{"id":1070,"date":"2025-04-17T09:35:39","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T06:35:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eestijuured\/?page_id=1070"},"modified":"2026-02-17T12:26:06","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T10:26:06","slug":"change-and-consistency","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eestijuured\/en\/change-and-consistency\/","title":{"rendered":"Change and Consistency"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

We live in a changing world. On one hand, we are responsible for driving change ourselves; on the other, we must adapt to shifting circumstances beyond our direct control. Yet something from the past always remains\u2014preserved in the verses of traditional runo songs passed down through generations, in the genes inherited from our ancestors, and in the lake sediments deposited after the Ice Age. \u201cEstonian Roots\u201d<\/em> explores both the causes of disruption and the forces that sustain continuity.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Ongoing Case Studies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Continuity\u00a0\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u00a0Leads:<\/strong> Monika Karmin (archaeogenomics), Pikne Kama (archaeology)
Active members:<\/strong> Anne\u2011Mai Ilum\u00e4e (archaeogenomics), Miina Norvik (linguistics), Anneli Poska (paleoecology and paleoclimate), Lehti Saag (archaeogenomics), Mari T\u00f5rv (archaeochemistry), Mari V\u00e4ina (folkloristics and cultural geography)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
DESCRIPTION<\/strong><\/mark><\/strong><\/summary>\n

Continuity (as well as change) can be traced in the genes, language, traditions, landscapes, diet, and other aspects of Estonian life. The continuity case study brings together researchers from folkloristics, genetics, archaeology, linguistics, and paleoecology. The first time\u2011consuming task is to gain a thorough overview of the datasets used in different disciplines and to establish a shared vocabulary. The starting point was to consider whether and how the synchronous variation of data reflects historical processes, including population dynamics and cultural contacts. A challenge arises from the fact that the datasets differ greatly in temporal and spatial scale as well as in research questions. Clarifying discipline\u2011specific terminology also requires time. The aim of the working group is to use combined datasets to provide a more holistic picture of the continuity of people and place. Discussions have compared how different disciplines understand the concept of continuity, and one emerging theme has been the cross\u2011disciplinary critical reassessment of \u201cclassical\u201d texts in light of current knowledge.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Development and Innovation in Cultural Processes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n

Lead:<\/strong>
Phase I \u2013 Ester Oras (archaeochemistry)
Phase II \u2013 Ragnar Saage (archaeology)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members:<\/strong> Ester Oras, Eve Rannam\u00e4e, Lembi L\u00f5ugas, Urmas Saarma, Karl Pajusalu, Reet Hiiem\u00e4e, Lehti Saag, Andres Tvauri, Kristiina Johanson, Raivo Suni<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
DESCRIPTION<\/strong><\/mark><\/strong><\/summary>\n

This working group focuses on cultural, technological, and economic innovations in a spatiotemporal comparative framework. The first part of the project concentrates on food innovations. It examines the arrival and spread of domestic animals and their associated by\u2011products (e.g., milk and dairy products), as well as innovations related to plant cultivation. The study draws on datasets from archaeology and history, biomolecular analyses, zoology and botany, linguistic etymology, and folkloristics. The goal is to map the spread, temporal depth, cultural connotations, and regional differences of these food innovations. In the second phase, the focus shifts to technological and material\u2011culture innovations (including metallurgy).<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

3. Interactions Between Environment and Humans: A Case Study of Lake Sediments in South Estonia<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n

Leads:<\/strong> Anneli Poska (paleoecology and paleoclimate), Kristiina Tambets (archaeogenomics), Lehti Saag (archaeogenomics)
Participating groups:<\/strong> paleoecology and paleoclimate group; archaeogenomics group<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
DESCRIPTION<\/strong><\/mark><\/strong><\/summary>\n

The aim is to use lake sediments to study changes in South Estonian ecosystems over time, focusing on the emergence and intensification of human impact in connection with societal developments. To investigate plant communities, the paleoecology and paleoclimate group applies pollen analysis. As a new direction in Estonia, the archaeogenomics group has introduced sedimentary DNA (sedaDNA) analysis, which enables the study of changes in both plant and animal communities. With the help of Ruairidh Macleod (University of Oxford), a recent visiting researcher at the University of Tartu\u2019s Institute of Genomics, the necessary laboratory capacity has been established and initial bioinformatic analyses have been completed. A postdoctoral researcher specialising in sedaDNA will soon join the project.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

4. Animals and Humans<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n

Leads:<\/strong> Urmas Saarma (archaeozoology), Kristiina Tambets (archaeogenomics)
Participating groups:<\/strong> archaeozoology and archaeogenomics groups; in later phases also archaeochemistry, paleoecology, and archaeology<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
DESCRIPTION<\/strong><\/mark><\/strong><\/summary>\n

Under the \u201cAnimals and Humans\u201d case study, a pilot project is nearing completion. Its aim is to adapt ancient DNA (aDNA) methods developed for human genomics to the analysis of animal aDNA. Selected samples have undergone aDNA extraction, library preparation, and sequencing. Bioinformatic analysis is currently underway. Once the methodology is fully adapted, the plan is to conduct large\u2011scale whole\u2011genome analyses of ancient animal samples. These data will then be integrated\u2014through collaboration with several Centre of Excellence working groups\u2014with isotope, environmental, and human datasets to link animal diets, environmental changes, and human migration waves and cultural developments.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

5. Connections Between Road Networks and the Environment<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Lead:<\/strong> Kaarel Sikk<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DESCRIPTION<\/strong>
<\/mark><\/strong><\/summary>\n

This case study examines how natural factors influenced the construction and use of historical roads. A central task is the digitisation of Swedish\u2011era transportation maps and the calibration of cost functions based on 17th\u2011century roads, using modern environmental data for comparison. The goal is to reconstruct historical mobility patterns and assess the extent to which terrain, soils, bodies of water, and other factors shaped the development of the road network. The study provides a foundation for a better understanding of past mobility and supports a broader framework for spatiotemporal modelling.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We live in a changing world. On one hand, we are responsible for driving change ourselves; on the other, we must adapt to shifting circumstances beyond our direct control. Yet something from the past always remains\u2014preserved in the verses of …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":745,"featured_media":237,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1070","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eestijuured\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eestijuured\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eestijuured\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eestijuured\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/745"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eestijuured\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1070"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eestijuured\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1070\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1535,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eestijuured\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1070\/revisions\/1535"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eestijuured\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/eestijuured\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}