Giant's Church

Giant's Church at Kastelli
Giant's Church at Kettukangas

A Giant's Church (Finnish: Jätinkirkko or jatulinkirkko) is the name given to prehistoric stone enclosures found in the Ostrobothnia region of Finland. Dating from the sub-Neolithic period (3500-2000 BC), they are thought to be a rare example of monumental architecture built by hunter-gatherers in northern Europe.[1]

Description

The stone enclosures are rectangular or oval boulder embankments.[2] Around forty sites are known, located in a 400 kilometre strip on the northwest coast of Finland (Ostrobothnia).[1] Although located inland today, they were probably originally on the seashore.[1] There is no hard evidence as to their intended use.[2] It is possible they were used by hunters of seals on the Spring ice, who were away from their usual dwelling places.[3]

One of the largest known sites is Kastelli Giant's Church, which encloses an area of 60 by 35 metres.[1] The Giants' Churches have been dated to the "subneolithic" (ie. Mesolithic people who are beginning to use Neolithic artefacts) around 3500-2000 BC.[1] By 1500 BC they were abandoned.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Pollard, Tony; Banks, Iain (2006). War and Sacrifice: Studies in the Archaeology of Conflict. BRILL. p. 189. ISBN 9047418921.
  2. 1 2 3 Hulse, Eva Leonie (2008). The Difference Between Dirt and Other Dirt: Using multivariate statistical analysis to classify chemical soil enrichment at Late Stone Age archaeological sites in North Ostrobothnia, Finland. ProQuest. p. 17. ISBN 0549735747.
  3. ↑ "The large Stone Age ruin of Kastelli at Pattijoki". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 14 June 2016.

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