Kuusamo’s moosehead axe is the most significant ancient find in Finland in over a hundred years. The skillfully crafted stone object is from the Stone Age, 2000-1000 BC.
Kuusamo’s moosehead axe was carved approximately 4000 years ago from local stone. Light coloured quartzite can be found, for example, in the Ruka area.
The ancient find opens a new perspective on the area’s past.
The butt of the stone axe, carved in the shape of a moose’s head, is 17,3 cm long and weighs 319 grams. The shaft-hole axe carved from quartzite has broken off where the handle is attached.
The decoration of the stone axe is bafflingly sharp-edged. The moose’s ears are decorated with leaf veins, and a row of small round holes, like a string of pearls, runs along the muzzle. A small hole is carved into the chin. There is also a leaf vein pattern on underside the moose’s neck. The object, which has been at the mercy of frost and water level fluctuations for thousands of years, has been preserved amazingly well. The red-brown spots on the object’s back and ears are due to the iron content of this type of stone. The muzzle’s recent chipping reveals the light colour of the quartzite.
Kuusamo’s moosehead axe will clarify the picture of how and who lived here 4000 years ago. Research into one of Finland’s most significant archaeological finds continues.
The fascinating ancient object is on display until August 31, 2025