Neolithic structure in Pielinen island

In the Lake Pielinen in Northern Karelia which is in Finland, a Neolithic stone structure was found on an island. Of course previously sites similar to this one have been found but only in the Ostrobothnian coastal areas. This is the first of this kind inland in Finland.

The enclosure of the structure measures 25 x 18 metres. Typical to structures such as this, its outlines are traced with earth mounds, and there are several piles of stones around it. Depressions have also been dug in the ground.

The axle of this complex is aligned with the winter solstice sunrise and the summer solstice sunset, this is a design that we have already seen before in other areas, such as the famous Karnak temple complex in Egypt and of course Stonehenge in Britain.

Structures like this one are often called  “jätinkirkot” which means “giants’ churches” in the Ostrobothnian tradition, they are usually circular or rectangular, and date back around 3,000 and 1,800 BCE. Fifty structures like this have already been found in FInland, located near the shores of the Bay of Bothnia, in Ostrobothnia. It is still unknown for what purposes were these Neoithic structures used for, most think it was for religious purposes, but that is a bit shallow, however, the astronomical accuracy of the complexes also points to agricultural purposes, as these could have aided in accurate observation of the seasons, and it was most likely build by the hunter-gatherers of the late Stone Age.