Sami prehistory and early history in the western Barents region
Research project
The aim of the Sami Archaeological Network – SAMARC – is to increase the knowledge about Sami prehistory and early history in the western Barents region.
Through archaeological courses, workshops and conferences, the aim is to increase the knowledge about different cultures and environmental conditions within the region. Field work is therefore an important ingredient in the courses and the research projects related to this network. Archaeology is crucial when studying Sami prehistory because the preserved material culture from different Sami groups can bring alternative perspectives to the, often politically dictated written sources that exist from the 17th century and onwards. This possibility has hitherto only been used in a very limited way, and therefore the need for archaeological studies of early Sami material culture is obvious and the potential for production of new knowledge is considered to be substantial.
The aim of the Sami Archaeological Network – SAMARC – is to increase the knowledge about Sami prehistory and early history in the western Barents region. Through archaeological courses, workshops and conferences, the aim is to increase the knowledge about different cultures and environmental conditions within the region. Field work is therefore an important ingredient in the courses and the research projects related to this network.
Archaeology is crucial when studying Sami prehistory because the preserved material culture from different Sami groups can bring alternative perspectives to the, often politically dictated written sources that exist from the 17th century and onwards. This possibility has hitherto only been used in a very limited way, and therefore the need for archaeological studies of early Sami material culture is obvious and the potential for production of new knowledge is considered to be substantial.
The network is financed by NordForsk – an independent institution operating under the Nordic Council of Ministers for Education and Research.
The network was formed in October 2005 in Helsinki and involves four countries: Norway (Tromsø), Sweden (Umeå), Finland (Helsinki) and Russia (St. Petersburg and Petrozavodsk). The basis for the network is The Department of Archaeology and Sami Studies at The University of Umeå, Sweden. Network Manager: Professor Thomas B. Larsson Network Coordinator: PhD Birgitta Fossum
