Teija Alanko - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Teija Alanko
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, Feb 7, 2015
Garden history can be investigated through archaeobotanical research. This paper discusses the pl... more Garden history can be investigated through archaeobotanical research. This paper discusses the plant remains which were obtained from the soil of the historical garden of the manor of Kumpula in Helsinki, Finland. This study was an experiment to enable macrofossil analysis without archaeological excavations. The aim was to develop an alternative method for sampling for macrofossils also including radiocarbon dates, and to evaluate the usability, cost and functionality of this method. The character of the garden was also considered. The soil samples for macrofossil analysis were collected from the garden from three to eight different levels using an end-filling open-ended sampler. A total of 38 one litre soil samples from eight different pits yielded 2,036 identified macrofossils, mostly seeds. These comprised 63 different taxa, of which 26 were identified to species level with certainty. Taxa with more than 25 seeds found were Chelidonium majus, Chenopodium spp., Juncus spp., Rubus idaeus, Sambucus racemosa and Urtica dioica. Important species were Secale cereale and Hordeum vulgare. Nine AMS radiocarbon dates were obtained from macrofossil material from four different pits, giving results ranging from 1120-920 cal BC to cal AD 1680-1930 for charred wood, and from cal AD 1450-1640 to 1640-1930 for charred grains of Secale cereale and seeds of Chenopodium album. The sampling method proved to work reasonably well, considering the limitations of the sample size.
Garden history in academic gardens can be studied both from written and drawn sources, such as li... more Garden history in academic gardens can be studied both from written and drawn sources, such as lists of plants and old maps. Another possibility is archaeobotanical analyses carried out in gardens. The aim of this study was to test archaeobotanical macrofossil analysis as a method in Uppsala Linnaeus Garden, founded in 1655 by Olof Rudbeck the Elder, and the former garden of Turku Academy, founded in 1757 by Pehr Kalm. The literature provided historical contexts of the gardens. For the archaeobotanical study in the Uppsala and Turku gardens, macrofossil sampling was carried out from the soil with a sampler and a total of 75 soil samples were collected from six different pits in Uppsala and from seven in Turku. Samples were floated and sieved, and macrofossil plant remains were identified. Pollen analysis was carried out from nine subsamples from Uppsala. Six macrofossil samples were dated with AMS-radiocarbon method. Altogether 839 macrofossils and 61 plant taxa were found. Pollen g...
Archaeobotany is a field of science that combines botany, archaeology and history, and concentrat... more Archaeobotany is a field of science that combines botany, archaeology and history, and concentrates on useful plants and the interactions between humans and plants in the past, including horticulture. Garden history has been studied in Finland mainly through historical references, but not much with archaeological or archaeobotanical methods, although the importance of multidisciplinary work has been noted. Archaeobotany should be applied, because written sources available are often not sufficient. Records of plant species probably originating from garden cultivation are known from Finnish macrofossil analyses, but garden soils themselves have not been investigated much. The interpretation of archaeobotanical material, obtained from soil samples, i.e. macrosubfossil plant remains, is connected to archaeological and historical contexts. Excavations are, however, often restricted for practical reasons, therefore determining sites for macrofossil analyses. An alternative sampling method...
The medieval Birgittine convent of Naantali (Nådendal, SW Finland) had a relatively short period ... more The medieval Birgittine convent of Naantali (Nådendal, SW Finland) had a relatively short period of activity, but it was still important in the history of Finnish and Swedish cloisters, and late medieval Finnish society. The Catholic convent existed in Naantali from 1443 to 1544, when Finland was a part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The convent most probably had a garden, and medicinal plants were cultivated. The aim of this study was to find plants cultivated and consumed in the convent through archaeobotanical macrofossil analysis, and to make an illustration of chronological changes in cultivation and consumption through AMS-radiocarbon dated macrofossils. Soil samples for macrofossil analysis came from excavations carried out in the convent church in 1996-97. From 46 litre of soil, 4,561 plant remains, mostly seeds, were found. Cultivated and collected useful plants for food, dyeing and medicinal purposes were found. Four AMS-radiocarbon dates were measured in 2013 from charred cereal grains and seeds from three different excavation areas. The calibrated dates varied from cal AD 1255 to cal AD 1805. With revision of archaeological dates, macrofossils from dated samples were divided into four periods to demonstrate the changes in the convent life.
Garden history has primarily been studied in Finland through historical sources, with archaeology... more Garden history has primarily been studied in Finland through historical sources, with archaeology playing a lesser role, although its importance has been noted. The aims of this paper are to review garden archaeological research in Finland in the context of garden archaeology and garden history research in general, to demonstrate a selection of research methods in garden archaeology, and to present research results from the 19th century garden in Lahti in Finland. A garden is here defined as a bordered and cultivated area forming a specific ecological system, specific to the culture in question. Gardens have been reflections of their eras, economic situations, and climatic periods. They have influenced and been influenced by political power, the development of science, journeys of exploration, and globalisation. Many different historical sources, such as letters, accounts, maps, and paintings have been used to study garden history. Methods used in garden archaeology include non-destructive techniques, excavations, and various scientific methods. Although the Finnish examples of garden archaeology are limited, several Scandinavian and British examples prove that archaeology can be significant in garden history studies and the restoration of historic gardens. For example, evidence of gardening was found during archaeological excavations in 2013 at the historical village of Lahti in Finland. During these excavations, a vegetable garden with intact planting beds was found. The planting beds were studied archaeobotanically, but the results did not reveal either plant residues or visible fertilizers. The lack of information, concerning especially the oldest garden sites, presents a challenge for comprehensive interpretations. The problem could be solved at least partly through archaeological and archaeobotanical research. Garden history is such a wide field that all relevant disciplines and aspects should be involved in a collaboration to form a whole.
Garden history in academic gardens can be studied both from written and drawn sources, such as li... more Garden history in academic gardens can be studied both from written and drawn sources, such as lists of plants and old maps. Another possibility is archaeobotanical analyses carried out in gardens. The aim of this study was to test archaeobotanical macrofossil analysis as a method in Uppsala Linnaeus Garden, founded in 1655 by Olof Rudbeck the Elder, and the former garden of Turku Academy, founded in 1757 by Pehr Kalm. The literature provided historical contexts of the gardens. For the archaeobotanical study in the Uppsala and Turku gardens, macrofossil sampling was carried out from the soil with a sampler and a total of 75 soil samples were collected from six different pits in Uppsala and from seven in Turku. Samples were floated and sieved, and macrofossil plant remains were identified. Pollen analysis was carried out from nine subsamples from Uppsala. Six macrofossil samples were dated with AMS-radiocarbon method. Altogether 839 macrofossils and 61 plant taxa were found. Pollen grains from 42 different taxa were discovered , but only four of them in greater numbers. Spores of ferns, moss and fungi were also present in pollen samples. Abundant macrofossil species were in Uppsala Chelidonium majus (116 seeds) and in Turku Chenopodium album (58 seeds), Plantago major (51), Polygonum aviculare (53) and Spergula arvensis (83). Interesting species were Chenopodium hybridum (47 seeds from Uppsala, four from Turku), found in the Hortus Rudbeckianus, listing species grown in Uppsala by Rudbeck and in the Hortus Linnaeanus, listing plants cultivated in Uppsala during the Lin-nean period; Datura stramonium (five seeds from Uppsala), also in both the Hortus Rudbeckianus and the Hortus Linnaeanus, and also on Kalm's list of plants cultivated in Turku; and Sambucus racemosa / S. canadensis (23 seeds from Turku), found in the Hortus Linnaeanus and on Kalm's list. Pollen grains of the group Asteraceae, which contains garden plants, were found in seven soil samples in Uppsala Garden. In addition, chips of wood and charred wood, small animal bones, and fish scales and bones were found in both gardens referring to soil improvement and indicating gardening. Fungal spores that grow on animal dung could indicate manure and thus gardening as well. Sampling in the garden sites gained information of plants and gardening that would not have been discovered without this study due to the improbability of excavations at the sites. The results could be interpreted as an example of macrofossil assemblages typical of garden sites. Although the macrofossil material found in both gardens was relatively scarce, some equivalent taxa were discovered. However, these could not alone allow a conclusion of strong connection between the gardens, but since the proof of the affiliation exists in the literature, the similarities in the macrofos-sil materials of the gardens can be attributed to their close relations. By combining macrofossil and pollen analyses and with application of AMS-radiocarbon dates the study was able to collect more knowledge of the garden sites than through macrofossil studies alone. In investigations of garden soil, even more multidisciplinary approach with addition of methods, such as chemical analyses of soil, and analyses of insect remains and phytoliths, could probably gain more extensive evidence of past gardens.
The medieval Birgittine cloister of Naantali (Nådendal, SW Finland) had relatively short period o... more The medieval Birgittine cloister of Naantali (Nådendal, SW Finland) had relatively short period of activity, but it was still important in the history of Finnish and Swedish cloisters, and the late medieval Finnish society. The Catholic cloister existed in Naantali from 1443 to 1544, when Finland was a part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The cloister most probably had a garden, and medicinal plants were cultivated. The aim in this study was to find plants cultivated and consumed in the cloister through archaeobotanical macrofossil analysis, and to make an illustration of chronological changes in cultivation and consumption through AMS-radiocarbon dated macrofossils. Soil samples for macrofossil analysis came from excavations carried out in the cloister church in 1996-97. From 46 litre of soil, 4561 plant remains, mostly seeds, were found. Cultivated and collected useful plants for food, dyeing and medicinal purposes were found. Four AMS-radiocarbon dates were measured in 2013 from charred cereal grains and seeds from three different excavation areas. The calibrated dates varied from cal AD 1255 to cal AD 1805. With revision of archaeological dates, macrofossils from dated samples were divided into four periods to demonstrate the changes in the cloister life.
Dissertation by Teija Alanko
Reports by Teija Alanko
Books by Teija Alanko
![Research paper thumbnail of Malva ja mulperi – Poimintoja entisajan puutarhoista [Mallow and mulberry – Picking from the gardens of the past; written in Finnish]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/56183415/thumbnails/1.jpg)
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Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, Feb 7, 2015
Garden history can be investigated through archaeobotanical research. This paper discusses the pl... more Garden history can be investigated through archaeobotanical research. This paper discusses the plant remains which were obtained from the soil of the historical garden of the manor of Kumpula in Helsinki, Finland. This study was an experiment to enable macrofossil analysis without archaeological excavations. The aim was to develop an alternative method for sampling for macrofossils also including radiocarbon dates, and to evaluate the usability, cost and functionality of this method. The character of the garden was also considered. The soil samples for macrofossil analysis were collected from the garden from three to eight different levels using an end-filling open-ended sampler. A total of 38 one litre soil samples from eight different pits yielded 2,036 identified macrofossils, mostly seeds. These comprised 63 different taxa, of which 26 were identified to species level with certainty. Taxa with more than 25 seeds found were Chelidonium majus, Chenopodium spp., Juncus spp., Rubus idaeus, Sambucus racemosa and Urtica dioica. Important species were Secale cereale and Hordeum vulgare. Nine AMS radiocarbon dates were obtained from macrofossil material from four different pits, giving results ranging from 1120-920 cal BC to cal AD 1680-1930 for charred wood, and from cal AD 1450-1640 to 1640-1930 for charred grains of Secale cereale and seeds of Chenopodium album. The sampling method proved to work reasonably well, considering the limitations of the sample size.
Garden history in academic gardens can be studied both from written and drawn sources, such as li... more Garden history in academic gardens can be studied both from written and drawn sources, such as lists of plants and old maps. Another possibility is archaeobotanical analyses carried out in gardens. The aim of this study was to test archaeobotanical macrofossil analysis as a method in Uppsala Linnaeus Garden, founded in 1655 by Olof Rudbeck the Elder, and the former garden of Turku Academy, founded in 1757 by Pehr Kalm. The literature provided historical contexts of the gardens. For the archaeobotanical study in the Uppsala and Turku gardens, macrofossil sampling was carried out from the soil with a sampler and a total of 75 soil samples were collected from six different pits in Uppsala and from seven in Turku. Samples were floated and sieved, and macrofossil plant remains were identified. Pollen analysis was carried out from nine subsamples from Uppsala. Six macrofossil samples were dated with AMS-radiocarbon method. Altogether 839 macrofossils and 61 plant taxa were found. Pollen g...
Archaeobotany is a field of science that combines botany, archaeology and history, and concentrat... more Archaeobotany is a field of science that combines botany, archaeology and history, and concentrates on useful plants and the interactions between humans and plants in the past, including horticulture. Garden history has been studied in Finland mainly through historical references, but not much with archaeological or archaeobotanical methods, although the importance of multidisciplinary work has been noted. Archaeobotany should be applied, because written sources available are often not sufficient. Records of plant species probably originating from garden cultivation are known from Finnish macrofossil analyses, but garden soils themselves have not been investigated much. The interpretation of archaeobotanical material, obtained from soil samples, i.e. macrosubfossil plant remains, is connected to archaeological and historical contexts. Excavations are, however, often restricted for practical reasons, therefore determining sites for macrofossil analyses. An alternative sampling method...
The medieval Birgittine convent of Naantali (Nådendal, SW Finland) had a relatively short period ... more The medieval Birgittine convent of Naantali (Nådendal, SW Finland) had a relatively short period of activity, but it was still important in the history of Finnish and Swedish cloisters, and late medieval Finnish society. The Catholic convent existed in Naantali from 1443 to 1544, when Finland was a part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The convent most probably had a garden, and medicinal plants were cultivated. The aim of this study was to find plants cultivated and consumed in the convent through archaeobotanical macrofossil analysis, and to make an illustration of chronological changes in cultivation and consumption through AMS-radiocarbon dated macrofossils. Soil samples for macrofossil analysis came from excavations carried out in the convent church in 1996-97. From 46 litre of soil, 4,561 plant remains, mostly seeds, were found. Cultivated and collected useful plants for food, dyeing and medicinal purposes were found. Four AMS-radiocarbon dates were measured in 2013 from charred cereal grains and seeds from three different excavation areas. The calibrated dates varied from cal AD 1255 to cal AD 1805. With revision of archaeological dates, macrofossils from dated samples were divided into four periods to demonstrate the changes in the convent life.
Garden history has primarily been studied in Finland through historical sources, with archaeology... more Garden history has primarily been studied in Finland through historical sources, with archaeology playing a lesser role, although its importance has been noted. The aims of this paper are to review garden archaeological research in Finland in the context of garden archaeology and garden history research in general, to demonstrate a selection of research methods in garden archaeology, and to present research results from the 19th century garden in Lahti in Finland. A garden is here defined as a bordered and cultivated area forming a specific ecological system, specific to the culture in question. Gardens have been reflections of their eras, economic situations, and climatic periods. They have influenced and been influenced by political power, the development of science, journeys of exploration, and globalisation. Many different historical sources, such as letters, accounts, maps, and paintings have been used to study garden history. Methods used in garden archaeology include non-destructive techniques, excavations, and various scientific methods. Although the Finnish examples of garden archaeology are limited, several Scandinavian and British examples prove that archaeology can be significant in garden history studies and the restoration of historic gardens. For example, evidence of gardening was found during archaeological excavations in 2013 at the historical village of Lahti in Finland. During these excavations, a vegetable garden with intact planting beds was found. The planting beds were studied archaeobotanically, but the results did not reveal either plant residues or visible fertilizers. The lack of information, concerning especially the oldest garden sites, presents a challenge for comprehensive interpretations. The problem could be solved at least partly through archaeological and archaeobotanical research. Garden history is such a wide field that all relevant disciplines and aspects should be involved in a collaboration to form a whole.
Garden history in academic gardens can be studied both from written and drawn sources, such as li... more Garden history in academic gardens can be studied both from written and drawn sources, such as lists of plants and old maps. Another possibility is archaeobotanical analyses carried out in gardens. The aim of this study was to test archaeobotanical macrofossil analysis as a method in Uppsala Linnaeus Garden, founded in 1655 by Olof Rudbeck the Elder, and the former garden of Turku Academy, founded in 1757 by Pehr Kalm. The literature provided historical contexts of the gardens. For the archaeobotanical study in the Uppsala and Turku gardens, macrofossil sampling was carried out from the soil with a sampler and a total of 75 soil samples were collected from six different pits in Uppsala and from seven in Turku. Samples were floated and sieved, and macrofossil plant remains were identified. Pollen analysis was carried out from nine subsamples from Uppsala. Six macrofossil samples were dated with AMS-radiocarbon method. Altogether 839 macrofossils and 61 plant taxa were found. Pollen grains from 42 different taxa were discovered , but only four of them in greater numbers. Spores of ferns, moss and fungi were also present in pollen samples. Abundant macrofossil species were in Uppsala Chelidonium majus (116 seeds) and in Turku Chenopodium album (58 seeds), Plantago major (51), Polygonum aviculare (53) and Spergula arvensis (83). Interesting species were Chenopodium hybridum (47 seeds from Uppsala, four from Turku), found in the Hortus Rudbeckianus, listing species grown in Uppsala by Rudbeck and in the Hortus Linnaeanus, listing plants cultivated in Uppsala during the Lin-nean period; Datura stramonium (five seeds from Uppsala), also in both the Hortus Rudbeckianus and the Hortus Linnaeanus, and also on Kalm's list of plants cultivated in Turku; and Sambucus racemosa / S. canadensis (23 seeds from Turku), found in the Hortus Linnaeanus and on Kalm's list. Pollen grains of the group Asteraceae, which contains garden plants, were found in seven soil samples in Uppsala Garden. In addition, chips of wood and charred wood, small animal bones, and fish scales and bones were found in both gardens referring to soil improvement and indicating gardening. Fungal spores that grow on animal dung could indicate manure and thus gardening as well. Sampling in the garden sites gained information of plants and gardening that would not have been discovered without this study due to the improbability of excavations at the sites. The results could be interpreted as an example of macrofossil assemblages typical of garden sites. Although the macrofossil material found in both gardens was relatively scarce, some equivalent taxa were discovered. However, these could not alone allow a conclusion of strong connection between the gardens, but since the proof of the affiliation exists in the literature, the similarities in the macrofos-sil materials of the gardens can be attributed to their close relations. By combining macrofossil and pollen analyses and with application of AMS-radiocarbon dates the study was able to collect more knowledge of the garden sites than through macrofossil studies alone. In investigations of garden soil, even more multidisciplinary approach with addition of methods, such as chemical analyses of soil, and analyses of insect remains and phytoliths, could probably gain more extensive evidence of past gardens.
The medieval Birgittine cloister of Naantali (Nådendal, SW Finland) had relatively short period o... more The medieval Birgittine cloister of Naantali (Nådendal, SW Finland) had relatively short period of activity, but it was still important in the history of Finnish and Swedish cloisters, and the late medieval Finnish society. The Catholic cloister existed in Naantali from 1443 to 1544, when Finland was a part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The cloister most probably had a garden, and medicinal plants were cultivated. The aim in this study was to find plants cultivated and consumed in the cloister through archaeobotanical macrofossil analysis, and to make an illustration of chronological changes in cultivation and consumption through AMS-radiocarbon dated macrofossils. Soil samples for macrofossil analysis came from excavations carried out in the cloister church in 1996-97. From 46 litre of soil, 4561 plant remains, mostly seeds, were found. Cultivated and collected useful plants for food, dyeing and medicinal purposes were found. Four AMS-radiocarbon dates were measured in 2013 from charred cereal grains and seeds from three different excavation areas. The calibrated dates varied from cal AD 1255 to cal AD 1805. With revision of archaeological dates, macrofossils from dated samples were divided into four periods to demonstrate the changes in the cloister life.