Three skulls returned to Rautalampi for reburial after 150 years in Sweden

Three skulls, taken from Rautalampi in North Savo approximately 150 years ago, were laid to rest on Sunday at the local cemetery. In the 1870s, Swedish anthropologists exhumed these skulls from graves in four Finnish towns and later transported them to Sweden, where they became part of the collection at the current Karolinska Institute.

The skulls were placed in custom-made wooden coffins and interred in the oldest part of the cemetery, following a Sunday service. Rautalampi’s vicar, Heikki Marjanen, noted that the area has housed two churches, making it an historically significant site for this solemn event. “We felt that this location would be the most fitting tribute to past generations,” he remarked.

The ceremony aimed to be both dignified and respectful, featuring hymns from the 16th century and prayers dating back to the 19th century. In August, over 80 skulls taken to Sweden in the 19th century were returned to Pälkäne, where they were also laid to rest.

In addition to Rautalampi, more skulls will be returned to North Savo, specifically to Pielavesi and Kiuruvesi, where they will also be reburied in a location agreed upon with the Kuopio Cultural History Museum. These skulls are part of a collection gathered by Professor G. Retzius of the Karolinska Institute in 1873.

The vicar expressed that the act of burying the remains felt particularly poignant: “At first, I thought this was just one event among many, but when holding the coffin, the atmosphere changed significantly for me on a personal level.” Rautalampi residents have expressed satisfaction that the skulls have finally returned to their homeland, reminiscent of soldiers who were buried on their native soil after being lost to the eastern front.