Treasures of The Baltic Sea

natural and cultural heritage tourism for increased Baltic sea region identity
treasures of the Baltic sea

stones and rocks
Discover Exciting Natural Secrets
stones and rocks forest red Brick gothic shifting sand dunes castles and museums
Treasures of the Baltic Sea

stones and rocks
Discover Exciting Natural Secrets
editorial
Photos: Ralf Scheibe
Dear readers,
what comes into your mind when you think of the Baltic Sea Region: endless beaches, sand dunes, birch forests, castles and churches or even amber? Countries around the Baltic Sea share a great variety of natural and cultural resources as well as a long common history. The area, however, is still not well recognised as one common region outside its borders. In the framework of the EU-funded project AGORA 2.0 we aim to improve the common identity of the Baltic Sea Region, based on its rich natural and cultural treasures. The five issues of the Treasures of the Baltic Sea are our appetisers for you to raise your awareness of the unique beauty of the Baltic Sea Region by telling exciting stories and providing short background information at a glance that make you feel like visiting the region. This issue will bring the fascinating world of Stones in the Baltic Sea Region closer to you.
Dipl. oec. Betina Meliss

Editor University of Greifswald Institute of Geography and Geology Makarenkostrae 22 17487 Greifswald fon +49 (0) 3834 / 864541 agora@uni-greifswald.de
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Editorial Content If stones could tell ... Rock Types The Ice Age The postglacial history of the Baltic Sea Region Rocks and Human Beings Map The High Coast in Northeast Sweden (Sweden) Fjords in Sweden (Sweden) The Mountains of Lapland (Sweden) Archipelago Sea (Sweden/ Finland) The Estonian Klint (Estonia) Rocky White Cliffs (Germany/ Denmark) Fr The Island of Natural Rock Sculptures (Sweden) How do rocks influence the environment? (Poland) Solitary Rocks (Baltic Sea Region) Cup-Marked Stones in Estonia (Estonia) Stone Barrows in Jelhtme (Estonia) The Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmki (Finland) Rock Carvings of Tanum (Sweden) Baltic Amber (Baltic Sea Region) The Great Copper Mountain in Falun (Sweden) Fieldstone Churches (Germany) Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki (Finland) Rock & Art (Germany) The Cave of Retretti (Finland) Flint and Beliefs (Germany) Cairns everywhere (Baltic Sea Region) Where can we learn more about rocks? Touristic Information Imprint
if stones could tell ...

they were a theoretical key to the common history of the Baltic sea region for more than three billion years!
Stones have their own language; their pool of information has to be translated for the ordinary Joe. Furthermore, it is necessary to develop an own fantasy to become aware of the stones in the landscape, in gravel pits or in historical buildings as witnesses of the history. Rocks are the memory of the earths history. For example, stones in northern Sweden appear like in an open window without any coverage of younger sediments and tell us the history of the earths crust consolidation with volcanoes, solidification of magma and re-melting, geochemical exchange of substances from mineral to mineral, but also of early phases of dryness, deserts, ice coverage, traces of glaciers and sedimentation million years before the well known ice age moved material from Scandinavia to the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. For human beings rocks have been a boon and bane. Rocks and stones have been used for construction and for tools up to now, but they hamper the daily life, too. The smooth rock surfaces without any soil coverage and agricultural use ruled out the settlement of ancient people; rocks in the landscape have been obstacles and dangers until today. Rocks reflect the eternity. Thus, it is not surprising that stones play an outstanding role for prehistoric ( and also contemporary) religion and as burial places. Nowadays these locations are signs of beauty and creativity, but also of hidden secrets.
the diVersitY of rocKs

Rocks are solid aggregates of one or more minerals which can be classified by chemical components, texture and particle size. Three major groups of rocks are defined by several geological processes: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks each with typical features as explained below.
iGneous rocKs
are formed by cooling and solidification of magma or lava plutonic rocks (e.g. granite) developed very slowly in the earths crust; typical are coarse- grained structures with minerals which can be identified with the naked eye volcanic rocks (e.g. basalt) developed on the surface of the earth; they have a fine-grained structure with (sometimes) isolated minerals typical are silicate minerals of various types and content of silicium dioxide: quartz, feldspar, mica, biotite
sedimentarY rocKs
are transported by wind, water, ice, and animals are deposited by the influence of gravitation or chemical precipitation of solutions are compacted by overlying sediments and solidified by chemical processes between the grains (cementation by silicium dioxide, carbonates or salt) can be identified by means of grain size classes, typical patterns of layers and the chemistry (e.g. silicates in sandstones, carbonates in limestones) only sedimentary rocks contain fossils from bacteria up to mammoths have been the base for relative dating and the first geological time table by using biostratigraphy
metamorPhic rocKs
are the consequence of the secondary influence of heat and pressure on igneous and sedimentary rocks by sinking down into lower parts of the earths crust or the upper mantle (e.g. in subduction zones) or the proximity of volcanic and plutonic rocks show mostly typical textures (layers, eyes) overlaying the older structures show typical associations of high temperature and high pressure minerals (indicator minerals) by migration and reorganization of chemical compounds (e.g. clay minerals with crystal water are dried and compacted to new minerals) never contain fossils
Photo: Betina Meliss
igneous rocks
Photos: Marta Arent-Nieradka, Karol Nieradka
2cm
RAPAKIVI GRANITE
From the collection of the Geological Museum of University of Szczecin, Poland.
Granite from Bornholm

(igneous rock, very common in Skandinavia) From the collection of the Geological Museum of University of Szczecin, Poland.
Igneous rocks are formed by the solidification or cooling of magma in the depths of the earth's crust (intrusive rocks) or of lava on the surface of the earth (extrusive rocks). Intrusive rocks include magmas that were once injected into the upper part of the crust, where they have cooled and solidified gradually. Crystal structures are large and clearly visible to the eye (e.g. granite). Extrusive igneous rocks include volcanic lava and ash that have been ejected to the surface of the earth. Such magmas cool rapidly and lose their gases, so that crystal structures are often not visible to the human eye (e.g. basalt). Igneous rocks can
also be subdivided into acidic and basic types. The acidic igneous rocks are rich in quartz and potash feldspars (e.g. granite) while the basic igneous rocks have a low amount of silica and are typically rich in iron and magnesium (e.g. basalt, gabbro). Currently, there are no active volcanoes in the Baltic Sea Region. All the igneous rocks originate from ancient geological periods and are testimonies to the old processes that have taken place in this area. Geologists detected more than 700 varieties of igneous rocks such as granites, basalts, rhyolites, porphyrys or gabbros. The most recognizable igneous rock in the Baltic Sea
Region is the Scandinavian granite. The structure of granite clearly shows different crystals. Scandinavian granite is not homogeneous. It differs in chemical composition, color and size of the minerals. A characteristic type of granite in this region is granite rapakiwi (Finnish: rapakivi - rotten stone). Granite rapakiwi consists of large reddish crystals of potassium feldspar, surrounded by a greenish outline of oligoclase and quartz. Rapakiwi mainly occur in southwestern Finland but also in Sweden, land and in the north-west of Russia. In the Middle Ages, it was used to build churches on the land Islands.
sedimentary rocks
Limestone cliff on Pakiri Peninsula, Estonia (The green colour in one layer comes from the mineral glauconite)
Fossils of trilobite extracted from boulder found at the foot of Wolin Cliff. The Baltic Sea Region is a good place for fossil hunters. From the collection of the Geological Museum of University of Szczecin, Poland.
Sedimentary rocks are composed of waste products of older rocks or remains of former organisms. They are formed by the accumulation of material carried by exogenic factors like water or wind. Popular sedimentary rocks are limestone, dolomite, quartz, flint, gypsum, sandstone, coal but also petroleum and sand. Yes, sand is also a rock! Sedimentary rocks like limestone and sandstone can contain fossils. Fossils are the remains of plants or animals that ran through the fossilization process, which turned them into a stone. Parts of organisms such as shells and bones are fossilized most commonly. Fossils provide
information on the appearance of the primeval flora and fauna and are only a feature of sedimentary rocks. Limestone is a typical sedimentary rock in the landscape of the Baltic Sea Region and can especially be found in Estonia and on the Swedish islands land and Gotland. Limestone is composed of calcium carbonate usually in the form of a mineral called calcite. Many limestones consist of skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as common marine plankton species or corals. Limestones from the Baltic Sea area are mainly from the Paleozoic era and so they are much younger than the granites from
Scandinavia. Estonian limestone was formed approximately 450 million years ago during the Ordovician and the Silurian period. Sediments were accumulated on the flat bottom of the Paleobaltic Sea. Flints can also be found in the Baltic Sea Region. Flint is a hard, semi-crystalline, siliceous sedimentary rock that can be black, dark brown and sometimes also livid and white. Its main ingredient is silica. Flints are mostly formed by the mineral chalcedony. It occurs in the form of nodules in nonsilica sedimentary rocks such as limestone, marl, chalk. Sometimes they contain silicified fossils of various organisms.
Photos: 1 - Internet source. Public domain. 2,3 - Marta Arent-Nieradka, Karol Nieradka.
Limestone with fossils of orthoceras found at the foot of Wolin Cliff, Poland. Limestone is a sedimentary rock, very common especially in Estonia. From the collection of the Geological Museum of University of Szczecin, Poland.
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Photos: 1 - Photo Internet source. Public domain, 2,3 - Marta Arent-Nieradka, Karol Nieradka.
Dolomite rocks near the Kaali crater on Saarema Island, Estonia.
Flints have accompanied humans for a very long time, for example as hunting tools. Amber is also sometimes classified as a sedimentary rock. Amber is a quite unusual stone, as from the geological point of view it is a succinate. Baltic amber is an organic substance-fossilized resin, which was established under natural conditions at least 40 million years ago. The resin flowed out from injuries and fractures of stems and branches of trees. Amber can be of yellowish color to various shades. It occurs mainly along the southern shores of the Baltic Sea, especially in Poland and in Russia. The world's largest amber mine can be found on Sambia Peninsula (Samland), Russia. Sometimes amber contains inclusions in the form of well-preserved animal and plant organisms. Amber is used in cosmetics, pharmaceutics, medicine and preferably in jewelry.
Fossils of belemnite from Rgen, Germany. From the collection of the Geological Museum of University of Szczecin, Poland.
Flint, sedimentary rocks are common at the foot of the White Cliffs on Rgen Island, Germany.
metamorphic rocks
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Metamorphic rocks in Sweden.
Gneiss from Scandinavia (the effects of pressure and high temperature are visible.) From the collection of the Geological Museum of University of Szczecin, Poland.
Metamorphic rocks are very common features of the Swedish landscape.
The third type of rock is the metamorphic one. It has undergone change bringing in a new crystal structure and new minerals. This process takes place below the surface due to high pressure and high temperature. Such metamorphism can affect all kinds of rocks igneous, sedimentary and other metamorphic rocks. In the course of earth history, surface rocks have repeatedly been displaced downwards through crustal deformation, exposing them to intense pressure and great heat. A metamorphosis can also result from permeation of a rock by gases or fluids from adjacent magmas or by mineral-bearing groundwater. Some examples of metamorphic rocks are gneiss, slate, marble, schist and quartzite. Some metamorphics represent sedimentary rocks that have been compacted and subjected further to recrystallization. Shale, for instance, is changed into a hard rock
a slate. Slate is used for roofs, shingles and floor stone. Similarly, limestone is recrystallized into marble. Sandstone and conglomerates may be permeated with silica to form remarkably tough quartzites. A more intensive change will produce rocks that are often difficult to relate to their original source. Schist is largely composed of clay minerals and mica set in a characteristic, fine, wafery structure known as a foliation. Gneiss, typical of the Baltic Region, resembles granite in its overall composition. The minerals are all elongated in parallel lines giving the rock a lineated structure. This is due to the effects of temperature and high pressure. The resistance of metamorphic rocks differs in minerology, compaction or cementation. Slate and quartzite are rather durable and produce stony soil of limited fertility. Marble, on the other hand, is as soluble as limestone.
The recrystallization of minerals that takes place during metamorphosis generally destroys the layout of minerals and joint systems so that marble or quartzite may show no visible stratification. In some rocks free spaces inside are filled with secondary minerals such as quartz. A special kind of metamorphic rocks is formed as a result of lightnings or meteorite impacts. The impacts were accompanied by a rapid increase of temperature and pressure. These phenomena ended in a fast melting and evaporation of the meteor and local surface rocks. The result of this process was the creation of unique rocks with new minerals. For example, Breccia or fulgurite belong to the impact metamorphic rocks. We can find all kinds of rocks igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic in the Baltic Sea Region.
Photos: 1 - Marta Arent-Nieradka, Karol Nieradka, 2,3 - Marta Arent-Nieradka
the ice age
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Photos: Marta Arent-Nieradka
how has the glacier changed the Baltic sea region?

Perhaps it is hard to imagine, but a large part of Northern Europe was covered by a warm shallow sea in its geological past. This took place during the Palaeogene, about 23 million years ago, which is considered young in geology. The sea was replaced by swamps. In the following geological periods a well-developed network of rivers was created. The presence of these rivers was very important for the shape of today's Baltic basin and for the accumulation of amber. Meanwhile, climate had cooled down constantly. In periods of colder climate huge amounts of snow accumulated so that the snow was transformed into ice under the weight of the successive layers. Glaciers first formed in the Scandinavian Mountains, and then they occupied large areas of Northern and Central Europe. Ice sheets alternately melted and could also spread out to the south. This was closely related to changes in the climate conditions. Melting ice sheets caused a rise of the water levels in the global ocean during interglacials. The last ice sheet reached the present Baltic Sea area around 22,000 years ago. This resulted in a complete change of the relief of Northern and Central Europe formed by the previous glacier activities. For the Baltic Sea Region glaciations in Pleistocene were very important for the present appearance of the landscape. The moving very heavy masses of ice had enormous destructive power. The movement of the glacier resulted in the destruction of bedrock and formed today's Baltic Sea basin. On the other hand, glaciers left deposits like till, sand and land forms such as moraines, sandurs, kame or eskers. The Baltic Sea Region is a great place to observe these forms. A well-known place, where tourists can see the glacial forms, is Geopark Rokua in Finland with drumlins, moraines, terminal moraines, esker ridges, kettle holes, ancient shorelines, dunes, ravines and bogs. Another good place to observe the activities of the glaciers is the Laponian Area in Sweden, which became a Geological Heritage Site of UNESCO in 1996.
Ice mass of one of the contemporary Scandinavian glacier
Rocks from the Scandinavia were transported southwards by the glacier. (King Boulder from gray-pink granite, Poland.)
where did all the boulders come from?

In the ice masses of the glacier many rocks were transported away from the Scandinavian Peninsula. These rocks were deposited in the European lowlands. This leads to the fact that you can find big rocks at the Baltic coastline that originally came from Sweden, Finland or even Norway! Among these erratics there are all main types of rocks: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The presence of these boulders in the region is one of the proofs of the existence of large masses of ice during the Pleistocene. Erratics are observed in the Baltic Sea Region for example at the foot of the Wolin Cliff in Midzyzdroje, Orlowski Cliff in Gdynia, the cliffs in the area of Pajuris in Lithuania, Jurkalne Cliff and Veczeme Cliff in Latvia or on the Lahemaa coast in Estonia. The accumulation of boulders at the foot of cliffs is considered as geological open air museums where it is possible to learn more about rocks. Erratics also occur offshore.
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Helsinki St. Petersburg Stockholm Tallinn
3000 m
Riga
Kopenhagen
2000 m
Berlin
Gdansk
1000 m
thicKness of the ice coVeraGe durinG the last Glacial Period
the postglacial history of the Baltic sea region
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Photo: Marta Arent-Nieradka
Cliff on Wollin Island, Poland
The Quaternary period shows climate fluctuations (in temperature and precipitation), and since 15,000 years the climate has become warmer (Holocene). Reasons for this development are changes in the global circulation, the changing position of continents and the human influence (green house gas emission). But the climate at the end of the Weichselian period has not changed abruptly. The glaciers retreated step by step over thousands of years; the glaciers in Norway (e.g. Jostedalsbreen) are relicts of the Pleistocene ice sheet. The Holocene climate change has caused several general effects: the eustatic rise of the sea level caused by molten water, the isostatic land uplift and changes in ecosystems including direct and indirect anthropogenic influences. The eustatic and isostatic movements caused the development of todays landsea pattern, but it has developed step by step. Within the last 12,000 years the Baltic Sea has changed from a freshwater ice lake without any gaps to the Atlantic ocean to the contemporary continental sea with narrow contact zones to the ocean. The sea level rise has occurred by leaps and bounds. Periods of more fresh water character alternated with those of more marine (salt water) influence depending on the gaps to the ocean. The Littorina transgression with a sea level rise of more than
20 m within 1000 years is the most remarkable phase. It had a significant influence on the ancient people who settled in the coastal area. The traditional settlements were flooded; the people were forced to give up their villages. The rising sea level had an important influence on the coastline too. The pattern of moraine hills, glacial lakes and river mouths at the southern Baltic Sea coast had changed as well as the rocky coasts of Scandinavia. coastal erosion Oscillating sea levels, waves and currents erode the coasts, especially in winter times. The loamy and sandy cliffs of moraine material are particularly vulnerable. The coastline of Cape Arcona (Isle of Rgen) shows the decline of a Slavonic temple and fortress only a fourth of the ring wall still exists. accumulation of material Coastal currents transport the eroded materials. Depending on the direction and force of the currents, sand is deposited at coastal margins, like the northern tip of the Darss peninsula or the Isle of Usedom. Sometimes the higher parts of sand barriers are the origin of coastal dunes. Long sandy peninsulas like the Curonian Spit have separated shallow water areas
(here: Courland lagoon) with typical freshwater ecosystems. The Hel peninsula could be the intermediate step for the next spit separating the Bay of Gdansk. fJords Fjords are typical of rocky coasts. The long ancient rivers in the southern Baltic Sea can be classified as fjords, e.g. Schlei, Flensburg Fjord, Kiel Fjord. These typical landscapes were shaped by glacier tongues and flooded by the rising water. The rocky fjords are very deep with depths of more than 1000 m. The northern German fjords are shallow with depths of not more than 20 m. sKerries Skerries are also a typical feature of the Baltic Sea Region. The small hills at the former intersection of glacier streams are flat and mostly without any soil coverage and only the skerries close to the inner coastline are wooded. Skerries are typically concentratd in archipelagos of skerries, e.g. the archipelago between Turku and Stockholm including the lands or the skerries in western Sweden. Thousands of islands are beloved regions for fishing and recreation, but they hold a lot of obstacles for navigation.
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eXcursus: meteorites in the Baltic sea reGion Meteorites are extraterrestrial rocks which survived the contact with the earth. They endured the entry into the atmosphere (visible as a fireball) as well as the impact on the earths surface. Only few of the cosmic boulders reached the surface and shaped typical craters. Most of meteorites derive from smaller astronomical objects (meteoroids). Sometimes they are the result of the collision of asteroids with other objects. Meteorites consist of stone (chondrites); a small number of meteorites is a mixture of metals and stone; or pure metal (iron, nickel and alloy). Meteorite impacts played an outstanding role in the history, for example the extinction of lots of animal groups between Cretaceous and Tertiary was caused by a meteorite impact. Another example of historic times is the explosion of the Tunguska-meteorite in Siberia in 1908. There are worldwide concentrations of meteorite impacts, e.g. in the Antarctica, northern America and in the Sahara. The Baltic Sea Region is not that famous for meteorites, but the Siljan Lake in Sweden is the largest crater in Europe. A remarkable example is the Kaali crater at Saaremaa (Estonia) that will be referred to in the regional part of this brochure.
Photo: Shutterstock
rocks and human Beings

rocks are not only the foundation and design element of our landscape. very early humankind learned to use this natural material for their purposes in a very manifold manner.
city design, street furniture buildings fences
as construction material as raw material (feedstock)
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statues, monuments
Roll of honour
sculptures
landscape
as basis / foundation
stones
What are good for?
as (useful) tools
tile stoves stone axes massage stones munition for catapults
low fences. In villages and cities people marked their gardens and properties with stone fences. Another very important utilization of fieldstones was the road construction. In the past, all roads were made of rocks. Nowadays it has been displaced by other road surfaces (in particular concrete and tar). Cobblestone roads still exist for historic and today for touristic reasons. These days big stones (boulders) are often used for city designing purposes, for instance as a natural, robust and also cheap barrier to prevent people from going everywhere by car. rocKs as useful tools and raW material People learnt to hew stones and to make useful tools out of it. In the past, there were tools for the daily work (e.g. flint axes and even catapults) while we have started to use stones for instance for massages nowadays. Furthermore, rocks are raw material for things with representative purposes and memorials. Statues and monuments or simple rolls of honour are made of rocks. Artistic sculptures are also often carved in rocks.
building cairns
taking collecting pictures
for entertainment, leisure toolson
rocKs as construction material People used all kinds of local material to construct huts and houses. Due to the stability of buildings erected with stones, rock has been the most important construction material for thousands of years. You can still see this at old churches. The oldest preserved buildings were constructed with fieldstone sometimes unshaped rocks, sometimes hewn stones. Later, brick displaced the field stones. In rural areas farmers needed to separate their fields and to fence the cattle in green pastures. They used rocks for their
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Fieldstone church
Building cairns
Fences made of stones
rocKs & tourism Rocks are especially important for tourism. They shape the landscape decisively and they are the foundation everywhere; covered by soil; forming the relief and determining the differences in elevation. Very often you can see the rocks straight in the landscape, in highlands and mountain areas, at the coastline and as huge single boulders or countless small stones. These manifold appearances lure tourists in great numbers. Stones are popular objects to be collected in the nature and to be taken home as souvenirs. This is because of their nice colour,
their funny shape or even because people like telling stories about the place where they found them. Sometimes even specific healing effects or other mystic powers are attributed to them. There are various ways how people can spend time with stones, e.g. on vacation: People like to collect stones and take them home. Many children like to paint the stones or even to construct funny sculptures with the stones.
Sometimes people start to through small stones on the surface of the water. This stone skipping you can observe everywhere. Each country has its specific name for this. There are associations dealing with stone skipping and even championships. According to the Guinness Book of Records the world record is 51 skips. Tourists all over the world like to build cairns.
Photos: 1- Jerzy Arent, 2, 5 - Wilhelm Steingrube , 3, 6 - Photo: Betina Meli, 4 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stone_skimming_-Patagonia-9Mar2010.jpg
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1 The High Coast in Northeast Sweden 2 Fjords in Sweden 3 The Mountains of Lapland 4 Archipelago Sea 5 The Estonian Klint 6 Rocky White Cliffs 7 Fr The Island of Natural Rock Sculptures 8 How do rocks influence the environment? 9 Cup-Marked Stones in Estonia 10 Stone Barrows in Jelhtme 11 The Bronze Age Burial Site
of Sammallahdenmki
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12 Rock Carvings of Tanum 13 Baltic Amber 14 The Great Copper Mountain in Falun 15 Fieldstone Churches 16 Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki 17 Rock & Art 18 The Cave of Retretti 19 Flint and Beliefs 15
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The High Coast in Northeast Sweden
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Photo: Ralf Scheibe
Geological Background: rocks and the isostatic land uplift The port authorities, maritime organisations and the land measurement in the north of Sweden and Finland have a problem: the coastline, defined by the supralittoral line, moves rapidly. Consequently canals, waterways and ports have to be renewed at regular intervals after 100 200 years, and likewise the land area grows continuously. The reason for this trouble is the isostatic land uplift. To understand this phenomenon, we should look back in the geological history of the northern countries. The Scandinavian Peninsula (including Finland) belong to the oldest part of Europe. The consolidation of the earths crust by processes of sedimentation, volcanic effects, subduction and metamorphosis ended more than 1,500 Mio years ago. Only some volcanic areas (e.g. the Oslo area) and the western part of Norway (part of the Caledonian
Mountains from the late Palaeozoic era) are younger. The earths crust is more than 50 60 km thick. Therefore, that type of crust is relatively stable and responds slowly to pressure and tectonic stress. The land uplift has been well-known since mediaeval times. But our ability to explain these processes has improved continuously with the knowledge about the geological construction of the earth and the geophysical methodology for measuring gravitation and borderlines between the layers of the earth (crust, mantle, core), including lithosphere and asthenosphere. The question is how to explain the uplift. The reason is the decreasing masses of ice coverage after the end of the Pleistocene. The thickness of the ice mass was about 3000 m, with the maximum height in the area of the Gulf of Bothnia. To explain the phenomenon of isostatic uplift after the melting of the ice coverage, the theory of George Airy perfectly fits to
the facts. The brittle lithosphere swims on the surface of the fluid asthenosphere corresponding to the Archimedean Principle. If the mass of the lithosphere grows (e.g. by an ice sheet), the lithosphere dips in more deeply, and if the ice mass decreases, the lithosphere is buoying up again. The other theories of isostatic movement (like of John Henry Pratt and Felix Andries Vening-Meinesz) are more complicated and no realistic keys for the explanation of the situation in northern Scandinavia.
The current geological situation of the High Coast area The High Coast (Hga Kusten) is a part of the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia in northern Sweden between the municipalities Hrnsand and rnskldsvik and it belongs to the Vsternorrlands district. A look at the geological map shows very old rocks most of them metamorphic stones of an
sweden
STOCKHOLM
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Skuleskogen Nationalpark Naturum
age of more than 1,700 Mio years, some sandstones, diabase and granites (Nordingr-Granite) are younger. Most of the rocks have the typical reddish colour caused by potash feldspar. The coastline has a length of 220 km. The fjords and bights lie behind a chain of skerry islands, and in front of these islands is the deepest point of the Gulf of Bothnia (293 m). But the key is in the coastal area at the top of the mountains. In 285 m height above the sea level there is the coastline of the end of Pleistocene (9,000 years before present). The distance between the former and the present coastline is only 3 km. The High Coast area has the highest land uplift in the world. Although the land uplift has become slower, the present increase is approximately 8 mm per year. The High Coast area shows a lot of interesting geological and geographical features. Most of them belong to glacial and subglacial processes caused by melting water
and the influence of wind and waves on the moraine material: Eskers are long, stratified ridges of sand and gravel and the result of water movement in glacial crevasses or sub-glacial channels. Nowadays eskers are covered with vegetation and are sometimes confused with railway dams. If moraines are washed out by waves, beds of debris and boulders remain. Such areas are not only at the present sea level, but also in more than 200 meters height and witnesses of past storm events. The Sltterdalskrevan is a former diabase dyke and now a canyon with 40-meter high walls and a length of 200 meters. It was probably shaped by fluent water and the rapid weathering of the less resistant diabase rock. The Stockholmsgatan is also a canyon, but shaped only by fluent water below the glacier. It has a length of 1.5 km and
is 30 m high. Typical of the Stockholmsgatan area are glacier mills of up to 4 m depth and some caves. Deltas from past and present times show the broad variety of sedimentation by fluent water under the specific climatic conditions. Meanders are typical for the young river network and also a result of the influence of the climate of past and present time. More than 25 caves even in the direct neighbourhood of rnskldsvik have developed in geological crevasses or by falling boulders.
other nature attractions Not only for geologists, but also for biologists the High Coast area is fascinating because of the manifold ecosystems. Interestingly, the famous botanist Carl Linnaeus visited the High Coast area in 1732 and remarked the unique landscape.
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Photo: Ralf Scheibe
The High Coast Bridge
The coastline consists of various types of sandy and rocky beaches with typical plant societies. Sometimes plants of alpine types like the Alpine Pink and Stonecrop grow on the hard rock plateaus. Typical of the sand beaches are pioneer plants like the Sea Sandwort and the Sea Pea or grasslands in the hinterland of the young beaches. The peat bogs are often of an oligotrophic type with few species, but sometimes the peat bogs are speciose in areas with diabases and mussel shell banks with rocks with low resistance against weathering. Large areas covered with cotton grass, the snowball bush and various orchids are typical there. The woods also show some anomalies. Here some species like the maple and the limetree have the northern distribution boundary. The wood normally consists of European spruce and sometimes the pine grows at debris plateaus. The wet slopes and the valleys are the most speciose
wood ecosystems of the High Coast area. The wood is home for wild animals like brown bear, elk and lynx. human imPacts and nature Protection The High Coast area and northern Sweden are not overcrowded. The population concentrates in the industrial agglomerations like Hrrnsand, rnskldsvik or Sundsvall. But the attractive landscape and the increasing demand for recreation under nature conditions made an effective protection necessary. Therefore, in 1984 the Skuleskogen Nationalpark was established. It guarantees the protection and undisturbed development of the natural and cultural landscape, but also the sustainable development of the tourism infrastructure. Additionally, the UNESCO inscribed the High Coast on the World Heritage List in 2000. The tourism infrastructure contains the Naturum
(information centre near rnskldsvik) and 30 km of marked hiking trails to nearly all attractions. There are several refuges for hiking tourists and mountain bikers with a free access. The Skuleskogen National Park is easily accessible via the European Highway No. 4. tourism and leisure actiVities The region is not only a recreational area for people from northern Sweden, but it also attracts more and more tourists interested in nature. The reasons are apparent: the potential of the nature for activities through the year, a good infrastructure, few restrictions, and a good information system. A lot of good paths with various levels of difficultiy are available for mountain biking and cycling. The season starts in May and ends in September. The High Coast area is also part of the national bicycle lane from Ystad to Haparanda. The High Coast is
sweden
STOCKHOLM
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Land uplift
an outstanding trekking area. Some of the old paths of the ancient locals are revitalised for tourists and pass natural and cultural attractions like mills, churches and geological points of interest. Similarly, these paths can also be used for horse riding. Due to the great nature the area off the paths is also interesting for orienteering. The tourism offices offer several special maps. Water is one important element of the High Coast region and water sport, too. In spite of the higher latitude of the region, the water in the inland lakes is not cold during the summer. The clear water attracts not only people who enjoy bathing, but also scuba divers. The coastal waters contain several interesting wrecks and are almost undiscovered. Some of the lakes, the rivers and the calm coastal waterways are popular regions for canoeing of every difficulty level with calm rivers and waterfalls. Canoeing is also a good chance to enjoy the nature from
a very special point of view. The contact to the unspoiled nature is very close. The lakes and coastal waters are refuges for more than 20 fish species which are attractive for hobby fishing: salmon, trout, perch and pike are the most popular species. In summertime crayfish can be caught. The joint crayfish meal is very common and gives tourists a chance to get in contact with domestic people. This chance is also given for people who enjoy boating. They can choose between comfortable yacht harbours and fishermen settlements or nature moorings. Finally, the High Coast region attracts skiers too. The tourism season does not end after summer, but offers a wide network of prepared cross-country ski runs or for snowmobiles. The thick ice coverage of the lakes invites people to ice skate. With a backpack, long tours over several days are possible too.
contact
rnskldsviks Turistbyr, Lasarettsgatan 5 (Arken) 891 33 rnskldsvik turism@ornskoldsvik.se Hrnsands Turistbyr Stora Torget 2 871 30 Hrnsand turistinfo@harnosand.se Naturum Hga Kusten Skuleberget 870 33 Docksta info@naturumhogakusten.se
Photo: Ralf Scheibe
fJords in sweden
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Photo: Ralf Scheibe
Inner part of Gullmarsfjord
Fjords are fascinating landscapes in Norway with steep rock walls of hundreds of metres height, very long and deep (hundreds of metres again) inland waterways with clear water and a breathtaking transport infrastructure with tunnels and bridges. The Sognefjord is probably the best known example. The etymological origin of the word fjord is in Norway. But the fjord landscapes seem to stop mentally at the border between Norway and Sweden. Is it the result of the changeover from the North Sea to the Baltic Sea which forms the coast of western Sweden? GeoloGical and GeomorPholoGic Basics Fjords are results of complex geological and geomorphologic processes: ice movement, erosion by ice and melting water, sedimentation of moraines and finally the rising water level after the Pleistocene were part of this process. The Scandina-
vian Peninsula was covered with an ice sheet during the Pleistocene time (the existing glaciers in Norway are relics). While the ice sheet was mostly immobile, several glacier tongues stretched out, normally in times of cold, wet climate with a lot of precipitation and ice growth at the top of the glaciers. The glacier tongues mainly followed existing landscape structures, but they had the force to create new ways and shapes. Erosion by ice can take several forms. On the one hand ice freezes up to the solid rocky ground and breaks out parts of the rock when it becomes mobile (detraction). On the other hand the decay at the base of the glacier works as a tool and erodes the basement if it is weaker (detersion). Finally, the end of the glacier tongue also works effectively and erodes older sediments in front of the glacier (exaration). The result is a narrow valley with steep walls and a U-shape, sometimes with a typical bedrock
bar. Due to the melting glaciers at the end of the Pleistocene, the water level rose faster than the isostatic land uplift occurred. Step by step most of the valleys were flooded with water of the North Sea with its direct contact to the Atlantic Ocean or the Baltic Sea with its own steps of eustatic rise of the water level. Furthermore, younger sediments accumulated by ice and water changed the landscape again. On the coast of western Sweden it happened pretty much the same. In detail, there are some slight variations. The landscape has a more lovely shape with flat slopes and smooth surfaces of the rock parts. However, there are some fjords in western Sweden with their own attractiveness and important coastal waterways. The largest is the Gullmarsfjorden near Lysekil with a length of 25 km and an average depth of 120 m. There is a further network of fjords between Uddevalla and Gteborg (Stigfjord, Kalvfjord, Hakefjord, Havstens-
sweden
STOCKHOLM
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Yacht harbour in Smgen
Bridge between Kungshamn and Smgen
Kullaberg
fjord) which separates the two islands Orust and Tjrn. In western Sweden there are thousands of small islands called skerries. Only the inner skerries near the mainland are covered with soil and vegetation. The outer skerries are completely naked with a smooth surface polished by the ice. Mostly, the skerries consist of gneiss and so does the rest of the landscape. human imPact oVer the centuries Human settlements in western Sweden can be traced back thousands of years ago. Hunters and gatherers followed the ice margin and settled at the coast as it had benefits to live there (forests, fish). The flat areas with soil coverage provided the perfect precondition for agriculture even though many problems emerged in the past (failure of crops etc.). Over the years the Swedish fjords have developed as gates to the hinterland.
Thus some of them had been protected by fortresses. The Kunglv castle near Gteborg and the castle of Marstrand in the skerries are attractive examples with an importance for tourism now. The Gtalv with its mouth in Gteborg is the origin of the famous Gta Canal and the infrastructural development in middle Sweden. Fishing and navigation have been the traditional economic factors on the western Swedish coast until today. Due to the good accessibility from the fishing grounds in the northern Sea, several coastal harbours are still important places for manufacturing fish products like salmon, herring and cod. The traditional maritime economy has undergone a transformation process towards the tourism sector. The skerry archipelago between Gteborg and the border to Norway, but also the sandy beaches southward are the most important recreational areas in Sweden with
their own tradition. Naturally, boating and fishing are widespread hobbies there. The number of boats and harbour moorings are hardly countable. Some of the worlds most important yacht manufactures have their roots on the island of Orust. The coastal waters are popular scuba diving destinations. The higher salinity causes a biodiversity which is unusual for the Baltic Sea. Starfishes, sea urchins, sea squirts, cold water corals (dead mans fingers) or kelp are typical of the shallow water areas. The calm inland waterways allow dives also in autumn or winter times when the visibility is better than in summer. Another point that increases the attractiveness of scuba diving is the high number of mystical wrecks that are to be discovered at the bottom of the sea.
the mountains of lapland
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Photo: Yngve Nilsson (Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sytertoppen.jpg)
View from Mothseretjhke mountain. Storuman Municipality, Lappland.
In northern Sweden beyond the Arctic Circle, the Laponian Area is located. It covers 9,400 km of land which makes it the world's largest pristine mountainous natural area. Up to 95% of it is protected in the form of national parks (Muddus, Sarek, Padjelanta and Stora Sjfallet) and reserves (Sjaunja and Stubb). Since 1996 it has also been a UNESCO World Heritage site. This area is almost a textbook example of how glaciers affect the appearance of the mountains and how they interact with the rocks. On the surface of the earth there are very old rocks from a time when life on earth was primitive. In the east there is a rather low area made up of very old rocks from the Archean era with an age of 4,600 2,500 million years. In the west of Lapland there are the Scandinavian Mountains, which were formed in the early part
of the Paleozoic era (between 543 and 360 million years ago). According to UNESCO information, the high alpine landscape of Sarek and Stora Sjfallet National Parks has steep mountains, deep valleys and powerful rivers. It is said to contain more than 200 peaks over 1,800 m and about 100 glaciers which had a major influence on shaping the landscape. Glacial features include deep melt water canyons (kursu) with nearly vertical walls over 100 m high, glacial cirques and channels, U-shaped valleys, outwash plains (sandurs), tundra polygons, boulder hollows, erratics, moraine ridges, drumlins, talus mounds and palsa bogs (frozen peat mounds). Mountain glaciers are formed above the so-called snow line were snowfall is higher than snow melt in its annual balance. There also needs to be a low average tem-
perature and hollows where snow can accumulate. The snow is converted into firn or glacial ice under the weight of the upper mass. Glacial ice is often pushed out of the hollow and a tongue of the glacier flows down the mountain, carving its shape. When it comes to the melting of the glaciers, for example due to climate change, glacial cirques and U-shape valleys are left behind in the mountains. His groove work is possible because the glacier carries a lot of rocks at its bottom that scrub the surface of the mountain. When a glacier retreats (regression) or stands still (stagnant glacier), melted water from the glacier washes the material located in the ice mass. Then, outwash plains (sandurs) are formed. In Lapland there are also boulders left behind by the retreating glaciers. Retreating glaciers also left other
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STOCKHOLM
Eastern side of South Sytertoppens mountain. Storuman Municipality. Lappland.
forms made of sand and gravel, for example ridges moraine and drumlins. At the foot of the slopes of the mountains there can be seen mounds of talus. The accumulation of rocks took the form of a cone. Detachments of rocks are caused by the force of gravity and weathering. These mass movements are often rapid and can be dangerous for people. In Lapland there are also countless lakes, wetlands, heaths, taigas and rivers. It is also the place where Saami have lived since prehistoric times. It is already one of the few places in the world where people migrate seasonally with their livestock.
One of the Scandinavian mountain glacier. Visible are rocks polished by the glacier.
Photo: 1 - Yngve Nilsson (Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sytertoppen-02.jpg), 2 - Photo: M. Arent-Nieradka, K. Nieradka
sweden/ finland
archipelago sea
HELSINKI
STOCKHOLM
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Photos: 1 - Ralf Scheibe, 2 - Wilhelm Steingrube, 3 - Ralf Scheibe
Stockholm Archipelago
Aland Islands
The Archipelago Sea contains the largest cluster of islands in the world by number of isles. There are 257 islands on over 1km2. If you count all smaller isles of over 0.5 ha there are about 18,000 and if you involve also tiny skerries (rocks in the sea, which are too small for habitation) there are probably at least 50,000 islands. This archipelago is located between the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Sea of land and belongs to the Finnish territorial waters. Skerries are most commonly formed at the outlet of fjords with submerged glacially sculptured valleys. They have emerged from the sea since the last ice age by the process of post-glacial rebound. This process is still going on with a rate of rebound between 4 and 10 mm per year and so old isles are enlarging and new skerries are emerging very slowly . With a mean depth of 23 m the sea area is shallow, too shallow for large ships.
The islands are mainly made of granite and gneiss. The small isles are treeless but provide a unique and diverse environment for wild and plant life nevertheless. The constant wind and a thin or even nonexistent soil layer limit the plant growth, which also limits the agricultural use. The larger islands are inhabited and connected by ferries and bridges. The land Islands form an autonomous region. It has its own regional parliament with Swedish as its sole official language, even though the province of land Islands belongs to Finland. This province generally enjoys a high standard of living. Fishing and fish processing are the major industries. The archipelago is well-known for its Baltic herring and rainbow trout products. The Archipelago Sea is a significant tourist destination because of its unique nature and landscape and the climate that is much more favorable than in continental Finland.
stocKholm archiPelaGo The second largest archipelago of the Baltic Sea is the Stockholm archipelago (Swedish: Stockholms skrgrd), which extends from Stockholm roughly 60 km to the east. In this archipelago, a culture of farming and fishing existed until the middle of last century. Since then the younger generation has started to look for jobs in the cities on the mainland. Today most of the small farms on the islands are closed and the fish industry has almost disappeared. Now the archipelago is a popular holiday destination with some 50,000 holiday cottages.
contact
www.visitaland.com
estonia
TALLINN
the estonian klint
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Limestone cliff on the island of Saaremaa (West Estonia)
the estonian Klint is part of the limestone belt in the middle of the Baltic sea region
The eastern and northern part of the Baltic Shield with its typical metamorphic and igneous rocks of archaic ages lies under younger sedimentary rocks from Paleozoic times with a flat angle of 2 to 3 degrees. Therefore, these layers appear in typical scarped ridges. Some of the most important ridges are made of limestone from the Ordovician (Estonia, land) and Silurian (Gotland). The Estonian Klint zone stretches from the island of Osmussaar to the Narva River and represents the older part of the limestone belt with its geological basement. The lower part is composed of Cambrian sandstones and clay and only the upper part from Ordovician limestone contains a lot of fossils like the Orthoceras (cephalopods) with a diameter up to 6 cm and a length of more than 80 cm. The Cambrian clay layer (the typical blue clay) is still plastic despite its age of more than 500 Million years. One special layer in the Ordovician part is the Kukersite, an oil shale with economic importance for the energy sector of Estonia and Russia. Due to the hardness of the limestone, the cliffs of northern Estonians mainland and the big islands are constituted of limestone. Some of them have a height of more than 50 m and show the typical structure of hard layers with weaker gaps. In the hinterland the limestone shapes waterfalls of several meters height, e.g. the 50 m wide Jgala waterfall with a height of 8 m. The city of Tallinn is part of the limestone cliff. The lower part of the city is built on the Cambrian basement and the southern part and the famous Toompea (Estonian for Cathedral hill) in the city are in the limestone zone. The structure, but also the quality and the price of the Ordovician and Silurian limestone were the reason for trade with limestone around the Baltic Sea, which has taken place since mediaeval times. That is why the cathedrals of the southern part of the Baltic Sea Region are built with red brick stones. The floors are mostly covered with plates of limestone. So it is comprehensible that some of the wrecks from mediaeval times contain a cargo of Baltic limestone.
more information
www.klint.envir.ee/klint/eng
rocky white cliffs

on the islands of rgen, mn and sjlland
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Faxe Limestone
Photo: Ralf Scheibe
Rgen Chalk
GeoloGical BacKGround The white cliffs of Rgen, Mn and Sjlland belong to the most impressive nature monuments in the western part of the Baltic Sea Region. Most tourists know that the cliffs consist of chalk. But is it the chalk we all know from school times, and is it pure chalk? The chalk contains carbonate of high purity (up to 98 %). The fine sediment mostly consists of the shells of protozoan algae (e.g. Coccolithophorides) and has been accumulated during the Upper Cretaceous Period (70 65 Mio years ago) as a mud at the bottom of a shallow water bight. The mud has been compressed so that the chalk tends to crumble once it gets wet. Fossils of various groups of animals such as ammonites, sea urchins, mussels, sponges, and belemnites (the inner skeleton of cephalopods) are typical and often gathered by hobby geologists. The chalk contains
more than 60 bands of flint stone nodules, which allow the stratigraphic classification. The flint stone of the fossils and the nodules have developed due to the displacement of carbonate by silicon dioxide. The bed of chalk from cretaceous times is more than 800 m thick. Normally it is covered by younger sediments (Pleistocene sands and tills), but the pressure of the moving ice and tectonic movements broke the chalk into blocks. Some of them have been elevated and inclined. Today there is a pattern of white cliff blocks (e. g. the Knigstuhl at Rgen or the Dronningestolen at Mn) and darker parts of Pleistocene sediments (moraine tills). The limestone of the southern part of Sjlland is younger (sedimentation of Faxe limestone: 65 60 Mio years ago) and shows the changeover between the Cretaceous period and the early Tertiary. The border is marked by a thin, but noticeable bed of fine grey clay (the fish clay).
So the cliff of Stevns Klint is one of the most important geological sites with a direct outcrop of the CretaceousPaleogene extinction event. The clay contains a significant concentration of iridium (up to 160 times more than normally). This fact was the origin of the hypothesis of a meteorite impact during the late Cretaceous period at the peninsula of Yucatan (Chicxulub crater). The heavy explosion and the following volcanic activities caused climatic changes which could be the reason for the plentiful extinction of groups of species like dinosaurs. The discussion about the impact and the results is still in progress. The limestone at Sjlland is more compact, coarse grained and consists of corals, mussels and cephalopods. the economic imPortance of chalK, limestone and flint Flint stone was the natural basement for prehistoric societies. The hard, brittle stone
germany/ denmark
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contact
Nationalparkzentrum Knigstuhl, Stubbenkammer 2, 18546 Sassnitz info@koenigsstuhl.com www.koenigstuhl.com Kreidemuseum Gummanz, Gummanz 3a, 18551 Sagard info@kreidemuseum.de www.kreidemuseum.de GEOCENTER MNS KLINT Stengrdsvej 8, 4791 Borre geocenter@moensklint.dk www.moensklint.dk Geomuseum Faxe, Kulturhuset Kanten, stervej 2, 4640 Faxe geomuseum@oesm.dk Stevns Museum, Hjerup Bygade 38, 4660 Store Heddinge geomuseum@oesm.dk Stevns Naturcenter, Mandehoved 10, 4660 Store naturcenter@oesm.dk
Photo: Ralf Scheibe
The Cliff of Arcona / Island of Rgen: Chalk and till in direct vicinity
with sharp edges had been the only material for tools like knifes and arrowheads until the Bronze Age. The beaches covered with flint stone nodules were an inexhaustible source for the ancient toolmakers. Some chipping floors and prehistoric settlements near the coast bear witness to the intensive usage and trade. The limestone became important as a raw material for construction purposes. The harder limestone banks were used as building materials, but normally the Faxe limestone is too brittle and tends to crumble. Therefore, it is burnt and sold as caustic lime to be used in mortar. The limestone pits and the furnaces from ancient times are technical monuments and attractions for tourism today. The purity of the white chalk makes it interesting for chemical purposes. There are dozens of chalk pits on Rgen and Mn from the last three centuries in which chalk was used nearly all over the world.
The process of breaking and conditioning was laborious. Although the chalk is weak, the job in the chalk mines was one of the most dangerous for people of Rgen and Mn, who broke the chalk from the walls of the pits with large picks. A system of narrow gauge railways for the transport of the raw materials for further treatment was established. The chalk was washed, sieved and dried before shipping. Nowadays the chalk is still used: for the pharmaceutical industry, for chemical processes and for paints. The use in spas for wet packs against skin diseases and rheumatism is relatively new. But the breaking of chalk has been reduced to a few pits today. attractiVe, But danGerous: the imPortance for tourism If you ask people about their associations with Rgen, the answer is the chalk cliffs, for sure. Indeed, the white cliffs are the
most important feature of Germanys largest island. Therefore, most tourists visit the cliffs directly either from the top to enjoy the view or from the beach to gather fossils. This human impact makes a management indispensable. The National Park Jasmund with its visitor centre and the GeoCenter Mns Klint guarantee the protection and the reliable and authentic information for tourists of various age groups. Every year, coastal erosion damages the cliff. The water in fissures and crevasses destroys the structure of the weak chalk rock during the freeze-thaw days. Additionally, the alternating sequence of chalk, moraine till and clay beds make mass movements possible. Therefore, the direct contact to cliffs at the beach can be dangerous. The restrictions and pieces of advice for visitors should be taken seriously.
sweden
fr
the island of natural rock sculptures
STOCKHOLM
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Photos: Agnieszka Strzelecka
Rauks on Langhammars Penisula
Rocks on Holmhallar Peninsula on Gotland
Fr is an island north of the famous Swedish island Gotland. With its size of 111 km2 it does not seem to be conspicuous among the thousands of Swedish islands. But Fr has some special features that make it interesting for hobby geologists and historians. The island is part of a Paleozoic limestone zone, which reaches from Estonia to Gotland and land (see article Estonian Klint). The isolated position of Fr was the reason for the conservation of a unique cultural landscape with small fields and the typical character of the villages. Most of the developments in Swedish agriculture like melioration and land consolidation did
not occur here. Many historic houses on the island are built of stone the lack of wood was the reason for that. The houses are exceptional because of their roofs thatched with reeds and with a particular shape. Characteristic of Fr (and also for Gotland and land) are Rauks columns and sculptures of limestone. Some of them are more than 20 m high. They are the results of erosion by wind and water during Holocene times and the various resistances of the layers of limestone and of marl. The weak marl is eroded easily; the harder limestone remains in shapes which stimulate the fantasy of the visitors.
contact
Gotlands tourist association

www.gotland.info Ferry connections from Frsund to Broa. Continuous services during the summer, otherwise once every half hour.
poland
how do rocks influence the environment ?
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*2
*3
The Purple Lake, in Rudawy Janowickie, Polish Mountain. The color of water is due to the high saturation of iron and sulfur in surrounding rocks.
In the Wolinski National Park, Poland, there is a lake with stunning turquoise color. This unusual color of water is influenced by rocks which contain calcium carbonate. The turquoise color is the result of an interaction between the rocks, sunlight and water. Here, a splitting of the sunlight in the clean water and a reflection of it from the white rocky ground takes place. The rocks that surround the Turquoise Lake are mainly marls and chalk. These rocks are enclaves, which were deposited by glaciers during the Ice Age. The researchers assumed that it may originally come from the area Skne, Sweden. There was a big enclave that was used as an open pit mine. The marl mine had operated here from 1855 until the thirties of the twentieth century. How could the old mine suddenly be filled with water? There was a break of the groundwater lines lying below the surface. In the case of the Turquoise Lake,
water had slowly filled the mine at the end of exploitation. The water in the lake came from the groundwater and also from precipitation. The bottom of the reservoirs is located below sea level. The depth of the whole lake is 21.5 m. This section can be witnessed from the hill called Sand Mountain (Piaskowa Gra) pretty well. One part of the rocks above the water level is made of chalk with numerous flint nodules. In this layer it is possible to find fossils. Below the chalk light gray marly chalk is deposited, which disappears under water. The Polish Geological Institute classified Turquoise Lake as an object of international importance, and pointed out it is of high educational and touristic importance. Another place with a similar phenomenon is the so-called Coloured Lakes in Rudawy Janowickie, Polish Mountains. On the northern slope of the Great Kopa there
are three lakes, a purple, blue and a green one. The amazing colors of the water ponds are associated with the surrounding pyrite schist.
*2 The Blue Lake in Rudawy Janowickie, Polish Mountain. The color of water is cause by copper compounds. *3 The Turquoise Lake in Poland. The color of water is influenced by the surrounding rocks.
WARSAW
solitary rocks
from scandinavia erratic boulders
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Photo: Wilhelm Steingrube.
Acumulation of boulders on the Estonian coast close to Ehalkivi.
In the southern Baltic Sea and in the coastal zone there are various boulders. Sometimes, they are of a large size. At first glance, these boulders do not seem to fit in the surrounding landscape. According to geologists, they are remnants of the Ice Age. The mass of ice included rock fragments, which were transported from Scandinavia southwards and left in another location. Following the coast of Germany, Poland and the Baltic States, we can find fragments of rocks on the ground that originally came from the north of the Baltic Sea Region, namely from Sweden, Finland and Norway. Even an inexperienced observer is able to conclude that the erratic boulders are different in size, color and shape. Experts say that erratics differ in mineral composition, genesis and origin. In most cases geologists are able to precisely determine the place where the boulder came from. They compare the boulders composition of
minerals with the features of rock outcrops in Scandinavia. It is possible to find igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks among the erratics. They are characterized by a particular hardness and resistance against climatic influences. Sedimentary rocks contain fossils the remains of ancient organisms. Boulders also have a practical use. They were used as a building material of small churches or houses. Erratics are used for street pavement or curbs. In the past erratics were taken to places of worship or burial, like in Borkowo, Poland. There is a rare megalithic chamber tomb. It is made of twelve huge boulders covered with four stones on the top of the structure. Some of the boulders have the status of a natural monument. The largest erratic boulder in Europe is probably Ehalkivi (Sunset Glow Boulder) on the Estonian Baltic coast. It is a granite and pegmatite with a circumference of
about 50 m and a mass of 2,500 tonnes. The Ehalkivi is located on the peninsula Letipea. Along the Estonian coast there is the largest concentration of erratic boulders in Europe. One of the largest boulders are Majakivi from the National Park Lahemaa, Kabelikivi, which is located close to Tallinn and the Helmersen rocks on Hiiumaa island. There are over 80 stones. Kabelikivi is made of granite and looks like a cliff that is sunk halfway into the earth. The boulder Puntukas from Lithuania is also well-known. Puntukas is made of rapakiwi granite. In the rock, the relief of two Lithuanian pilots is engraved. Boulders are also associated with spooky myths. People speak of the devil who used the stone to destroy a church in a town nearby, but at the first cockcrow he sank into the ground. Only the boulder remained. Another legend talks about the brave warrior Puntukas, who was killed and burned on the stone. Since then this stone has kept
Baltic sea region
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The largest erratic boulder in Europe is probably Ehalkivi (Sunset Glow Boulder) on the Estonian Baltic coast.
his name. The stone of lie is also known because of a legend. It is located in Pionerskiy, Kaliningrad region. It is a fragment of rock that was split into two parts. The stones are taller than a human, and it is possible to pass through them freely. It is believed that only a person with a pure soul can pass between the stones. The accumulation of erratic boulders can be found frequently in the zone of active abrasion at the foot of the cliff. Abrasion is the process of destroying the cliff slope by the waves. Often cliffs in the southern part of the Baltic Sea Region are made of postglacial deposits till. Heavy boulders fall down and form accumulations of erratics. Waves are not strong enough to take all the specimens to the bottom of the sea. In this way arise the Piast Boulders were deposited at the foot of the Wolin Cliff in Wolin National Park, Poland. The diversity of rocks in the Piast Boulders is really impressive. There are grey, pink and
red granites, pegmatites and porphyries. There are also many metamorphic rocks, such as gneisses and hornfels and pink and red Precambrian quartzite. There is also grey and greenish Paleozoic limestone containing numerous fossils of the Ordovician and the Silurian age. The whole Piast Boulders are a monument of inanimate nature and are protected by law. *3 The Kabelikivi boulder is located near Tallinn. It is made of granite and looks like a cliff that is sunk halfway into the earth. Near Kabelikivi there are two other impressive rocks. *4 Piast Boulders deposited at the foot of the Wolin Cliff in Wolin National Park in Poland.
*3
*4
Photo: 1,2 - Wilhelm Steingrube, 2 - M. Arent-Nieradka
estonia
cup-marked stones in estonia
TALLINN
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Photos: with kind permission of the National Heritage Board of Estonia
The cup-marked stone is a stone that has mainly over ten small cup-marks with the diameter of 3-10 cm and a depth of 1.5 -5 cm. Cup-marked stones differ from offering stones that had been used until recently and sometimes had one or two large depressions for offerings. In Estonia there are at least 1,760 cup-marked stones, most of them situated in the districts Harjumaa and Virumaa. The basic starting point in dating and interpreting cup-marked stones was the area of their distribution and their location in comparison with the landscapes and archaeological remnants around. The area of Estonia was glaciated heavily, and when the ice sheets finally retreated about 10,000 years ago, the land mass started to rise. Many of the cup-marked stones in the districts of Lnemaa and Saaremaa are about 6-12 m above the sea-level now. When the cup-marks were made, the sea was quite close to them.
Cup-marked stones near the coastline could have marked the landing piers for boats and ships in the early Bronze Age and pre-Roman Iron Age, and do also have a ritual meaning. The tradition of making cup-marks first appeared in the densely populated coastal regions in the northern and western parts of Estonia. Onshore the cup-marked stones are situated near riversides where they sometimes are in wetlands. Nowadays most of the cup-marked stones are located near arable- and pasturelands. Cup-marked stones were often found in the vicinity of stone cist graves (1100-200 BC) and tarand-graves (500 BC 400 AD). Both cup-marked stones and stone graves are situated at rivers or near the coastline in North-Estonia. The association of cup-marks with the worship of ancestors is possible as the cup-marked stones are frequently situated near tombs. A vast number of cup-marked stones are in the
vicinity, or in some cases, even inside ancient settlement sites dating back to 800-1250 AD. The relation between cupmarked stones and fortified settlements is not very strong. The relationship between cup-marked stones and land cultivation is weak. Some stones are located near ancient fields, but most are situated at a distance from the field systems. Sometimes cup-marked stones are situated near holy groves and in some cases inside a grove.
contact
National Heritage Board of Estonia 18 Uus Street, 10111 Tallinn, ESTONIA Tel. +372 640 30 50 muinas@muinas.ee www.muinas.ee/en
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estonia
stone Barrows in Jelhtme
TALLINN
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A large number of ancient burial grounds - referred to as kangur (cairn-grave) - have been preserved throughout history. There is usually only one, sometimes several cairns in a group, but they can always be identified by a hump on the ground. Sites that have been excavated and then reconstructed by archaeologists have much greater appeal to a passer-by, for example the burial site at Jelhtme, which is unique in Europe. It was reconstructed from 1982 to 1984 during rescue excavations. It dates back to the Bronze Age (8th-7th century BC). The Tallinn-Narva road was constructed when the builders stumbled upon 36 cist graves which later, after having been explored, were "lifted" to the side of the new road in accordance with
the original plan. Currently, there is a museum next to the conservation area where the findings are on display. There were a few finds in the coffins. Objects like a bronze shaving knife and pincers were most typical of Jutland at the end of the Bronze Age. Evidently, the spindles found in the barrows originate from Danish territories too. The dead were buried in centrally-placed sarcophagi with their heads to the north. The sarcophagi were encircled in limestone walls as if embodying the world model of the man of that time: the man is the centre of the circle.
contact
rebala museum
Jelhtme kla Jelhtme vald Harju maakond 74202 Estonia Tel. (+372) 603 3097 info@rebala.ee www.rebala.ee/en
Photo: Shutterstock
the BronZe age Burial site of sammallahdenmki
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Photo: Tuomo Hurme, National Board of Antiquities, Finland
Sammallahdenmki in Lappi. The so-called church floor and cairns from the Bronze Age.
Burial sites are nearly the only way to gain an insight into the social structures and the spiritual world of ancient people. Other archaeological categories like settlement relics or hoards rather reflect the daily life and the economic situation of the people. Thus, it is a stroke of luck to find, to excavate and to investigate a burial site. Sammallahdenmki is a hill in the western part of Finland between Rauma and Tampere. Due to the land uplift the location is now situated 15 km from the Gulf of Bothnia in the hinterland. Probably the hill was chosen as a sacred location during the Bronze Age. The Sammallahdenmki cemetery has been well-known locally for hundreds of years. The second half of the 19th century brought along a renaissance of the archaeology, which focused more and more on the domestic prehistory and not only on the excavations of antique sites. After the first description of the Sammallahdenmki
site in 1878 archeologists excavated four cairns in 1891. In the following decades the burial site was investigated systematically. Further excavations after 2002 made several other cairns and a Bronze Age settlement accessible. a detailed descriPtion of the Burial site The burial site consists of nearly 40 cairns. Most of them contain grave chambers constructed of stone plates without any earth fill and closed with a large flat stone plate. The grave chambers are covered with granite boulders that give the grave the shape of a cairn. Sometimes they have the shape of a ship with a defined stern and bow. The grave chamber originally contained a body in a wooden coffin. Alternatively the dead person could have been covered by animal skins. In case of a cremation burial, the grave box contained the ash. The burned relics of human bones in some graves and
several grave goods like a bronze bracelet give an impression of the burial practices of the Bronze Age. With the help of the radiocarbon method a precise dating was possible. The oldest cairns were from 1300 to 1000 B.C. The youngest ones were from the first century B.C. The excavations between 2002 and 2004 also brought knowledge about a Bronze Age settlement near the burial site. Dating from the first century B.C., relics of a wooden house and a hearth were found. The hearth contained burned grains of barley and wheat. Bones of animals, fragments of pottery and stone plates are witnesses of a living economy in the village. The Church floor in the middle of the burial site is an unusual rectangular of 16 x 19 metres. It is interpreted as a cairn, too. But the first writings mention that the place was named Church floor because of a myth: long time ago there was a contest between the people and giants to
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build a church. The winner should ring the bells when the church was ready. The people only erected two stone columns, fixed the bell between the columns and rang the bell. The giants were angry and left the site. Only the floor was ready and is still there. World heritaGe site and use as tourism attraction The Sammallahdenmki burial site has been UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. One of the reasons was that the site presents the monuments in a well-preserved natural milieu. The area contains nearly all types of Bronze Age cairns known from Finland. Today Sammallahdenmki is surrounded by a protection zone established by the provincial government in 1995. But the protection zone has the objective to keep it free from covering vegetation in order to
guarantee an unimpeded view to all cairns. It is necessary because tree roots destroy the cairns. The litter of the trees accelerates the weathering of the stones. Therefore, all trees growing on top of the cairns in the neighbourhood are felled regularly. As a World Heritage Site Sammallahdenmki is an important tourist attraction. The existing impact by visitors requires a management. The National Board of Antiquities prepared a management and use plan for the whole area in cooperation with the local land owners and environmental authorities. For tourists the burial site near the village Kivikyl is marked with information signs and guided tours are offered.
contact
national Board of antiquities

www.nba.fi
How to get there:
Direction signs guide the visitor to Sammallahdenmki from Highway 12 (RaumaHuittinen). At the town of Lappi, the route turns north along Road 2070. After ca. 3.5 km the route turns left along a side road marked by a direction sign. The route ends at an information sign.
Photo: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sammallahdenm%C3%A4ki_3.JPG
Rock carvings of Tanum
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The rock carvings of the Tanum region constitute an outstanding example of Bronze Age art of the highest quality. The range of motifs provides exceptional evidence of many aspects of life in the European Bronze Age. The continuity of settlement and consistency in land use in Tanum as illustrated by the rock art, the archaeological remains and the features of the modern landscape in the Tanum region, combine to make this a remarkable example of continuity over eight millennia of human history. These magnificent pictures, some carved 3000 years ago, bear a unique testimony to the Bronze Age world. Not only do they make vivid this lost and distant time to us, but these powerful images also have the ability to speak directly to the modern onlooker. Their subject matters remain unwaveringly pertinent to our human existence, affording us, perhaps, a new language with which to consider the
eternal questions of life and death. These words were the justification for inscribing the rock carvings of Tanum in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994 and show the importance of that heritage site. The background Tanum is a municipality in the Swedish district Vstra Gtalands ln near the border to Norway and is the junction between the coastline of the Skagerrak and the inland lake system of Dalsland. The European Highway No. 6 makes it easily accessible for tourists, who enjoy the nature, water sports and cultural relics. The geological background is characterised by the typical Bohus granite. This granite type has its reddish colour from the potash feldspars and the grey quartz. The granite is fine-grained and sometimes contains pegmatite dykes. The Bohus granite is widespread in a 20 km wide stretch between southern Norway and Lysekil in western Sweden. Thanks of the
colour and the texture the Bohus granite is often used for construction. But probably theses details were not interesting for the ancient people of the Bronze Age, who settled near todays Tanumshede between 1800 and 500 years before Christ. Due to the land uplift the settlement was near coastline. Now it is situated approximately 30 meters above the sea level and contains also a burial site with two impressive cairns. The Tanum rock carvings in detail There are more than 10,000 carvings known in the Tanum region. Most of them are concentrated near the villages of Vitlycke (most important), Litseby, Fossum and Aspeberget. The smooth surface of the granite (polished by the glacier erosion) was a good base for the carvings, which are engraved some millimetres into the granite surface. Probably they had been engraved with bronze tools, but also with
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The carvings were coloured red to improve visibility.
stone tools. The reddish colour today is not the original one, it is only to indicate the carvings for visitors. The carvings show a broad variety of motifs and give an insight into the world of the Bronze Age people. The carvings show the daily life with hunting, fishing and agriculture with ploughs and wheels, but also religious elements like the sun or figures that can be interpreted as divinities. Elements of culture like dancing scenes are popular. Very often also boats are shown. Some of them are similar to younger types of boats of the Vikings (the Hjortspringboat), but it is uncertain if the Bronze Age boats had been really used for navigation or only for religious purposes (e.g. graves). In Vitlycke the probably oldest picture of lovers can be visited! Rock carvings are well-known from several places in Sweden and other Nordic countries. Others are in western Sweden
(district Bohusln), near Norrkping and Enkping and in southern Sweden (Skne). They all are common in regions with granite or gneiss rocks. Limestone carvings are easily conceivable but not stable. tourism infrastructure The rock carvings of Tanum are well-developed for visitors. In Vitlycke a visitors centre as well as a museum gives all information. Nearly all important single carvings are accessible via wooden paths through the forest. The carvings are marked with a red colour and multilingual information boards. To protect the carvings, some of them are covered with foils which show the carvings at their surface. The visitor centre offers a lot of books, gifts and traditional crafts. A reconstruction of a Bronze Age farm is also part of the centre. The visitors (e.g. school groups, students) have the chance to gain an insight into the Bronze Age life by making bronze tools and pottery and preparing food.
contact
Vitlycke museum
Vitlycke 2, S-457 93 Tanumshede vitlyckemuseum @vgregion.se
tanums hllristningsmuseum
Undersls, S-457 91 Tanumshede www.rockartscandinavia.se
Photo: Ralf Scheibe
Baltic amBer
a Baltic treasure that has been desired for more than 1000 years
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Photos: 1 - M. Arent-Nieradka, 2 - M. Arent-Nieradka, K. Nieradka
Amber sculpture from the collections of the Museum of Amber in Yantarny
Lumps of amber from the collections of the Gological Museum of the University of Szczecin
Baltic Amber has been known for a very long time. In ancient times, amber was a commodity, which was traded along the Amber Route that ran from the southern shores of the Baltic to the Mediterranean area. The third century AD was considered the peak of amber trade. In southern Europe amber was primarily used as jewelry. Amber was also used to cure throat diseases. It was consumed in the form of tincture or powder sometimes mixed with other ingredients for example with herbs. It was one of the most popular medicines besides mercury, gold and camphor. In the Middle Ages people believed in the magical power of amber. Wearing amber around the neck was said to prevent every disease. In the Arab world it was also used in medicine. For the Turks and Chinese amber served as a talisman. An interesting use in modern times was the production of mouthpieces for pipes. Amber seemed to have relieving effects. It was very popular
to decorate the interiors. Well-known is the story of the Amber Room, which disappeared after World War II. Thousands of amateurs, officials from Poland, Germany and the former Soviet Union and even the secret services have unsuccessfully searched for the Amber Room for years. Today, a copy of the lost Amber Room can be visited in the palace of Catherine Tsarskoye Selo in Russia. The reconstruction took from 1979 to 2003 and was based on extant photos and documents. Amber contains so-called succinic acid (3% 8%), which is anti-inflammatory. This component is used today in the production of cosmetics such as ointments, creams, lotions or shampoos. Some health resorts offer amber treatments such as baths in tubs filled with hot amber nuggets. In pharmacies it is possible to buy products with succinic acid to relieve rheumatic diseases, asthma and skin problems.
Amber has always fascinated people, who adorned their bodies with this precious stone. Amber exists in a wide color spectrum, ranging from white (the most valuable one in the Middle Ages) to all shades of yellow and brown. There is also reddish, green and even blue and black amber. Amber is very light and often combined with large ornaments. Amber is usually put together with silver particles and these splendid pieces of jewelry are often exported from the southern Baltic Sea countries. Sometimes amber even floats on the surface of salt water because of its lightness, whereas in fresh water it is normally drowning. This feature is especially visible in winter and autumn, when the water temperature reaches 4C (and its highest density). Amber nuggets that are transported to the beach by sea waves are an attraction for tourists and collectors.
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Amber mine in Yantarny, Russia. After removal of the overlay sediments deposits from blue earth are washed out and then directed to the specific sieves.
Amber is mined on a large scale on the Sambian Peninsula in Russia. The existence of amber on the Sambian Peninsula dates back to the Neolithic Age (3500 1700 BC). The amber deposit on the Sambia Peninsula has been exploited industrially since the mid-nineteenth century. Initially it was done by underground mining and by the dredging of the bottom of the Curonian Gulf. Later it was done by opencast mining. After the removal of the overlay glacial and late Tertiary sediments, amber deposits are washed out with water and sieved. The remaining sediment is washed into the sea. This causes changes in the shoreline. On the Sambian Peninsula the amber deposit is usually about 500g per 1 m3 in the main amber layer, which is a very high concentration. Today half of the worlds amber production is on the Sambia Peninsula. Its high amount of succinic acid, its age and its hardness distinguishes Baltic amber from others coming from Dominican
Republic, China, Romania, Sicily and Sakhalin Island in Russia. The value of amber depends on the size of the nugget, but also the color, transparency and clarity are important. A widespread feature of amber is the burned lump which is light with a bright yellow flame. People used this feature by adding some pieces of amber to an oil lamp to obtain a brighter light. Baltic amber is a raw material which formed out of resin in the Miocene about 40 million years ago. The resin of coniferous trees was transported from the area of contemporary Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea by the former river Eridanus. The resin was finally set in the so-called blue earth in the ancient delta of the past river. This delta was part of the area of todays Gulf of Gdansk on the Polish coast. Amber is also called the living stone. This is because
the precious stone is relatively new geological material and constantly changing. Processes of fossilization and hardening are still going on. It may be surprising that today amber deposits of similar origins and rise time are further away from the actual coastline and can be found in Ukraine (Klesiv Delta) and in the German region of Bitterfeld. This shows that the sea and land are in different positions today than they used to be. Another interesting feature associated with amber is the fact that there are inclusions insects, arachnids and sometimes even smaller reptiles trapped in the resin. In the Amber Museum in Gdansk it is possible to see Lizard Gierlowska. The dimensions of the amber nugget with the inclusion of the lizard are 50x35x14 mm. Till today only a few similar specimens have been found in the world.
Photo: M. Arent-Nieradka
the great copper mountain in falun

Photo: 1 - Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stora_st%C3%B6ten_in_falun_dalarna_sweden.jpg, 2 - Photo: Calle Eklund (Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stora_st%C3%B6ten_Falun_01.jpg)
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Great Pit
Great Copper Mountain with old metavolcanic rocks from the Palaeoproterozoic era (1,8-1,9 billion years ago)
Rocks have a practical significance for humans. What is so precious about the rocks? Rocks may contain valuable metals, for example the metavolcanic rocks from Falun in central Sweden. They developed in the Proterozoic Era (1.8 1.9 billion years ago) and contain copper and even small amounts of gold and silver. These metals have been mined in the Great Copper Mountain in Falun, probably from the eighth century, but on a larger scale from the thirteenth century. The biggest development of the mine took place in the seventeenth century. In Falun it is possible to observe how the rocks and the mining affect people's lives and also the development of settlements and landscape. The value of this place turned out to be that high that the site was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001. The actual exploitation of rocks in the mine ended in 1992. In the mine of Falun the ore contains only 0.4% of copper.
At the time of the largest development in the seventeenth century, the mine provided nearly 2/3 of the worlds copper production. How was copper extracted from the rocks a few centuries ago? It was a very long process. Rocks that were excavated from the quarry were roasted with a large flame. By roasting the rocks became more brittle. Then they were crushed by hand. The next step was again a burning in open chimneys. This was to get rid of the sulfur. Consequently poisonous sulfuric smoke hovered over the mine. The molten material was desulfurized and much richer in copper. This process was repeated several times until it left only a pure metal. This was the final stage of work with rocks in order to exploit copper in the mine. The metal was refined in a copper refinery outside the mine. Such a procedure had been used until the nineteenth century. On a prepared tourist route it is possible to
see the old equipment which they used to obtain the precious metal from the rocks. The total length of the corridors is 80 km and they have a maximum depth of 600 m. Tourists can go down to a depth of 67 m. The tourist route takes about one hour. Also the open air area of the mine can be visited. Here the Great Pit and the old wooden buildings are worth seeing as they are associated with the technology and the process of copper extracting. The tourist route appears to be a loop of about 1.7 km and includes 17 tables with information, viewpoints and places to rest. Besides this tour the Word Heritage House and The Mine Museum are also worth visiting. One of the side products of the mine is a component of deep red paint named Falun Red. This has become a national product of Sweden and is produced till today. The mineral that gives the paint its color is hematite. Falun red can have dif-
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Photo: 1 - Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FaluGruvaT4.JPG, 2 - Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FaluGruvaT5.JPG
For centuries copper had been mined with simple tools (e.g. wooden buckets)
ferent shades, from bright red to dark and almost black nuances. This mainly depends on the amount of iron oxide in the mixture of the paint. It is used for dyeing and preserving wooden facades of houses in Sweden. Red-maroon houses are distinctive and an integral part of the Swedish landscape. Another product that is typical of the mining town of Falun is Falukorv sausage. Its production is connected to the Germans who used to work in the mine. Sometimes the Falun area also tends to have a negative image, because of the impact of rock mining and processing copper on the environment. The landscape of the area has been completely transformed by the mining industry.
An underground corridor in the mine is open to visitors.
contact
falu Gruva
Gruvplatsen 1 791 61 FALUN Sweden Tel. +46 (0)23-78 20 30 www.falugruva.se info@falugruva.se
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fieldstone churches
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Photos: Wilhelm Steingrube
Ratekau near Lbeck
churches in the VicinitY of GreifsWald Churches built of fieldstones of glacial erratics and glacial rubble are called fieldstone churches. These stones were usually collected in the fields in the vicinity. They were used as unshaped rocks as well as hewn stones. Unfortunately, many church walls are painted today. Thus, the stones are not visible anymore. The round shape of fieldstones limited the size of the buildings so fieldstone churches are usually only small village churches. The oldest fieldstone churches can be dated back to the 11th century and their heyday was the end of 12th century. Till the end of the 16th century, fieldstones were gradually displaced by brick as dominating construction material. Therefore, you can find a mixture of both fieldstones and bricks and sometimes these materials are combined with half-timbered con-
structions too. These churches were constructed in areas in which glaciers have left behind a lot of debris around the Baltic Sea during the last ice age. But nowadays most churches are in northern Germany, Poland and some are in the Baltic States. Vicelin churches rateKau In the area of Holstein (Germany) you can find specific fieldstone churches which are called Vicelin Churches. These churches are named in honor of the foundation by the German bishop Saint Vicelinus and his successors. Vicelin (1086 1154) has been a missionary who tried to convert Slavic tribes to Christianity in the region of Holstein. For historians he is a good example of unwanted interactions of religious mission and military conquest. Finally, he failed regarding his missionary aim, because the churches were used by Christian colonists and not by the Slavs. Vicelin churches were built in Romanesque style with a single-
nave hall and a round tower. Today there are still ten churches which have been founded by Vicelin. Sometimes the tower is destroyed, sometimes towers were reconstructed in rectangular form after destruction. One of the nicest examples of a Vicelin church well renovated is in Ratekau near Lbeck. The tower is 48 m high. Between the fieldstones, local plaster (Segeberger Kalkberg) is used as mortar and the hall is roofed with wood shingles.
contact
Information only available in German language: Tourismus Bro Am Bahnhof 5, Ratekau www.ratekau.de
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temppeliaukio church in helsinki
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One of the nicest and most exciting rock churches you can find in the heart of Helsinki. Located in the middle of an ordinary residential square this underground rockhewn church was built of a massive block of natural granite. It is not really a cave, because a roof made of copper and 180 window panes lets daylight into the church. The inside is about 13 m high from the floor to the cupola, and the walls with a height of five to eight metres are made of bare rock. Due to the rough, virtually unworked rock surfaces the church has an excellent acoustic. Thus, it is used frequently as a concert venue. The Temppeliaukio Church (Finnish: temppeliaukion kirkko, Swedish: tempelplatsens kyrka) is a Lutheran church designed by Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. It opened in 1969, but the ideas and planning date back to the 1930s. Nowadays it is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Helsinki with about half a million visitors per year.
From the outside the uniqueness of the church is hardly visible. If you saw it from above, you would notice that it looks like a flying saucer that has lodged itself in the ground. The entrance area with the grey and naked concrete is both not really visually attractive and not inviting. It looks like a boring driveway of an underground car park. But inside you feel an overwhelming atmosphere. The mixture of natural and man-made materials is fascinating. This is the reason for its popularity.
contact
temppeliaukio church
Lutherinkatu 3 FI-00100 Helsinki Tel. +358 9 2340 6320 www.helsinginseurakunnat.fi toolo.srk@evl.fi
contact
Photos: 1 - The Finnish Tourist Board, 2 - Wilhelm Steingrube
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rock & art
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Dersekow near Greifswald
anGermnde In 1991, Joachim Karbe, a local sculptor, conducted a symposium on sculptures in Angermnde. The topic was erratic blocks. Due to the big success of this first event, meanwhile, eight International Hard Rock Symposia with many foreign participants have been realised. During these meetings the artists worked on raw boulders for five weeks. Afterwards, the sculptures were presented in public for two years. At the beginning, the results were shown on the shore of the lake Mndesee. Now, there is an open-air erratic block sculpture gallery near the city with a connection to the lake. The shore of the lake has become a large, well kept and exciting recreation area, which is used not only by locals but attracts tourists as well.
contact
touristinformation angermnde
Brderstrae 20 16278 Angermnde Tel. +49 (03331) 29 76 60 Fax +49 (03331) 29 76 61 info@angermuende-tourismus.de www.angermuende-tourismus.de
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the cave of retretti
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The small village Punkaharju in the east of Finland close to the Russian border has just 4,000 inhabitants, but one of the largest art centers in the Nordic region. Retretti is an extraordinarily exciting art museum. The specific features of this museum are the galleries which are above and below the ground. In the 1980s an underground area of 3,700 m was chiseled into granite, a very hard crystalline rock. The excavation is going down up to a depth of 30 m. Such a natural environment creates a unique setting for Finnish contemporary art.
Apart from several galleries, Retretti offers a big concert hall with a stunning acoustic for an audience of about 1,000 people. This hall is 12 m high and 25 m below ground. Although Retretti is open only during the three summer months, it attracts a high number of visitors every year. On the one hand these people are primarily interested in art exhibitions and concerts, but on the other hand many visitors just enjoy the mix of the natural and artificial environment: dripping walls, secluded springs and the beauty of natural rock illuminated by odd light.
contact
retretti art centre

Tuunaansaarentie 3 58450 Punkaharju Finland Tel. +358 (015) 775 2200 retretti@retretti.fi www.retretti.fi
Photo: Finnish Tourist Board
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flint and Beliefs
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Photo: 1 - Wilhelm Steingrube, 2 - Betina Meliss, 3 - Ralf Scheibe
Flint occurs in glacial sediments in northern Germany and many more thereof within limestone also in Denmark and southern Sweden. Most of them can be found along coastlines. A very well-known area with a huge number of flints is one particular spot on the island of Rgen. Layers of flint can be seen within the chalk cliffs of Rgen as well as on Mn (Denmark) and thus the beach is covered with debris of flint stones. Flint is extremely hard harder than steel. But it is also a very brittle rock. So the fragments are sharp-edged with tips. adder stones Stones with a naturally occurring hole in the middle are called adder stones (sometimes also witch stone, hag stone or serpents eggs; in German Hhnergott). These funny perforated stones are fire stones (flint) with chalk inclusions which have been decomposed.
All over the world people believe in the magic power of adder stones. There are many legends in all countries dealing with them. The sizes are different but it is always said that these stones protect people, cattle or buildings. Adder stones also protect against many diseases and prevent nightmares. People who do not believe in myths can simply use it as talisman. The small stone is worn on a leather necklace as lucky charm. Each stone is unique and as flint is brittle it is more difficult to find very small adder stones than bigger ones. Therefore, necklaces with small stones are rare. It is said that after people have found an adder stone they shall take it in their closed hand, then turn around and have one secret wish. Belemnites (thunderBolt fossil) Belemnites are fossil hulls of extinct animals which lived in the sea, an ancient
form of squids. Their name is derived from belemnon (Greek) meaning a dart. A fossil belemnite is the guard, the back part of the shell and this does look like a dart. These are probably the most commonly found fossils in the Baltic Sea Region. Due to their age and the small diameter their length is usually less than 10 cm.
contact
tourismuszentrale rgen
Ringstrae 113 - 115 18528 Bergen auf Rgen Tel. +49 (0 38 38) 80 77 0 info@ruegen.de
Baltic sea region
cairns everywhere
Cairns are a very popular leisure activity and furthermore a nice and simple idea to entertain guests and to promote a destination.
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The term cairn means a human-made pile of stones. Such piles (or stacks) are well-known all over the world. They can vary in size (very few small stones up to a large number covering a hill or an area) and form (simple conical rock piles to artificial sculptures). Cairns have been used for orientation as signs to show the way since ancient times - very often in coastal areas (in Swedish language called kummel and in Finnish kummeli) but also in mountain regions. Cairns have a great importance in Greece. They go back to the Greek god Hermes, the messenger of gods as well as the protector and patron of travellers. It is believed that Hermes removed stones from rough ways and piled them up at the wayside to even the surface, thereby making the paths more accessible and safer to use for hikers. Norwegians also trust in the protective powers of cairns. Since many Norwegians
believe in Trolls, they put a stone on each cairn along their way to protect themselves from the Trolls nastiness. Cairns also mark memorial places. A chamber (or burial) cairn is an artificial pile of stones heaped over a burial chamber. A wellknown example is the Long Cairn of Huilu which is a 24 m long and 8 m wide wall-like burial cairn surrounded by a stone wall. It is a part of the Bronze Age cairn cemetery of Sammallahdenmki inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. cairns & tourism Today cairns are still used as orientation marks, in particular for hiking trails. But nowadays their purposes have become more diverse. Cairns are sometimes artificial landmarks or simply used for decorative or artistic purposes. Erecting cairns is a kind of leisure activity these days. People like to construct rock piles during their holidays to show that
they went to that specific place. Cairns are popular to entertain both children and adults. Public media indicate the popularity of this leisure activity. Many people love to write internet blogs, upload pictures and show their products on the web. There are also many kinds of contests: at several destinations spontaneously happening among people; and also organized by tourist managers to entertain their guests and promote their destinations, in particular those with a huge number of stones in the landscape (at the beach, in rivers = everywhere). Cairns are also used as well-known eyecatchers to advertise destinations or small touristic sites. Furthermore, there are photo competitions dealing with cairns on the internet. Often this is a means of advertisement, too.
what can we learn more aBout rocks?
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Photos: 1 - Marta Arent-Nieradka, 2 - Marta Arent-Nieradka, Karol Nieradka, 3 - Internet source. Public domain.
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*2
*3
Rocks provide us with knowledge about the past of our planet. Geologists are able to identify phenomena from the rocks that took place in earths history. How do they do it? It is explained in museums about natural history or in geological museums. Are there any of these museums in the Baltic Sea Region? Of course! Amber museums are typical of the region. Amber collections can be visited in each country of the Baltic Sea Region. The best-known of these museums are located in Lithuania (Palanga, Nida) and in Kalinigrad (Russia). Interesting collections can be found in the amber museum of Gdansk (Poland) and in Sweden. It is not a secret that the Baltic Sea Region is the largest producer of amber in the world. Here, amber has been a highly valued good since ancient times. In the Baltic countries, there are geological museums that focus mainly on local rocks and minerals (e.g. Porphyry Museum in lvdalen in Sweden) or on the overarching
geology of the Baltic Sea Region (e.g. Geological Museum at the University of Oulu). Many geological museums are located at universities or research institutes (e.g. Geological Museum of the University of Tartu, Geological Museum of the University of Szczecin). Some of them are private collections but available to the public. Scientists and collectors gain knowledge of past life forms from the fossils. Many unique specimens such as mammoths, dinosaurs or ancient fish can be seen in museums of natural history (e.g. Estonian Museum of Natural History in Tallinn, Museum of Natural History in Stockholm, Natural History Museum of Latvia, Nature Museum in Berlin etc.). Especially in Sweden, mines are an interesting source of rocks. Many mines offer guided underground tours for tourists (e.g. Falun Mine, Kiruna Mine). Another interesting place, where visitors can learn about the geology of the Baltic Sea, is the
Ozeaneum in Stralsund, which offers a three-dimensional model of the bottom of the Baltic Sea and examples of erratics. The Volcano Centre in Finland presents visitors a volcano tour including an earthquake simulation and the eruption of a geyser. The Baltic Sea Region has many interesting places where people can discover local and global aspects of rocks and geological processes. In the following the authors present a selection of places, which are highly recommended. *1 Amber Gallery-Museum in Nida, Lithuania *2 Geological Museum of the University of Szczecin, Poland *3 Nature Museum in Berlin, Germany
Museum
Collection
Contry
Contact
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Institute of Geology at Tallinn University of Technology Geological Museum of the University of Tartu Estonian Museum of Natural History
The largest geological collections in Estonia. They comprise fossils, rocks, minerals and meteorites from Estonia and all over the world. Palaeontological, mineralogical, petrological, lithological, meteorite collections. Mineral resources of Estonia. Fossils (eg. one of the worlds oldest sea urchins, fish, two molars of the woolly mammoth) typical sedimentary rocks of the Estonian bedrock: limestone, dolomites, marls, sandstones and aleurolites, mineralogical specimens. Museum of meteorites. Open-air meteorite crater area.
Estonia, Tallinn Estonia, Tartu Estonia, Tallinn
Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn; phone: +372 620 30 09; collections@gi.ee 46 Vanemuise Str., EE51014 Tartu phone: + 372 7376076; loodusmuuseum@ut.ee Department of geology: Lai 29A, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia; phone: (+372) 6411 739; fax: (+372) 6411 738; muuseum@loodusmuuseum.ee tiiu@loodusmuuseum.ee Kaali Klastuskeskus MT, Kaali kla, Pihtla vald 94 102, Saaremaa Island phone +372 51 05393, fax +372 45 91184 kaali@kylastuskeskus.ee Arppeanum Snellmaninkatu 3, 00170 Helsinki phone: +358-9-191 24071, fax: +358-9-191 22925 jaana.halla@helsinki.fi Betonimiehenkuja 4, FI-02151 Espoo,Finland phone/fax: +358 20 550 12
Kaali Crater Visitor center
Estonia, Kaali
Finnish Museum of Natural History Geological Survey of Finland
50,000 mineral and rock specimens, c. 600 meteorites, and c. 44,000 fossil, bone, and soil specimens. The main mineral and rock collections of GSF are in the main office at Espoo; specimens of minerals, rocks, ores, fossils and gems are displayed. The collection of orbicular rocks is of special interest. Good collection of pegmatite minerals from the famous Erjrvi region complex- pegmatites (e.g. Viitaniemi); also: agates, orbicular granite, feldspar, kimberlite, diamonds. In addition to specimens of minerals, items made of precious minerals such as a necklace of Marie Antoinette and the crown of the King of Finland are on display. Rock exhibition. The volcano tour with simulation of earthquake, the eruption of a geyser and volcano activity. The tour also provides information on space, rocks and geology. The Volcano Centre has been chosen as the Finnish travelling destination of the year 2010. The exhibition focuses on Finland and Fennoscandia but includes samples from all continents too. The best collection of minerals and rocks among Finnish universities. Outdoor rock display. In the Science Park bedrock of Finland in small scale. Gemstones in cut and rough form, synthetic stones, specimens of useful minerals, ores, metals, decorative stones, meteorites, dinosaur eggs, seashells, corals and skilful stone carvings. The oldest known Finnish rock (3,500 million years). The basic exhibition presents the history of gold prospecting in Lapland. Displays of mining history in Finland with rock and mineral samples. Iron ore mine. The museum is situated in the original area; a mine still in operation. The visitors may experience the genuine feeling of mines in the cool and damp mine galleries.
Finland, Helsinki Finland, Espo
Erjrven kivimuseo
Finland, Orivesi Finland, Kemi Finland, Alajrvi
Erjrventie 1590 35220 Erjrvi Tel: +358 3 530 6416 Kemin Jalokivigalleria, Kauppakatu 29, 94100 KEMI; phone: 040 568 2069; tourism@visitkemi.fi Lehtotie 15; 62940 Hoisko (Alajrvi) phone:+ 358 6 557 3950 gemsaa@japo.fi
Gem Gallery, Kemi
The Volcano Centre
Geological Museum, University of Oulu Helsinki University of Technology Heureka - Finnish Science Centre Tampere Mineral Museum
Finland, Oulu Finland, Helsinki
PO Box 8000, 90014 Uniwersytet Oulu phone:(08) 553 1011, fax (08) 553 4112 oulun.yliopisto@oulu.fi Laboratory of Engineering Geology and Geophysics P.O.Box 6200, FIN-02015 HUT Espoo phone:+358 9 4511. Tiedepuisto 1, FIN-01300 Vantaa phone:+358 9 857 99; info@heureka.fi Hmeenpuisto 20; P.B. 487, 33101 Tampere, Finland phone: +358 (0)3 565 66046 Tankavaarantie 11 C; 99695 Tankavaara phone: +358 - 16 - 626 171 info@kultamuseo.fi Viikintie 1, 00560 Helsinki; phone: (09) 7288 440 info@tekniikanmuseo.fi Lohja Tourist Service Centre phone: +358 44369 1309 tourist@lohja.fi
Finland, Vantaa Finland, Tampere
Tankavaara Gold Prospector Museum Tekniikan Museo Tytyri Mine Museum
Finland, Tankavaara Finland, Helsinki Finland, Lohja
Museum
Collection
Contry
Contact
54
The Geological Museum and Stone Park Museum of Natural History, Stockholm Aitik Copper Mine Bergrum BolidenMineralandmining Ecology Museum of Bergslagen
The largest mineral collections in Sweden open to the public with minerals from Sweden and elsewhere. Special activities for children such as gold-panning and mineral hunting Mineralogical, palaeobotanical and palaeozoological collections Probably the largest open pit copper mine in Europe and the largest gold mine in Sweden Exhibitions about bedrock, ore and minerals and the miners work and way of life in a mining community. The 1920s gold rush is included. Bastns mining fields: rich mineral site. Flogbergets gruvor: open-cast mine drained by underground tunnel. Gravendal: a village in the Finnmark, once producing bar iron and pig iron for export. Klackbergs gruvflt: Steel mountain. Kopparverket: copper works. Ludvika gammelgrd & gruvmuseum Ludvika: first open-air museum of industrial heritage in the world. Copper mine since 13th century. Chance to see open mine pit (Great Pit) in a guided underground tour. The mine and the surrounding buildings are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The LKAB Mine is the largest and most modern underground iron mine in the world. Guided tour is arranged to the underground roads 800 m below the surface. Fossils containing the largest collection of genuine dinosaur skeletons in Scandinavia. Minerals. The lvdalen porphyry formed 1.7 billion years ago and items made of it are displayed. Geology, minerals and amber found in Denmark, including retinite from Greenland. Piece of fossilized ocean floor- 200 million years old; rocks and fossils of Rugen and BSR Three-dimensional model of the bottom of the Baltic Sea, examples of erratics Dinosaur skeletons (e.g. (Brachiosaurus brancai), System Earth, The Cosmos and Solar System, minerals, fossils (e.g. Ichthyosaur) Collection of sand from beaches all over the world, fossils, minerals, rocks Inclusion of lizard in Baltic amber, the geological, physical, chemical and natural aspect of amber, layers of material, production history, trade routes, amber as a therapeutic agent and magical stone, research and artistic material. Over 11,000 items, 1,000 samples of amber inclusion, copy of part of Catherine the Greats Amber Room from the Summer Palace in St. Petersburg
Sweden, Borlnge Sweden, Stockholm Sweden, Gllivare Sweden, Boliden
Hantverksbyn 13, 78433 Borlnge phone: 0243-21 10 92 info@stenbiten.se P. O. Box 50007; Frescativgen 40 114 18 Stockholm; phone:+46 (0)8 519 551 30 jourhavandegeolog@nrm.se Boliden Mineral AB; Sakkajrvi 1982 92 Gllivare phone: +46 (0) 970 72 90 00 Bergrum Boliden, 930 10 Lvnger, phone:+46-910-580060, fax: +46-910-580074 bergrum@guldriket.com Christina Lindeqvist, Director. phone +46 (0)240 66 30 82 christina@ekomuseum.se
Sweden, Dalarna and Vstmanland
Falun Mine
Sweden, Falun
Gruvgatan 44, 791 61 Falun phone:+ 46 (0) 23-7820 30, info@falugruva.se Tourist office, Storgatan 16, 982 31 Gllivare Postadress: Box 195, 982 Gllivare phone: +46(0)970 - 166 60. info@gellivarelapland.se Norbyvgen 16, 752 36 Uppsala phone:+46-(0)18-471 27 39; info@em.uu.se Dalgatan 81D, S-796 30 Alvdalen phone: +46(0)251 - 110 35. ster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen K. phone: +45 35322345, rcp@snm.ku.dk Katharinenberg 14-20, 18439 Stralsund phone: +49 (0) 3831-26 50 210 info@meeresmuseum.de Hafenstrae 11,18439 Stralsund phone: +49 (0) 3831 - 26 50 610 info@ozeaneum.de Invalidenstrae 43, 10115 Berlin phone: +49 (0)30 2093-8591 info@mfn-berlin.de ul. Mickiewicza 18, 70-383 Szczecin guided tours: phone: +48 91 444 2423; dominik.zawadzki@univ.szczecin.pl Zesp Przedbramia ulicy Dugiej Gdask phone: 058 301 47 33 bursztyn@mhmg.pl 236016, Russia, Kaliningrad, Marshala Vassilevskogo square, 1, phone: +7 (4012) 466 550 info@ambermuseum.ru
Kiruna mine
Sweden, Kiruna
Museum of Evolution Porphyry Museum in lvdalen(Dalarna) Geological Museum Natural History Museum of Denmark Meeresmuseum
Sweden, Uppsala Sweden, lvdalen Denmark, Copenhagen Germany, Stralsund Germany, Stralsund Germany, Berlin Poland, Szczecin Poland, Gdask
Ozeaneum
Museum fr Naturkunde (Nature Museum) Geological Museum of University of Szczecin Amber Museum
Kaliningrad Regional Museum of Amber
Russia, Kaliningrad
museum
collection
contry
contact
55
amber Gallery-museum
Inclusions, treasure amulets from Juodkrante, the morphology of amber, 2 kg amber piece, history of Baltic Sea amber, amber from worldwide locations Amber and variety of cultural events 1136 cores from Lithuania; field boulder; minerals of Lithuania; rocks that are forming at present; ukelis`paleontological exposition; rare minerals Many samples of the sedimentary rock of Latvia, minerals and rocks from the Caucasus and the Kola Peninsula, Baltic amber, Blue Dominican amber, luminescent minerals and minerals from Australia; fossils from Latvia and surrounding territories, woolly mammoth bones, Devonian fish fossil, ancient four-legged animal bones from Kurzeme Art and performance with stones, stone sculptures
Lithuania, Nida Lithuania, Palanga Lithuania, Vievis Latvia, Riga
Pamario str. 20, Neringa, Nida, phone: +370 469 52 573, info@ambergallery.lt 17 Vytauto Str, LT-00101Palanga. phone: (+370 460) 51319, vilija.pgm@takas.lt Taikos g. 2, LT-21371, Vievis, Elektrn savivaldyb. phone: (+370 528) 26 492, norvaisas@geo.lt 4 K.Barona str., Riga, LV-1050 phone: + 371 67356023, ldm@dabasmuzejs.gov.lv
amber museum museum of the Geology of lithuania natural history museum of latvia
the open-air art museum
Latvia, Pedvale
Pedvale, Sabile, LV-3294, Latvia phone: +371 29133374, pedvale@pedvale.lv
Photo: Shutterstock
touristic information
More travel information about the countries participating in AGORA 2.0:
56
Belarus
Visit Belarus www.belarus.by/en/travel
Finland
The Official Travel Site of Finland www.visitfinland.com Visit Helsinki www.visithelsinki.fi
Denmark
Visit Denmark www.visitdenmark.com Visit Copenhagen www.visitcopenhagen.com
Germany
German National Tourist Board www.germany.travel Official Tourism Portal for Visitors to the German Capital www.visitberlin.com Tourist Board MecklenburgWest Pomerania Tourismusverband Mecklenburg-Vorpommern www.auf-nach-mv.de Tourism Marketing Brandenburg Tourismus Marketing Brandenburg (in German) www.reiseland-brandenburg.de Tourism Agency Schleswig-Holstein Tourismus-Agentur Schleswig-Holstein www.sh-tourismus.de
Estonia
Visit Estonia www.visitestonia.com The Official Website of the Tallinn City Tourist Office www.tourism.tallinn.ee Visit Tartu www.visittartu.com
57
Latvia
Official Latvian Tourism Portal www.latvia.travel Visit Riga www.liveriga.com Latvian Rural Tourism Association www.countryholidays.lv
Russia / Kaliningrad Region

Regional Tourism Information Center Kaliningrad www.visit-kaliningrad.ru
Sweden
Sweden's Official Website for Tourism and Travel Information www.visitsweden.com
Lithuania
Visit Lithuania www.visitlithuania.net Visit Vilnius www.vilnius-tourism.lt Stockholms Official Visitors Guide www.visitstockholm.com
Poland
Polands Official Travel Website www.poland.travel Official Tourist Website of Warsaw www.warsawtour.pl
imprint
ISSN 2194 - 8232 All rights reserved 2012 University of Greifswald
SERIES EDITOR Dipl. oec. Betina Meliss Tel. +49 3834 / 864541 agora@uni-greifswald.de ISSUE EDITOR Marta Arent-Nieradka, Faculty of Geosciences, University of Szczecin with contributions by Wilhelm Steingrube, Ralf Scheibe, Helle Solnask, Ants Kraut, Christoph Schmidt PRODUCED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PROJECT AGORA 2.0 Project leader: Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Steingrube Tel. +49 3834 / 864540 baltic21@uni-greifswald.de Project coordinator: Betina Meliss University of Greifswald Institute of Geography and Geology Makarenkostrase 22 17487 Greifswald COVER PICTURE Adder stone on the island of Rgen, Photo: Betina Meliss ENVELOPE PICTURES 1 - Betina Meliss, 2,3,6 - Ralf Scheibe, 4 - M. Arent-Nieradka, K. Nieradka, 5 - Wilhelm Steingrube ARTWORK GRAF FISCH DESIGN, Greifswald PRINTING Hoffmann-Druck GmbH, Wolgast
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2012

Treasures of The Baltic Sea - Stones and Rocks - Discover Exciting Natural Secrets

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Treasures of The Baltic Sea - Stones and Rocks - Discover Exciting Natural Secrets

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natural and cultural heritage tourism for increased Baltic sea region identity

Treasures of the Baltic Sea

Photos: Ralf Scheibe

Dipl. oec. Betina Meliss

if stones could tell ...

the diVersitY of rocKs

Photo: Betina Meliss

Photos: Marta Arent-Nieradka, Karol Nieradka

Granite from Bornholm

Dolomite rocks near the Kaali crater on Saarema Island, Estonia.

Metamorphic rocks in Sweden.

Metamorphic rocks are very common features of the Swedish landscape.

Photos: 1 - Marta Arent-Nieradka, Karol Nieradka, 2,3 - Marta Arent-Nieradka

the ice age

Photos: Marta Arent-Nieradka

how has the glacier changed the Baltic sea region?

Ice mass of one of the contemporary Scandinavian glacier

where did all the boulders come from?

Helsinki St. Petersburg Stockholm Tallinn

thicKness of the ice coVeraGe durinG the last Glacial Period

the postglacial history of the Baltic sea region

Photo: Marta Arent-Nieradka

Cliff on Wollin Island, Poland

rocks and human Beings

taking collecting pictures

for entertainment, leisure toolson

Fences made of stones

Photos: 1- Jerzy Arent, 2, 5 - Wilhelm Steingrube , 3, 6 - Photo: Betina Meli, 4 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stone_skimming_-Patagonia-9Mar2010.jpg

The High Coast in Northeast Sweden

Photo: Ralf Scheibe

Skuleskogen Nationalpark Naturum

Photos: Ralf Scheibe

Photo: Ralf Scheibe

The High Coast Bridge

Photo: Ralf Scheibe

Photo: Ralf Scheibe

Inner part of Gullmarsfjord

Yacht harbour in Smgen

Bridge between Kungshamn and Smgen

Photos: Ralf Scheibe

the mountains of lapland

Photo: Yngve Nilsson (Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sytertoppen.jpg)

View from Mothseretjhke mountain. Storuman Municipality, Lappland.

Eastern side of South Sytertoppens mountain. Storuman Municipality. Lappland.

Photo: 1 - Yngve Nilsson (Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sytertoppen-02.jpg), 2 - Photo: M. Arent-Nieradka, K. Nieradka

Photos: 1 - Ralf Scheibe, 2 - Wilhelm Steingrube, 3 - Ralf Scheibe

the estonian klint

Limestone cliff on the island of Saaremaa (West Estonia)

Photos: Ralf Scheibe

rocky white cliffs

Photo: Ralf Scheibe

Photos: Agnieszka Strzelecka

Rauks on Langhammars Penisula

Rocks on Holmhallar Peninsula on Gotland

Gotlands tourist association

how do rocks influence the environment ?

Photo: Wilhelm Steingrube.

Acumulation of boulders on the Estonian coast close to Ehalkivi.

Baltic sea region

Photo: 1,2 - Wilhelm Steingrube, 2 - M. Arent-Nieradka

cup-marked stones in estonia

Photos: with kind permission of the National Heritage Board of Estonia

stone Barrows in Jelhtme

the BronZe age Burial site of sammallahdenmki

Photo: Tuomo Hurme, National Board of Antiquities, Finland