My name is
Jussi Moisio and I’m an archaeologist working on my PhD thesis in the
University of Turku. The name of the blog is derived from Juhani Aho’s book
Katajainen kansani (1899), where he compares Finns to a juniper, which endures
all hardships without breaking. Soon afterwards new branches cover the old
scars and it’s like these adversities had never happened. My thesis focuses on
the Early Iron Age population development in Finland, so I thought it fitting
to name my blog after Aho’s figure of speech. In a way I’m looking at the roots
of the juniper to see where they lead.
My research
focuses on the Early Iron Age (500 BCE to 400 CE) migrations in the Baltic Sea
region and I’m mainly interested in the connections between Estonia
and Finland. In Finnish archaeology this subject has been of interest from the late
19th century onwards, but previous studies have focused mainly on
archaeological and linguistical evidence. In my research I utilize stable
isotope and DNA analyses alongside archaeological studies and with these it’s
possible to gain a more comprehensive understanding of past migrations and
their impact on the local population development.
Stable
isotope studies are based on the comparison of stable isotope ratios between
bones and the environment. The environmental isotope ratios reflect the local
geological and climatic conditions, which vary between regions. These are incorporated into the human bodies through food and water. Dental enamel is used most
frequently in these studies, because dentition develops during the childhood
and doesn’t remodel after this. Therefore, the isotope ratios analysed from
enamel represents the environment of the childhood. Differences between the
results derived from the individual and the area of burial is a clear
indication of a migration between regions.
In my
research stable isotope studies are supplemented with DNA analyses, which
provide genetic evidence of kinship ties between prehistoric and modern
populations. The main limiting factor in this approach is the degradation of
the DNA which occurs over time, but even a partially preserved DNA can help us
to understand better the population dynamics of the past. Another problem is
the fact that apart from cremated bones and dental enamel, bones rarely survive
the soil conditions of Finland. Therefore, even the tiniest bone fragments are
valuable.
The usable
samples in these analyses are identified with osteological studies of the
bones. Most of the remains were excavated in the early 20th century and after
this they have been in archives waiting for someone to analyse them.
Osteological analysis also helps in the identification of age, health and sex
of the individuals used in these analyses.
Archaeological
studies and reanalysis of older materials are used alongside these methods. These
focus on the study of burial forms and grave goods, which have parallels in the
Baltic Sea region. These have been central in archaeological studies from the
very beginning and have been dealt extensively by previous generations of
archaeologists, but many of the interpretations can nowadays be considered as
outdated, because new materials across the Baltic Sea region have been made
available.
