Material indices of the Archives
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Material indices of the Archives
Research reports on the cultural environment
The database serves as an index of the research reports kept in the archives of the Finnish Heritage Agency. Various research reports, manuscripts and other reports related to archaeology, the built environment and ethnology are catalogued in the database. In addition to metadata, there usually exists a digitised report on archaeological and built environment research reports. Most of the digitised materials are publicly available. A part of the digitised materials is available for the registered users via the Museum Network and from the client terminals in the research hall. Restricted data may involve e.g. information from which private persons can be identified and which cannot be published online. Archaeological reports are also available in the Register of Archaeological Projects.
The database contains materials related to the built environment starting mainly from the 1960s, and older materials have only been catalogued inconsistently. The first archaeological research reports in the database date back to the 1880s, and it also includes some information that predates this. Reports on archaeology in recorded history have been systematically catalogued in the database since 2011, while the details on older reports can mainly be found in the Register of Archaeological Projects.
The ethnological materials catalogued in the database mainly consist of various manuscripts starting from the latter part of the 19th century. The ethnological manuscripts include a variety of reports, fieldwork materials, collections by student unions, ethnological theses, responses to surveys conducted from 1900 to 1945, materials pertaining to Finno-Ugric peoples and fieldwork materials related to working-class culture, among other things. The index of ethnological manuscripts contains the information of all manuscripts received before 1957. Materials received after 1957 are grouped by municipality or author and separated into four categories:
- travels in the home region, official journeys and memoirs
- regional and national collections
- theses
- collections by the Sami, Baltic Finns and other Finno-Ugric peoples
The ethnological survey materials starting from 1956 are not included in this body, but they are listed separately under Ethnological surveys instead.
The database is still updated retrospectively. However, the cataloguing of new reports in a separate database ended in 2017.
Register of Archaeological Projects
The system is used to manage information pertaining to archaeological projects, monitor projects and compile related statistics. Information is compiled in the project register on the Finnish Heritage Agency’s own operations and based on research permits granted to external actors. The publication Arkeologia Suomessa (Archaeology in Finland) and research reports submitted to the Finnish Heritage Agency have been used as sources of retrospective information. New projects are added to the register when the research permit is granted and whenever the agency decides on its own projects. The details related to the research reports in the archives can be found in the report details tab.
Journal of Ancient Artefacts
The Journal of Ancient Artefacts is a record of findings of archaeological collections. It contains the basic information of the findings stored in collections with a main number assigned to each finding. The cataloguing starts from 1829, from the main number 1. So far the information is incomplete for the period 1895-1900. As for these records, its is possible to order a paper form Journal of Ancient Artefacts to be used in the research hall of the archives and information services of the Finnish Heritage Agency (Sturenkatu 2a).
Starting from 2011, the archaeological findings of the historical period have also been recorded into the archaeological collections. It is now also possible to view, via the Journal of Ancient Artefacts, the digitised discovery catalogues which are added to the database as the digitising project of the archives of the Finnish Heritage Agency progresses. Most of the discovery catalogues are available publically. A part of the digitised materials is available for the registered users via the Museum Network and from the client terminals in the research hall. Restricted data involves mainly information from which private persons can be identified and which cannot be published online.
Index of drawings of the built environment
This index contains metadata concerning the drawings produced by the State Archaeological Commission and Finnish Heritage Agency as well as individual, collection type materials. Most of the materials are related to the built environment, but the index also includes drawings related to ancient monuments. The largest individual entities are drawings related to the study and renovation of medieval castles. The index of drawings has not been updated since 2010. Today, drawings are catalogued in Musketti (Musketti, Collection of drawings of cultural environments).
The drawings are organised by municipality, and the index includes the name of the draughtsperson and the date and content of each drawing, among other details. Some of the drawings mentioned in the index are no longer housed in the archives of the Finnish Heritage Agency. For example, the drawings of the Russian Engineer Detachment (VIK) have been transferred to the National Archives.
Ethnological surveys
The archives include responses to ethnological surveys, primarily from 1956 onwards. The survey responses are organised by subject and further by municipality under each subject. The subject matters of the surveys were catalogued annually during the period 1956–1996. More recent surveys are catalogued separately.
Archive index of the Finnish Antiquarian Society
The indices of the archives of the Finnish Antiquarian Society can be found from the society’s website.
Statements and Decisions
The service contains statements and other documents starting from late 2017 related to the field of the Finnish Heritage Agency. Not all statements have been published. It is possible that documents contain e.g. information from which it is possible to identify private persons and hence their publication may be restricted. Materials can be browsed more extensively in the research hall of the archives and information services via the SALAMA customer view.
Indices accessible from client terminals in the research hall
Musketti
The system is accessible from client terminals in the research hall. Archaeological photographs and drawings of artefacts have been catalogued in Musketti since the beginning of 2008. Various catalogues and card catalogues exist of the older materials of the archaeological picture collections. Dimensional drawings related to the built environment and archaeology have been catalogued in Musketti since 2015, and the metadata of the former index of drawings (Index of drawings of the built environment) have been imported into the system. The drawings can be browsed within the Collection of drawings of cultural environments in Musketti, and the database includes a great number of digitised drawings in addition to metadata.
Case Management Register of the Cultural Environment Division (‘Case Register’)
The system was used particularly by the former Architectural History Department to monitor the activities of the authorities, compile statistics and distribute statements during 1997–2013. Information was imported into the system starting from 1997, and these efforts became comprehensive starting from 1998. The system was parallel to the official record of administrative documents of the Finnish Heritage Agency. The use of the information management system for its original purpose ended on 18 February 2013, when the Finnish Heritage Agency adopted the case management system SALAMA.
Metadata of documents and electronic materials from different years have since then been entered into the database retroactively in connection with the digitisation projects of the archives of the Finnish Heritage Agency. The digitised materials have been added to the attachments tab, and the oldest documents in the information management system date from the 1880s. The information is not comprehensive.
The public information in the information management system can be browsed at the research hall of the archives and information services (Sturenkatu 2a) and via the Museum Network by registered users. The information of the information management system have been imported into the SALAMA case management system. Thus the data contained by these two systems overlap in some parts.
SALAMA Customer View
SALAMA, the case management system used by the Finnish Heritage Agency, serves as the agency’s official register of administrative matters and as an archive for electronic documents. Matters and documents related to the protection, documentation, research and care of the cultural environment, and handled by the agency after 18 February 2013, have been made available in the customer view. The customer view displays public matters and documents.
Metadata and digitised materials have also been converted into the system in relation to older administrative materials. Similarly, the metadata of the previous record of administrative documents has also been converted into the system. The digitised materials have been imported into the system from the Case Register. Thus, SALAMA contains partly the same documents as the older database.
Indices available for order to the research hall
Document records
The order in which administrative documents are organised in the archives varies. A municipality-specific order is common. Most of the more recent (post-1990) administrative documents are ordered by subject matter, which is indicated in the archive formation plans.
The materials of the State Archaeological Commission are organised according to a traditional ABC pattern that is based on the formal nature of the documents (document records, copies, received documents, records, etc.). The same pattern has been followed with most of the documents of the Finnish Heritage Agency.
An electronic record of administrative documents related to administrative materials has been in use since 1995. There are also document records in paper format in use from the previous period, starting from 1884. These indices have been compiled annually.
Index of historical topographic materials
The index includes materials of varying content that were created by the former Department/Bureau of History. It includes materials pertaining to churches, castles and manors, letters from the era of the State Archaeological Commission and wartime materials pertaining to East Karelia. The order in which the materials are kept varies per municipality.
Ethnological materials
Ethnological oral history materials and manuscripts can be viewed either at the research spaces of the ethnological collections or in the research hall. Material orders and permit applications must be made two weeks prior to the time of the planned visit, at the latest. The use of ethnological materials is for the most part subject to permission for data protection reasons. Possible copying or scanning of documents must be agreed upon separately with the personnel. The use of materials is regulated by the provisions of the Act on the Openness of Government Activities, the Copyright Act and the Personal Data Act.
Survey materials
The main body of the ethnological materials is formed by oral history materials produced and collected by our organisation across Finland. The focus has been on material folk culture, particularly in the countryside, and later on documenting phenomena from recent history and today.
The archives include responses to ethnological surveys, primarily from 1956 onwards. The survey responses are organised by subject and further by municipality under each subject.
Survey topics
It is possible to explore the survey topics published in the Seurasaari-lehti (Seurasaari newspaper 1957-1974) and Museoviraston kyselylehti (The survey paper of the Finnish Heritage Agency 1975-1996) by using this list. The more recent surveys have often pertained to the exhibitions of the National Museum of Finland. The more recent survey topics include, among others:
- How to dress up
- Which recreation and sports facility is the most important one for you? (2012)
- Seurasaari in my memories (2011)
- Doll’s house survey (2010-2012)
- Icons, people and war (2010)
- Plays and toys (separate surveys for children and adults) (2003)
- Christmas party at the school (2003)
Manuscripts and other materials
The ethnological manuscripts include e.g. fieldwork materials, collections by student unions, ethnological theses, responses to surveys conducted from 1900 to 1945, materials pertaining to Finno-Ugric peoples and fieldwork materials related to working-class culture, among other things.
An index of publications was compiled of ethnological manuscripts in 1959, and it contains the information of all manuscripts received before 1957. Materials received after this are grouped as follows:
- Travels in the home region, official journeys and memoirs
- Regional and national collections
- Theses
- Collections by the Sami, Baltic Finns and other Finno-Ugric peoples
The metadata of the manuscript materials in the Database of research reports on the cultural environment can be browsed in the service window of the ethnology section. The update of the cataloguing data has not finished yet, so the data may contain some deficiencies.