Kalmaniemi 1 - a burial complex of the viking age in the northern ladoga littoral
In 2017, the expedition of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography RAS investigated the burial complex of Kalmaniemi 1 (the Finnish for ‘Cape of Death’) in Lahdenpohja district of the Republic of Karelia. The object is located on a high rocky cape on the northern coast of Lake Ladoga. A burial was discovered that was performed according to the rite of secondary cremation. In the excavation area, 54 whole iron boat rivets and 8 fragments of them, as well as 3 staples, were found. Judging by their spatial distribution, a small vessel about 6-7 m long was placed over the burial (wooden parts have not survived), presumably with its keel up. Besides, the expedition discovered a weaponry complex typical of the Viking age in the 9th - the first half of the 10th century: a spear tip, two battle axes, three lash pommels with rattling pendants. In addition to them, two glass (two fragments of one item) and one carnelian beads were found that had been exposed to the funeral pyre. The dating is confirmed by the results of radiocarbon analysis of calcined bones from the burial. The Kalmaniemi 1 burial complex is unique for the Northern Ladoga littoral and Karelia as a whole. The site materials clearly confirm rather early presence of the Scandinavians (or carriers of the Scandinavian tradition) on the northern coast of Lake Ladoga.