Preparing Children’s Burials in Postmedieval Finland: Emotions Awakened by Sensory Experiences

Abstract

Examination of northern Finnish postmedieval funerary attire and coffins reveals culturally constructed sensory experiences and emotions of the individuals who took care of preparing dead children for burial. Based on historical sources, the attire and coffins for small children were generally made by adolescent godparents, whereas dressing and handling of the dead bodies were left to mature women. Because of their beliefs, parents rarely took care of these duties. Archaeological funerary remains provide an avenue through which to explore the sensory experiences of social groups with strongly held religious beliefs and conceptions regarding the dead and the deceased. Common features in the burials allow the interpretation of emotional patterns and collective memories of contemporary people from three starting points: sleep and eternal life, the innocence of children, and coping mechanisms dealing with child deaths.