Postglacial pioneer settlement in the Lake Sarvinki area, eastern Finland

In this contribution, we focus on the Lake Sarvinki area in eastern Finland and its position in the postglacial colonisation of Fennoscandia. Two sites (Rahakangas 1 and Jokivarsi 1) with radiocarbon dates reaching as far as c. 11,100–10,600 cal BP, contemporary to the late part of Yoldia Sea phase in the Baltic Sea basin, have been studied on a former lake shore. The excavations at Rahakangas 1 in 2009–10 concentrated in and around a house-pit. The main finds consist of a red ochre grave, burnt bones and chipped lithics. Radiocarbon determinations show three periods of site use, one in the Early Mesolithic, one in the Late Mesolithic and one in the Early Metal Period. The refuse fauna from Rahakangas 1 indicates a versatile use of animal resources. The collection of chipped lithics shows a similar pattern, and includes some exotic flints together with local quartz, quartzite and slate. Preserved tooth enamel of a child or a juvenile was found in the grave. Charcoal from the sand filling was dated to the Late Mesolithic, 8600–8408 cal BP. This makes it the oldest dated grave with preserved organic material in Finland and alsothe earliest piece of evidence that connects eastern Finland with the widespread tradition of using red ochre in burials. AMS-dates, artefacts and structures indicate a complex history of site use, and suggest shifts in foraging strategies, mobility, the length of site occupation, and the size and composition of the occupying group.