Part II Mythology and Science

Out of Ancient Finland

Quite soon the Bock Saga showed to be immensely rich on new information, giving an extensive, yet chronological overview of the history of northern people of Europe and Asia.
Placed in the cultural epicentre of the Eurasian countries since prehistoric time this old Finnish culture could collect and correspond information with all corners of the ancient world. Since the end of ice-time this world wide communication have been kept in the Helsinki-area, under the old Finnish king-family. Today modern archaeology have shown how the oldest roads of trade and information - between Asia, Europe and even North-America - once met in the Gulf of Finland.

Due to a very strong tradition of memorizing stories, poems and songs - of both cultural and historical value, the Finns are known to have kept the most fascinating and fantastic of all folksongs, stories, myths and sagas that still remain on this planet. The last remaining of these complete historic Sagas shows an incredible amount of descriptions about our mythic past. With a highly sophisticated complexity the saga refers to both myths and history as it recently become known among a small number of sceptical scholars. Duly exceptional, with a load of "alternative" information, the most exceptional dimension of this saga is its scientifically based explanation of all known mythologies, - both arctic and tropical mythologies.

Proof stored

To prove its validity the Bock Saga refers to historical artefacts that during the last days of the old kingdom was hidden underground and kept secret to all but a very few, trusted members of the royal family. Thus the Saga points to the "northernmost castle in the world", at Kajaani, a small town in the deep woodlands of northern Finland. According to the Bock Saga - as
well as other registererd sources - this was the last resort of the old kingline, that ruled Finland during pagan times. In 1248 the last Finnish king laid down his sceptre, to be submerged with the catholic Kingdom of Sweden. But – according to the saga;“Before the abdication the Kings Regalia where sealed in a led-box and sunk into the well of the Kajaani Courtyard.” Finally the well was filled with sand and completely covered, and - alas - so could the authentic regalia of Finland’s own kingdom remain on Finnish soil...

The castle in Kajaani, 600 km north of Helsinki

When the Bock-Saga finally was revealed in 1984/85, this astounding information was quickly viewed as "fantastic" in terms of "fantasy", by the established society of Finish historians. Already in 1985 the Saga explained that the ancestors of the Finnish population lived in Southern Finland both before and DURING Ice-Age, that ended 10.000 years ago.
As late as 1995 the Finnish authorities denied any such possibility, - explaining that nobody could be living this far north during ice-time and that the first Nordic population came after the ice had left.

Proven indications

Now destiny had it that the very summer of 1995 a Finnish truck-driver excavated a cave in south-western Finland – that soon should become the famous “Wolf Cave”, outside Kristinestad. Here the amateur-archaeologist found amazing, though indisputable proofs that the cave had been occupied by humans, more that 70.000 years ago. Since then professional archaeologist have made more amazing discoveries inside the cave-system, of more than 280.000 years old human traces, inside the same cave.
By 1998 it was revealed that a more than 40.000 years old settlement, built by modern man, have been found in the White Sea. The discovery was made during the PECHORA-project, a Norwegian-Russian co-operation involving the foremost experts from the Universities of Bergen, Petersburg and Moscow.

Conclusively, by 1998 it was indisputably proven that;

1) “The Family Saga of Stromso Manor” already by 1985 explained in detail how people had survived inside The Baltic Sea DURING ice-time.
2) At that time we had neither scientific proofs nor indications – that could inspire or substantiate such a statement. Thus there was no other reason for Ior Bock telling about it, than the understanding he had got from his family-story.
3) By 1996 and 1997 the first results from more than hundred lab-tests – paralelled and counter-checked – in both Norway, Finland and Germany – proves that there have indeed been people living inside the Baltic area, from the Botnic Bay to the White Sea – DURING Ice-time.

Since the astounding discovery of the settlements inside the Wolf Cave (1995/96) I have had regular communication with the Finnish Board of Museums and Sites, to approve of a small but highly adequate investigation of another statement made by BOTH folklore and the mentioned Family-Saga. But, in spite of the mentioned indications, the Finnish Board of Antiquities have not been willing to leave a prejudiced “opinion” - of general nature – in change for pure and simple, scientific, investigation and analysis.

Scientific objectivity allowed?!

In October 2000 a renowned geophysicist from the University of Oulu used a state-of-the-art Geo-radar to examine the entire area around the Kajaani Castle. He found no metal objects on the whole island; EXCEPT from one. placed where the old well of the courtyard would have a natural place. More astounding was the clear and unequivocal reading from the radar;
" 3.80 - 4.00 metres deep was a massive metal object, measuring some 150 cm x 50 cm"!
The object seems to be standing on the bedrock that is about 6 metres under the surface of sand and clay, which indicates that the object is just about 200 cm in depth.

Radar picture from Kajaani Castle

Following this discovery a group of Scandinavians, including a Norwegian professor of archaeology, wanted to perform a small and simple excavation to examine the matter. If the statement of the Bock Saga, - supported by local myths of the Kajaani area - was proven true it would enhance our understanding and highly enrich the validity of Finlands history and cultural significance. To an extent that will affect European and Eurasian history as well.

Though, - even if the Norwegian experts offered to cover all costs that may occur, and the local government supported the investigation, the National Board of Antiquities (NBA) refused to give the Finnish/Norwegian group permission to look for the truth of the matter.

Further investigations

Though, last summer the NBA's own archaeologists was performing a number of smaller excavations around the castle ruins, establishing that there are no significant archaeological remains in the surface layer of the premises. Thus they have established a minute scientific basis for deeper investigations, - opening to the possibility for a responsive investigation of a most peculiar metal object, placed in the middle of the old courtyard. So it may appear as if the NBA finally will allow – or even perform - an objective investigation of the Bock-Saga, at courtyard of Kajaani Castle.

Joulupukki, Julbock, St.Clauss, Baba Noel, Weihnachstmann, Diet Ma Rosz

More information about "The Family Saga of Strömsö manor" may be obtained from “The Archives of Folk Culture” at The Society of Swedish Literature in Helsinki. Information about the further excavations in the courtyard of Kajaani Castle may be obtained from The National Board of Antiquities; www.nba.fi , or directly from the head of the archaeological department; paula.porhonen@nba.fi.