual meaning of ancestors. This could explain the various usage of “antique” objects and older cremated bones in the inhumation burials. When the graves are studied in detail, it will become possible to raise new questions on gender roles and identities, local rituals, commemoration, and the meanings of objects and sites. In general, the contextualization of graves widens the possibilities to study and interpret Finnish archaeological material and help integrate this material in wider geographical, temporal, and theoretical discussion.
Author(s): Ulla Moilanen
Series: Annales Universitatis Turkuensis, Ser. B, Humaniora, 555
Publisher: University of Turku
Year: 2021
Language: English
Pages: 210
City: Turku
ABSTRACT
TIIVISTELMÄ
Acknowledgements
Tables
Figures
List of Original Publications and Author Contributions
Author contribution to publications II, IV, and V:
1. Introduction
1.1 Aims and objectives
1.2 Geographical area and chronology
1.3 Terminology
1.3.1 Individual
1.3.2 Atypical burial
1.3.3 Burial positions
Basic positions
Specifying descriptions:
1.3.4 Burial deposits
1.4 Previous research on atypical burials in Finland
2. Theory and methods
2.1 Social microarchaeology
2.2 Archaeothanatology
2.3 Interdisciplinary and scientific collaboration
3. Material
3.1 Archived materials and artefact collections
3.2 Graves excavated for the dissertation
4. Results and Discussion
4.1 Variation in Early Medieval burials in Finland
4.1.1 Varied body positions
4.1.1.1 Burials in a supine position
4.1.1.2 Burials in a lateral position
4.1.1.3 Prone burials
4.1.1.4 Positions as indicators of containers and wrappings
4.1.2 Double and multiple burials
4.1.3 Cremated bones in inhumations and unburnt bones in cremations
4.1.4 Varied use of objects in graves
4.1.4.1 Placing objects (in unusual places)
4.1.4.2 Sharp objects struck into coffins
4.1.4.3 Gender-bending burials
4.2 What causes funerary variation?
4.3 Implications of the study
4.4 Ethical considerations
5. Conclusions
Abbreviations and glossary
List of References
Archival sources
Literature
Appendices
Appendix 1: Inhumation cemeteries and graves in Upper Satakunta and Häme
Appendix 2: Summary of papers I–V
