Ancient canoe discovered in Kälviä, Finland, dated to 700 years old

A significant historical discovery has been made in Kälviä, Keski-Pohjanmaa, Finland. A dugout canoe, known as a ruuhi, uncovered in the 1960s has been dated to be 700 years old through recent research. The canoe was discovered during drainage work near Lake Miekkajärvi, according to the regional museum responsible for Keski-Pohjanmaa.

This ruuhi is currently one of the oldest confirmed examples in Finland. While similar vessels have been found throughout the country, few have had their ages accurately determined. Lauri Skantsi, an archaeologist at the K.H. Renlund Regional Museum, expressed his surprise at the canoe’s age, stating, “The find is significant both locally and nationally. We now know that this type of canoe was in use during the Middle Ages.”

The Kälviä ruuhi is a double-hulled type, constructed with wooden components joined by wooden pegs. It is classified as a flat-bottomed dugout canoe, representing some of the oldest surviving watercraft. Its age was established through radiocarbon dating by Uppsala University, placing it between the years 1286 and 1395.

This discovery offers valuable local historical insights, as knowledge of the region during the medieval period is still relatively sparse. Skantsi noted in a museum statement that Lake Miekkajärvi, located near the site of the find, was likely a prime fishing area during the Middle Ages, accessible via river routes from the sea.

The oldest known ruuhis in Europe date back to the Mesolithic era, around 10,000 years ago, and remained functional for travel into the 20th century, especially on smaller inland lakes. The Kälviä canoe is now part of the local cultural heritage museum’s collection and was showcased in the summer exhibition organized by the Kälviä local association.