X-marked trees: carriers of Indigenous Sámi traditions

2024/11/21 by Ingela Bergman, Olle Zackrisson, Lars Östlund · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies #Archaeological Research and Protection

paper · pdf · doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.184

Abstract

Cultural landscapes affiliated with the Indigenous Sámi of the northern boreal forests are laden with cognitive elements of social and religious significance. Here, the authors focus on trees bearing incised markings and use an archaeological and ethnohistoric interpretive framework to explore the significance of such trees in Sámi landscapes. Intensive forestry is destroying culturally modified trees at an alarming rate, and their significance as the bearers of culture and history is being stripped from forest landscapes. As a step towards understanding their importance, this work makes a plea for the documentation, interpretation and protection of the remaining trees.

Discussions

• Nice research in @antiquityj.bsky.social showing the use of markings on #trees by the Sámi culture, but also how this is threatened by modern #forestry and how to preserve this #Cultural #Heritage h [bsky, 14 points, 1 comments]

Related

• “They Followed the Power of the Plant”: Historical Sami Harvest and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (Tek) of Angelica archangelica in Northern Fennoscandia
• Historical Reindeer Corrals as Portraits of Human-Nature Relationships in Northern Finland
• A forested form of life: Southeast Norway in 2350–500 BCE
• Esimesed teadmised kaovad. Komi välitööde kogemus teeleidmisest, ilmast ja asjade korrast
• The rise of indigenous rights: a critical re-examination of various policies and their implications for the Swedish Sámi