syrene
09-12-04, 19:30
I got started on a recent book ( in Swedish) and can't put it down. När kom svenskarna till Finland? is the title, edited by Ann-Marie Ivars and Lena Huldén, published by Svenska Litteratursällskapet i Finland in 2002. It is a collection of a series of lectures presented at a conference by the same title by experts in fields ranging from archeology to biology to linguistics to history and everything in between.
The last chapter which describes the change in coastline as the land rises after the ice age has three fascinating detailed maps of Swedish Ostrobothnia in the 1100's, 1500's and 2000. Key communities are clearly marked, which show that for example Vörå church was at the head of a long inlet in 1100 AD, whereas today it's now it's around 15 km from the coastline.
The first chapter is a summary of various scientific theories from 1881 till today as they were impacted by Finnish nationalism and evolving technology. Fascinating.
When reading history as a student, one might believe it's the last word, when in fact political and social conditions provide the framework within which the ideas of historians, linguists and such are generated. With enough change in the environment, new theories break through. Thus my antique histories of the Swedish people, for example, are interesting in that they unwittingly provide insight into the culture and ideals of the period, but the theories propounded are no longer reliable.
I can't wait for the chapter on Iron Age Graves from Åboland's Archipelago!
Syrene
The last chapter which describes the change in coastline as the land rises after the ice age has three fascinating detailed maps of Swedish Ostrobothnia in the 1100's, 1500's and 2000. Key communities are clearly marked, which show that for example Vörå church was at the head of a long inlet in 1100 AD, whereas today it's now it's around 15 km from the coastline.
The first chapter is a summary of various scientific theories from 1881 till today as they were impacted by Finnish nationalism and evolving technology. Fascinating.
When reading history as a student, one might believe it's the last word, when in fact political and social conditions provide the framework within which the ideas of historians, linguists and such are generated. With enough change in the environment, new theories break through. Thus my antique histories of the Swedish people, for example, are interesting in that they unwittingly provide insight into the culture and ideals of the period, but the theories propounded are no longer reliable.
I can't wait for the chapter on Iron Age Graves from Åboland's Archipelago!
Syrene