Following the Path

On the other side of the field there is the home forest, a path and a mighty tree..

...that used to separate the earth and the sky and hold them on their own places.

Even if the tree is over hundred years old and has no more green needles it is alive.

It is a home for many and it will take another hundred years before there is nothing left of it.

The tree just calls you to put your cheek against its bark that is so hard that it wouldn't burn in a forest fire and to tie your arms around it even if you cannot reach to touch. You feel rooted and safe.

The path leads to the home forest which was thought to be the kingdom of Hiisi, Tapio and others and where you were not allowed to harm a thing without a reason and asking a permission.

The well provides water for the forest animals and it too is a home for fauna that can be thousands of years old.

If you wash your face with the fount water you will be spireted and perky the whole year.

The path is not only used by us but by the elks and deer as well so it stays open.

On the top of the cliffs there is a white stone where it is said the snakes gathered to meet but it is not the only secret up here where people thought your sacreficies and prayers were best heard.

After the Ice Age the ground started to arise because of the upthrust, but it took thousands of years before there was nothing above the sea. This spot is about 30 metres above the sea level and down there is a hole the seal hunters made 3500-2500 years ago during the Bronze Age.

The cellar

So for the hunters and fishermen these cliffs were a safe harbour on an endless sea.

One of my favourite routes home down by the rock face...

... while she prefers the ones up.

Back safe - without that the goblins took us under the forest.. Not that I was worried.

We always come home richer than we left though hands empty like this time and she is the only one strengths left to run. What does give you the same feeling of peace & having gained?

The Pit!

When we read that they were trying to find all the pre-historic sites of our island we came to think of the Pit, Kuoppa.

For ages people in our farm Pellas had known about it and wondered what it is - in the middle of our home forest, high on the east side of the hill, about 20-25 metres above sea level.

So we contacted Marja, the archaeologist who joined us on a forest walk to the site. 

She estimated it to be from the Bronze age, then at least 2500 years old, and probably a storage pit of seal hunters, the only one found at this area.

It is made of round stones softened by the waves of the sea after the Ice Age and on the cool side of the hill, near a steep place to pull up the boat.

In the old times people sought not only shelter but also advice from special places like high tops like this.

We thought we were the first to inform the bureau of Museum but my husbands's grand-father had done it already in 1971!

Here's Uno, the grand-father by the pit! It was then estimated to be ruins of a temporary fishermen's shelter. Who knows what the next generation will think!

http://kulttuuriymparisto.nba.fi/netsovellus/rekisteriportaali/portti/default.aspx

https://extras.csc.fi/arctinet/pronssikausi/