Old Finnish skulls repatriated from Sweden to Finland by end of August

Old Finnish skulls are set to be repatriated from Sweden to Finland by the end of August, according to the Ministry of Education and Culture. The skulls will be buried at their original discovery sites, with the majority scheduled for a burial ceremony at the Ruins Church of Pälkäne in early September.

This repatriation involves over 80 skulls that were taken to Sweden in the 1870s by Swedish anthropologists during excavations at four different sites. Most skulls, 55 in total, were excavated from Pälkäne, along with ten from Pielavesi, two from the area formerly known as Enon municipality (now Joensuu), and three from Rautalampi.

All skulls will first be transported to Pälkäne, with the planned transport date on August 20. However, this date is subject to change. Maria Josephson from the Karolinska Institute confirmed that repatriation will take place in August, but the specific date is not yet determined. She expressed satisfaction that the process is nearing completion after many years of work on the matter.

The skulls from Pälkäne are expected to be blessed and buried at the ruins in early September. Excavations conducted by researchers from the Karolinska Institute revealed skulls from both inside and around the church ruins.

Preparations for the skulls’ return began as early as May, including plans for a public celebration. The local pastor, Jari Kemppainen, anticipates that remnant skulls from other locations will eventually be buried at their original sites, although further details remain undecided. The Swedish government decided in April to hand over the skulls held at the Karolinska Institute to Finland, acknowledging the historical contexts of the collection’s past.