Towards a Growing Interest in the Urban Archaeology of Early Modern Towns in Finland

Abstract

Research in historical periods has always had a strong tradition in Finnish archaeology. Past studies and archaeological fieldwork have mostly focused on medieval times; however, in the past 20 years, investigationsof early modern towns (1520–1721 AD) have taken place more often in Finland and have changed the tide.Most archaeological excavations in Finland are currently carried out owing to infrastructure and constructionprojects and can therefore be regarded as contract archaeology. First, this article aims to examine and providean overview of past research in Finnish urban archaeology focused on early modern towns. Second, currentresearch trends are discussed with an emphasis on the possibilities offered by multidisciplinary approaches.Recent research conducted in Turku serves as a case study to illustrate these developments. The article concludes by touching upon the persistent challenges faced by research, primarily stemming from the contractual nature of most archaeological investigations.