Conny Waters –\u00a0 AncientPages.com – <\/strong>A new study by the University of Turku and partners provides fresh insights into an individual buried near Lake Kitka in Kuusamo, Finland, at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. DNA and isotope analyses show that the individual, whose grave has been linked to S\u00e1mi cultural heritage, had a genetic connection to present-day S\u00e1mi populations and spent part of his life outside Finland.<\/p>\n Credit: University of Turku<\/em><\/p>\n Researchers from the University of Turku used DNA and isotope analyses to study an individual whose grave was discovered near Lake Kitka in Kuusamo, Finland, in the 1970s. The individual lived at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries and the new research results shed more light on his life history.<\/p>\n DNA extracted from the teeth of the approximately 40-year-old man was compared with previously studied ancient and modern genomes. The results showed that the Kitka individual\u2019s genetic profile was closest to that of present-day and historical S\u00e1mi. He also shared short DNA segments with present-day people of Finland, especially in North and Northeast Lapland, but clearly less in the Kuusamo region and further south.<\/p>\n \u201cA similar pattern emerges when present-day S\u00e1mi are used in the comparison instead of the Kitka individual. This suggests that the results reflect broader historical interaction and admixture between S\u00e1mi and Finnish populations,\u201d says Researcher\u00a0Sanni Peltola\u00a0from the University of Turku.<\/p>\n Peltola also emphasizes that although ancient DNA helps researchers understand population history, it does not define ethnicity or identity.<\/p>\n \u201cS\u00e1mi identity is not a biological trait, but a historical, cultural, and social phenomenon,\u201d she notes.<\/p>\n The Kitka burial has drawn significant interest from genetic genealogists. However, researchers note that DNA cannot reliably link individuals from this period to specific present-day families or individuals.<\/p>\n Isotope analysis of the teeth indicates that the Kitka individual arrived in Kuusamo shortly before his death. As a child, he ate terrestrial animals, freshwater fish, and marine resources. In adulthood, marine foods became more prominent, while freshwater fish, a key food in Kuusamo, disappeared from his diet. Isotope values in his drinking water suggest that during his teenage years, he lived in a region with geology distinct from that of Finland.<\/p>\n Lake Ktika, Finland. Credit: Fanny Schertzer – CC BY-SA 3.0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe most likely location is a region with volcanic bedrock in the North Atlantic, likely Iceland. This interpretation is supported by historical evidence of contacts between Northern Fennoscandia and the North Atlantic during the 16th century,\u201d says Senior Researcher\u00a0Ulla Nordfors\u00a0from the University of Turku.<\/p>\n![\"Intriguing](\"https:\/\/www.ancientpages.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/samiburiallakekitka2.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nS\u00e1mi Identity In Not A Biological Trait<\/h2>\n
Who Was The Kitka Individual?<\/h2>\n
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