Archaeologists from the University of Turku, in collaboration with the Finnish Heritage Agency and researchers from the University of Helsinki, have discovered a stone-age wooden “staff” in the shape of a snake. They immediately noted that the find was not similar to any of them previously discovered.
The discovery was made at the prehistoric site of Järvensuo 1, an ancient wetland on the shores of Lake Rautajärvi in southwestern Finland. Järvensuo 1 was discovered by accident in the 1950s by excavators, and excavations are ongoing, which began in 2019.
Due to the anaerobic soil conditions, previous investigations have found several perfectly preserved wooden artifacts, including a wooden scoop with a handle shaped like a bear’s head.
The latest find of the “staff” reaches half a meter in length and has the shape of a naturalistic gliding reptile with a snake head, which may have been used by Stone Age shamans for ritual purposes.
Archaeologists note that the find is unlike any other wooden artifact from the Neolithic of Northern Europe, although snakes are sometimes depicted in pictographs of modern rock art from the pit pottery culture (also called the comb pottery culture), where they are held by humanoid figures.
Dr. Antti Lahelma of the University of Helsinki said: “There seems to be a definite connection between snakes and humans, this is reminiscent of northern shamanism in the historical period, where snakes played a special role as shaman’s helper spirits.”
Recent excavations have unearthed several wooden artifacts, including wooden utensils, building remains, and many pieces of fishing equipment.
Dr. Satu Koivisto, Principal Investigator of the Järvensuo Study at the University of Turku and the lead author of this study, said: “Well-preserved finds from the wetlands help us understand ancient peoples and the landscape where they performed both mundane and sacred things.”
The researchers emphasize that Järvensuo 1 is under threat as drainage works and environmental changes exacerbated by climate change expose the site and highlight the danger of archeology. “Signs of destruction caused by extensive drainage are already clearly visible at this site, and its organic treasures are no longer safe,” added Dr. Koivisto.
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