A Stone Age burial site in Majoonsuo in the municipality of Outokumpu in eastern Finland has provided an exceptional find during an archaeological dig. Buried underneath a gravel road in a forest in Finland, tooth fragments belonging to a child living 6,000 years ago in the Mesolithic period, with animal furs and bird feathers also retrieved from the grave.
Funerary Customs of the Nordic Communities
While the bones of the child did not survive the onslaught of time, this fascinating discovery has shed light on the funerary customs of Nordic communities and is the subject of a new study, published in PLOS One journal. The study has provided valuable insights about burial habits in the Stone Age, showing how ancient Nordic communities prepared the child for the journey after death.
For the purposes of research, they excavated microscopically small fragments of bird feathers , canine and small mammalian hairs, and plant fibers using soil analysis. What makes this find even more remarkable is the fact that organic matter is poorly preserved in Finland’s acidic soil.
Fearing the destruction of the site, the Archaeological Field Services team of the Finnish Heritage Agency examined the site in 2018. What gave the burial away was a deep red ochre color, that has been used in burials and rock art across the world, as the grave was partially exposed at the end of a gravelly sand road.
The red-ochre burial site of the child in Majoonsuo. (Kristiina Mannermaa / University of Helsinki )
