Abstract
The Sujala site is an early Mesolithic inland site from Finnish Lapland. It differs from the Finnish early Mesolithic quartz assemblages, as well as the sites found at the north-Norwegian coast. Technologically, it resembles the post-Swiderian cultures of north-western Russia and the Baltic. The lithics retrieved from the site is of a chert-like raw material.
The aim of this thesis has been to investigate and discuss the raw material, technology and spatial organisation of the Sujala site based on the results of a refitting study that has been conducted on the lithic assemblage. The analysis was approached in line with the chaîne opératoire framework.
Through the refitting study I have found that the raw material appears in many variations of colours and textures, even within single, refitted entities. The colour variations can probably be attributed to the raw materials contents of quartz or other minerals in combination with the influence of the post-depositional environment.
Based on the refitting analysis it was concluded that the site most likely represents a single occupation. Some forms of post-depositional disturbance have occurred but there is still evidence of intentional spatial patterns to be traced within the refitted assemblage. These patterns could be related to specific artefacts types and to specific stages of the production processes. Consequently, a possible site composition has been suggested.