Erasmus+ Manamansalo 2 Tar Burning and dendrochronology Made by Antti Haataja and Eero Heikkinen

Goals of our group The interests of our group are: Tar burning, dendrochronology, some of archaic gneiss locations. The most important point of the work of our group is the connection between the life of trees and people in Kainuu. And more precisely, the the trees of Manamansalo and the hunger years in Finland. Our research locations are in Manamansalo.

This is a map photo of the Manamansalo Island. http://atlas3.lintuatlas.fi/kartat-mml/600.png/?gri=714:350 (read 28.10.2015)

Tar barrel Photo Jouni Kauhanen 2007 Säräisniemi Museum of Local History and Culture

Tar burning pit Tar kilns have a rather simple way of working. A tar burning pit is dug into sandy or earthy ground. The bottom of the kiln is the shape of a funnel and it is sealed up by adding clay. At the bottom there is a pipe, from where the tar goes to a barrel. The pit-master keeps an eye on the pit and makes air holes around the base of the tar pit so that the pit will burn evenly from every side. After three days the tar starts to drip to the tar barrels. Tar burning was especially popular in Kainuu. The River Oulujoki was the main transportation route for the tar. One of the major tar harbours was Oulu. Tar burning was one of the main lines of business in Finland. Cross-section of a tar kiln http://www.kainuunterva.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54&Itemid=42

Dendrochronology Dendrochronology is a way to estimate the age of a tree. In dendrochronology you drill a hole in the side of the tree with an auger. The hole is drilled on chest-level to avoid any errors caused by root growth. After you have drilled the hole upto the core of the tree you pull out a special spoon-like device which brings the growth rings out to count and examine. The age of the trees is counted from the growth rings of the tree. The rings are small and require a special tool to be analysed.

Connection between growth rings and Finnish famine Difficult and unfavorable weather conditions were a sign of bad harvest year. Unfavourable weather conditions have led to many bad harvest years during our history. Unfavourable climate can be seen from trees year growth rings, the herder the growth conditions were to trees, the harder were the growth circumstances for both people and trees. This is how the bad circumstances for both people and trees can be seen from the growth rings. We have acquired some historic proof of the connection of these two phenomena.

SOURCES http://atlas3.lintuatlas.fi/kartat-mml/600.png/?gri=714:350 (28.10.2015)