Exciting to be part of these excavations which my regional residents’ association Pitäjänmäki-seura is hosting this year. Today – Friday 14.6. – was the second of five days.
I have understood from Jan Fast, leader of this team, that when the digs get a bit deeper during the weekend there may be many treasures to be found. But already today, interesting items came up from the sand as you can see in the sifting picture below.
Many local people – both adults and children – visited the site and were told about the activities by members of the Helsinki amateur archaeologists’ association ANGO. There is a nice atmosphere up on the hill and the ’typical Finnish summer weather’ as we like to wryly say – 18C and a bit of rain – did not seem to bother…
This is a 5,000 years old fishing and trading site right next to a children’s playground, in the Nuolipuisto (Swedish: Pilparken) park just close to my home. In the stone ages most of this area was covered by water and the main route to the Finnish inland passed by here.
This is a joint initiative with both professional and amateur archaeologists participating. It is approved and supported by the Finnish Heritage Agency – a government institution – and fully financed by our association together with the participating archaeologists.
An important project for my neighbourhood, it opens up our history and heritage in very concrete ways and strengthens the identity of this fast expanding city region.