At the Pukkisaari Island, an ancient trading post like it could have been like 1,000 years ago was built in 1998. It contains some dwellings, a market place and craft workshops. The development from open trade site without houses up to the founding of cities is explained here.
Sommelo is an ideological association with a purpose of furthering knowledge and research of the Information is gathered from different sectors of the science and arts in order to enliven them by practical application. For example, the national Finnish Epos Kalevala acted as source of inspiration.
The activity is based on three prerequisites:
• Knowledge based on Archaeological facts and Ethnic studies.
• The skills and the knowledge of crafts
• Holistic cultural weltanschauung
Examples of the activities include information gathering, hands-on experience on crafting techniques, professional lectures and training courses, the production and marketing of the artefacts and publishing in different forms
There are six buildings constructed in three years, open to the public during Summer almost every day 12-16. The construction has been supported by employment projects by Helsinki City and TE-center, partly voluntary work and partly contribution by AmiEdu.
In cooperation with the professionals of Archaeology and Ethnic studies and the preservers of tradition crafting skills were studied and there are smiths, ceramists, weavers and carvers of wooden vessels practicing them.
An Iron Age Market takes place every year the first weekend of September. Also in Winter time there are activities including an “Iron Age” biathlon on the Sunday preceding Shrove Tuesday.
Picture by Miika Lauriala
