Tiina Äikäs*, Riitta Rainio & Antti

Lahelma*Archaeology

University of Oulutiina.aikas@oulu.fi

“Sieidi” stones, rock paintings and soundscapes

Experiments in listening sacred places

Rock paintings

• C. 140 rock paintings in Finland

• Date to ca. 5200 - 1000 BC• Painted with red ochra to

steep lakeshore cliffs• Depict elks, ships, human

figures, different motives• Connected to hunting,

shamanism?

Sámi offering place - sieidi

• Stone or wooden sieidi• Communicating with

supernatural• Connected to livelihood• Mainly bone finds• 11th-17th century AD• Contemporary use

Dating of the animal bones

Background

Prehistoricrock paintingsby canyonlakes

2500-1500 BC

Ancient Sámioffering siteby a canyonlake

1100-1600 AD

Taatsi

Värikallio

Julma-Ölkky

Map: National Land Survey of Finland

Map: National Land Survey of Finland

110 m

Field recordings (2013)

3D scanner

Map: National Land Survey of Finland

22,0 cmLeft Right

Equipment

Front

Winter 2014

Photos: A. Mikkonen

40 cm

3D model

10 m

→ 0,573 s

→ 98 m

Echo

Shot

Oscillograms

→ Opposite shore

30 m

→ 0,180 s

→ 30 m

Shot

Echo

→ Painted rock

50 m

Shot

Echo

70 m

Shot

Echo

Echo

Sonograms

30 m

Shot Echo (painted rock)

Echo (opposite shore)

→ 0-20 000 Hz

→ 350-3500 Hz

Map: National Land Survey of Finland, modified by T. Äikäs

Map: National Land Survey of Finland

Photos: A. Lahelma

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Summary

Massive smooth rock walls at the studied sites:

� efficient sound reflectors

� reproduce the impulse ”faithfully” (in respect of spectrum, intensity, structure, duration)

� create the most significant echoes in the environment

� capable of creating auditory illusions and otherspecial effects

� appear to be ”alive” and responsive

Thank you !!

R. Rainio, A. Lahelma, T. Äikäs, K. Lassfolk & J. Okkonen 2014: Acoustic measurements at the rock painting of Värikallio, Northern Finland. Archaeoacoustics: The Archaeology of Sound - Conference proceedings.