Anna-Kaisa Salmi

Animating rituals at Sámi sacred sites in northern Finland

This article concentrates on the performative nature of rituals at Sámi sacred sites called sieidi in northern Finland. These sites are usually natural objects, such as stones, unshaped by humans. Offerings, such as reindeer antlers, crania, meat, metal, and alcohol, were made to the sieidi in order to ensure future hunting success. In this article, the concept of ritual as performative action is used as a tool to emphasize how practices, senses, and emotions comprised different parts of the rituals that took place at sieidi sites. Understanding ritual as performative action helps us to animate the rituals at sieidi sites with other people, animals, sounds, smells, movements, and feelings. We also seek to re-evaluate the context-related nature of the rituals. Finally, we discuss the implications for the interpretation of such sites where there are no material traces of offerings.

‘The sieidi is a better altar/the noaidi drum's a purer church bell’: long-term changes and syncretism at Sámi offering sites

Abstract The changes in the Sámi ethnic religion practised by the indigenous people in northern Fennoscandia have often been described in terms of Christianization brought by Lutheran missions. The changes were, however, more long term and multifaceted. Archaeological excavations conducted at Sámi offering places have shown that the ethnic religion was never static, but the offering practices changed with time and in connection with changes in livelihood and society. In addition, syncretistic influences did not just derive from Christianity, but there were various agents and interplay among Christianity, the ethnic religion and contemporary neo-paganism.

Engaging with Sea and Seals: Environmental and Human-Animal Relations on the Northern Coast of the Early Modern Gulf of Bothnia

The nature of environmental and human-animal relations in past societies has been subject to much discussion in archaeology and other disciplines, but the significance of environmental beliefs may not have been fully appreciated in post-medieval European contexts. This paper argues that a reassessment of how people engaged with animals and the natural environment is nonetheless needed especially in such contexts as the northern Gulf of Bothnia in early modern Sweden. This is because pre-modern conceptions about the world persisted there for a long time and were arguably more integral to human life than has previously been thought. This paper takes sea and seals in the northern Gulf of Bothnia region as a springboard for addressing broader issues of environmental and human-animal relations in a northern periphery of the early modern world, and for discussing some problems of interpreting archaeological bone material. A new view on the dynamics of human-seal relations, and more generally environmental relations, is derived from relational thinking.

Time, Seasonality, and Trade: Swedish/Finnish-Sámi Interactions in Early Modern Lapland

Recent theoretical debates have identified time as a key area for research by historical archaeologists. In this paper we present evidence from Tornio, in northern Finland, and suggest that the early-17th-century colonists who founded this town developed a multidimensional conception of time that varied according to context and allowed deeply held folk beliefs to coexist alongside Lutheran doctrines and also facilitated seasonal trade with the indigenous Sami people in the upper reaches of Lapland.

Towards a Multiangled Study of Reindeer Agency, Overlapping Environments, and Human–Animal Relationships

This paper discusses the applicability of theories about animal agency to studies of human–animal relationships in the academic disciplines of environmental history and archaeology. Both disciplines have a traditional epistemological stance that neglects the perceptual worlds of the animal. One example is presented of efforts to write from the other side of the epistemological chasm, on the environment of the animal, as well as Morten Tønnessen’s (2010) concepts of semiotic and ontological niches. There is also a critical discussion as to whether these concepts are applicable to the relationship between reindeer and humans. The second part of the text is devoted to an effort to recover the human presence in the scheme, with examples from sacrificial animals. It is argued that the human presence illuminates certain aspects of the animal agency, which theorizing on the animal Umwelt (environment) tends to neglect. In addition, these theories provide a heuristic foundation where species-specific environments, in all of which the reindeer dwells, provide a multiangled view of the limits of animal agency and the ways in which species, humans included, affect each other’s behavior in animal-to-animal and human–animal settings.

Bones, buttons and buckles: negotiating class and bodily practices in early modern Oulu

Abstract Some of the most prominent characteristics of the early modern period are increasing control over human bodies and the increasing class differences in bodily practices. The rigid class society prevailing in early modern Sweden was reflected in the way people in different classes were expected to behave, dress and eat, amongst other things. This paper discusses how bodily practices — with foodways and dress as case studies — were involved in negotiating class identities in a small town on the northern edge of Europe. It will examine how disciplinary codes of bodily behaviour were played out on the geographical margins of European society. Abstract Luita, nappeja ja solkia: Sääty ja ruumis varhaisen uuden ajan Oulussa Ruumista kontrolloitiin, säädeltiin ja luokiteltiin enenevissä määrin varhaisella uudella ajalla. Eri säätyihin kuuluvien ihmisten ruumiit myös ymmärrettiin erilaisiksi ja niitä koskivat eri säännöt. Varhaisen uuden ajan Ruotsi oli sääty-yhteiskunta, jossa sääty vaikutti esimerkiksi ihmisten käytökseen, pukeutumiseen ja ruokailuun. Tutkimuksemme keskittyy siihen kuinka ruumiilliset käytännöt — tapaustutkimuksina pukeutuminen ja ruokakulttuuri — olivat osana säätyidentiteettiä Oulussa, Euroopan pohjoisen reuna-alueen pikkukaupungissa. Tutkimuksemme osoittaa, että ruumiillisten käytäntöjen avulla rakennettiin säätyidentiteettiä varhaisen uuden ajan Oulussa. Käytännössä säätyerot pukeutumisessa ja ruokakulttuurissa olivat kuitenkin joustavia ja muuttuivat sosiaalisen kontekstin mukaan. Abstract Os, boutons, boucles: traitement des classes sociales et des pratiques corporelles à Oulu au début de la période moderne Le début de la période moderne est marqué par le contrôle croissant sur le corps humain et les différences grandissantes dans les pratiques corporelles selon les classes sociales. Au début de la période moderne en Suède, une structure des classes rigide prévaut, ce qui se reflète, entre autre, dans le comportement, le mode vestimentaire et le régime alimentaire auxquels on pouvait s’attendre de la part des individus des différentes classes. Cet article montre comment les pratiques corporelles — avec, comme étude de cas, les habitudes alimentaires et le mode vestimentaire — ont été impliquées dans le traitement des identités des classes sociales d’une petite ville de la frange septentrionale de l’Europe. L’interprétation des codes disciplinaires de comportement corporel dans les marges géographiques de la société européenne y est également décrite. Abstract Knochen, Knöpfe und Schnallen: Erforschung von Klasse und Körperfunktionen im früh-modernen Oulu Einige der hervorragenden Charakteristika der früh-modernen Periode sind die zunehmende Kontrolle über den menschlichen Körper und der zunehmende Klassenunterschied in körperlichem Gebrauch. Die strengen Klassenunterschiede der Gesellschaft im frühmodernen Schweden kamen zum Ausdruck in der Art, wie man erwartete, dass Menschen aus verschiedenen Klassen sich unter anderem benehmen, anziehen und essen sollten. Dieser Artikel beschreibt körperliche Gewohnheiten durch Fallbeispiele über Essen und Kleidung, wie sie halfen, Klassenbewusstsein in einer kleinen Stadt am nördlichen Rande von Europa zu identifizieren. Es wird untersucht, wie disziplinäre Kennzeichen körperlichen Benehmens umgesetzt wurden am geographischen Rande der europäischen Gesellschaft. Abstract Ossi, bottoni, e fibbie: negoziazione fra classe sociale e antropologia del corpo in Oulu nella prima età moderna Alcuni dei tratti più salienti della prima età moderna sono il crescente controllo del corpo umano e una crescente differenza di classe relativamente a quanto legato al corpo stesso. La rigida società classista che prevaleva in Svezia nella prima età moderna era riflessa nel modo in cui, fra le altre cose, ci si aspettava che le persone si comportassero, vestissero e mangiassero. Questo contributo discute come l’antropologia del corpo — considerando le pratiche culturali sociali ed economiche del consumo alimentare e il vestire come casi di studio — fosse coinvolta nella negoziazione dell’identità di classe nei piccoli centri urbani all’estremità settentrionale dell’Europa. Questo saggio esamina come i codici disciplinari dell’antropologia comportamentale del corpo fossero effettivamente rimessi in gioco ai margini geografici della società europea. Abstract Huesos, botones y hebillas: negociación de clase y las prácticas corporales en Oulu durante el período Moderno temprano Algunas de las características más destacadas del período moderno temprano son el aumento de control sobre los cuerpos humanos y de las diferencias sociales en las prácticas corporales. La rígida estratificación social imperante en la Suecia moderna temprana ha quedado reflejada en el modo en el que las personas de diferentes clases debían comportarse, vestir y comer, entre otras cosas. Este artículo analiza cómo las prácticas corporales — como por ejemplo la alimentación y el vestido — intervinieron a la hora de negociar las identidades de las clases sociales en una pequeña ciudad en el extremo norte de Europa. El artículo examinará cómo se utilizaron los códigos disciplinares de la conducta corporal en los márgenes geográficos de la sociedad europea.

Archaeological Refuse Fauna in Finland: Understanding the Role of Bone Combustion

ABSTRACT The reconstruction of Stone Age subsistence in Finland is almost solely based on the study of burned bone assemblages from settlement sites. Seal bones dominate Stone Age refuse fauna while bird and fish bones are almost absent. The problem of the absence of bird and fish bones has been acknowledged, but so far the dominance of seal bone has been taken as a sign of (specialized) seal hunting as the main subsistence activity. In this article we question the use of archaeological refuse fauna as the single basis for the study of hunter-gatherer subsistence. We conducted a series of experiments to test how interspecies differences in bone characteristics may bias our current understanding of Finnish prehistoric subsistence. Our preliminary results clearly show interspecies differences in bone combustion qualities and in bone preservation. Further structural and densitometric analyses reveal significant differences in the medullary cavity of seal vs. terrestrial mammal bones. Our results also open new perspectives concerning the use of bone as an additional fuel source in prehistoric hearths.

North/South Encounters at Sámi Sacred Sites in Northern Finland

This article focuses on the use of Sámi sacrificial places called sieidi (in North Sámi). Their meanings to the Sámi people changed when the indigenous northern tradition collided with the colonial expansion of Christian culture from the south. Sieidi sites have had a long period of use—from the turn of the first millennium A.D. until the 18th century—in some cases up to the present day. During this time, the influence of the church and agrarian society in the north has increased. Consequently, attitudes toward sieidi and their associated meanings vary widely: some people wish to destroy the “pagan” sites or view them as scientific curiosities, while others use them, alongside Christian churches, as places to practice indigenous beliefs. Sámi attitudes toward the sacrificial sites of their ethnic religion have been in constant dialog with colonial and subsequent neocolonial contacts emanating from the south.

Sámi Archaeology and Postcolonial Theory—An Introduction

While researchers within Sámi archaeology have dealt with issues closely related to postcolonial theory and critique since the 1970s onwards, this has rarely been done with explicit mention or coherent use of this theoretical complex. This somewhat paradoxical situation was addressed in a session at the 14th conference of the Nordic Theoretical Archaeology Group at Stockholm University in April 2014, an initiative that eventually resulted in the present collection of articles. In this introduction we briefly present the historiographical and discursive background for the debates that are outlined in the following contributions.

Street mirrors, surveillance, and urban communities in early modern Finland

This article discusses street mirrors or ‘gossip mirrors’, in terms of urban social relations and surveillance. Street mirrors were introduced to coastal towns in Sweden and Finland in the 18th and early 19th centuries and may still be found in well-preserved towns with historic wooden centres. The authors argue that the introduction of monitoring and spying devices, such as street mirrors, occurred in the 18th century due to increased urban populations and feelings of insecurity caused by greater regional and transnational mobility. Mirrors, in this sense, were one material mechanism in the process of modernization and the development of individuality.