Rock Paintings in Iitti and Kouvola
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Rock paintings in Iitti and Kouvola We have lots of prehistoric evidences i Finland and some of the finest are rock paintings. They have been created about 7000 – 3500 years ago. The river Kymijoki is running through Iitti and Kouvola, and some of the rock paintings are near it. Rock paintings tell us something about the beliefs of stone age people. People were depending on hunting, fishing and gathering. We can think how they wanted to pray the gods of nature while painting these pictures. The photos here in these links are by Ismo Luukkonen. He has made these colors more visible by picture processing. If you want to see how a picture is in reality, just put your computer cursor on the picture; then you can see the difference. In this Luukkonen’s picture gallery (there are nearly all rock paintings in Finland !) you must choose the ones you want to see from the left under the name Iitti - and you can have even more pictures under the name Kouvola. After pressing these names below you can see the individual picture: Iitti: Karhusaari Konniveden Haukkavuori Mertakallio Kotojärven Haukkavuori Rautakannanvuori Finnish history timeline - some important years 7,000 BC The first humans arrive in Finland 2,500 BC People in Finland begin farming 1,500 BC People in Finland learn to use bronze 500 BC People in Finland learn to use iron c. 1120 Christian missionaries arrive in Finland 1157 The Swedes launch a crusade against the Finns most of whom are still pagan 1191 The Danes also launch crusades in Finland 1249 The Swedes finally establish control of Finland 1323 Finland becomes a province of Sweden 1550 Helsinki is founded 1581 Finland becomes a Grand Duchy 1696-97 A severe famine grips Finland 1710 Plague strikes Helsinki 1713-1721 The Russians occupy Finland 1808 - 1809 The Finnish War between Sweden and Russia 1809 Finland becomes a Grand Duchy of Russia 1812 The capital of Finland is moved from Turku to Helsinki 1902 Finnish is made an official language 1906 All men and women are allowed to vote - Finnish women become the first in the world to have unrestricted rights both to vote and to stand for parliament. 1917 Finland becomes independent 1918 Civil War between Red and White Finns. The Communists are crushed. 1919 Finland gains a new constitution 1935 The Viipuri Library in Finland makes the reputation of a young Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto 1939 Frans Emil Sillanpää wins the Nobel Prize in Literature 1939 Russia invades Finland 1940 Finland surrenders and is forced to cede territory 1941 Finland joins the German invasion of Russia 1944 Finland surrenders 1945 Artturi Virtanen wins The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1947 A final peace treaty with Russia is made 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki Finland before the war Finland after the war Olympic stadium 1982 Keke Rosberg wins the Formula One World Drivers' Championship 1995 Finland joins the EU 1995 Finland wins the Men's World Ice Hockey Championship 1998 Mika Häkkinen wins the Formula One World Drivers' Championship 1999 Mika Häkkinen wins the Formula One World Drivers' Championship 2000 Tarja Halonen becomes the first female president in Finland 2002 Finland joins the Euro 2007 Kimi Räikkönen wins the Formula One World Drivers' Championship 2008 Former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari wins The Nobel Peace Prize Martti Ahtisaari 2011 Finland wins the Men's World Ice Hockey Championship Adapted from and the original layout and idea from http://www.localhistories.org/finlandtime.html A military camp in Perheniemi, Iitti, and the Anjala conspiracy In the middle of Perheniemi Village, in Iitti, you can find a little hill called Leirinmäki (Camp Hill). There you can also find a modest memorial stone that tells you that there was a camp for Swedish military on this hill in 1788 - 1790. So, the name of this hill is coming from those days. The king of Sweden Gustav III made war against Russia 1788 – 1790. The warfare at that time included lots of breaks. They used to stay at camps for wintertime. At camps like Perheniemi the solders could rest, wash up and take care of their horses. There were other camps, too, in several villages in Iitti and Kouvola. Military camps had a great impact on life of the villages. The villagers had to sell solders some food, grain and grass. Many times solders took horses and carriages from the villagers. During this war there was an incident called the Anjala conspiracy of 1788. The officers (113 men) at the front of Finland refused to go on with the warfare. They thought the king had started the war illegally. They wrote a “rebellious” letter to the government. At the same time they happened - for the first time in Finland’s history - to write down sentences about the idea of independence from Sweden. The manor house where these officers were writing the letter is Anjala Manor. It is situated in the Anjala Village, in Kouvola. After 1789 the king could win support from public. The Anjala men were condemned. But Gustav III could rule the state only for a short while after that – he was assassinated in 1792. The Anjala conspiracy A. J. Sjögren (1794 - 1855) A. J. Sjögren A post card made from The Memorial of A.J. a painting about Sjögren in Iitti Livonians Connections between Livonia in Latvia, and Iitti, Finland One of the internationally greatest scientists ever born in Iitti, Finland, can be considered Anders Johan Sjögren (1794 - 1855). He was an explorer and an Academician of Linguistics and Ethnographies at St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (the Russian Academy of Sciences, Petersburg). He made travels to Livonia (in Latvia) for collecting research material there. A Livonian priest and ethnologist Edgar Vaalgamaa (1912 - 2003) lived the rest of his life in Iitti and wrote a book about Livonian history and culture and translated the Latvian epic poem to Finnish. Iitti has been known for beautiful, old furniture thanks to carpenter Jacob Nygren (1768 - 1836) probably born in Livonia. 2011 - The international year of the Livonian language and culture 150 years ago in 1861, a comprehensive book called “Livische Grammatik nebst Sprachproben” was published in St. Petersburg. The book was written by Anders Johan Sjögren (1794 - 1855) and Ferdinand Johan Wiedemann (1805 - 1887). It contains the first Livonian grammar and dictionary and also the first samples of Livonian folklore, poetry and religious texts. The book still provides valuable information and an insight into the Livonian life and history of the language and its speakers. The year 2011 is the 150th anniversary since publishing the book “Livische Grammatik nebst Sprachproben” and hence this year has been announced the international year of the Livonian language and culture. Anders Johan Sjögren (1794 - 1855) The main author of the book “Livische Grammatik nebst Sprachproben” was A.J. Sjögren. He was a Finnish historian, linguistic, ethnographer, folklorist, Academician of St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, director of Academy´s Ethnographic museum, Councilor of State and also a shaper of Finnish national identity. In 1846 and 1852, A.J. Sjögren visited Livonia and Courland (in Latvia) and collected linguistic, ethnographic and folkloristic material. About the first travel (during 5. - 22.6.1986) A.J. Sjögren wrote a publication called “Reise nach Livland und Kurland” which was published in Weimar in 1849. In this report, he published among others the names and surnames of the Livonians, mentioned their places of residence and described his observations. However, A.J. Sjögren died in 1855. After his death, research results from these two travels were completed and published by F.J. Wiedemann who continued the post of A.J. Sjögren in St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Earlier A.J. Sjögren had made also two longer explorations. After receiving a stipendium from Tsar Alexander I of Russia he travelled through Lapland and Karelia to North Russia making acquaintance with Finno-Ugric cultures during 1824 - 1829. He gathered plenty of linguistic and ethnographic material. During 1835 - 1838, he visited South Russia and Caucasia and as a result of this travel he wrote the first Ossetian grammar and dictionary. Due to these achievements, he was granted in 1844 with a valuable Volney Prize (originally a gold medal worth 1 200 francs) that was awarded by the French Academy of Sciences. In 1844, A.J. Sjögren received an Academician post of Linguistics and Ethnographies of the Finno-Ugric and Caucasian peoples at St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. This was the first post dedicated to Finno-Ugrian studies to be established anywhere in the world. During his travels, A.J. Sjögren collected Finnish oral folklores (about 5000 verses) to his good friend, Elias Lönnrot (1802 - 1884) for composing the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic. This fruitful co-work was revealed by Michael Branch who was granted with the Kalevala Prize awarded by Kalevala Society in 2008. A.J. Sjögren working in the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences was able to arrange major support to Matthias Alexander Castrén (1813 - 1853) who was also a Finnish explorer studying Finno-Ugrian nations and languages in North Russia. M.A. Castrén became more famous for his studies than A.J. Sjögren did. A.J. Sjögren was born in Iitti, the village of Sitikkala in 1794. His genealogical roots have been clarified in detailes. His father was a poor shoemaker. Anders was a clever boy and he learned to read and write very young. The vicar and other priests of Iitti church advised him to go to school and gave support to him. After elementary school in Loviisa (Lovisa), gymnasium in Porvoo (Borgå) and the Royal Academy in Turku (Åbo), A.J.