Ahti’s Palm

Ahti’s Palm is an artwork assembled from parts of the 17th-century Hahtiperä shipwreck, discovered in Oulu in 2019 during renovation work in a hotel area. The vessel’s hull was built from pine that grew in the 1600s, crafted with local rural know-how and traditional woodworking techniques. Only part of the wreck had survived in moist sand, leaving its archaeological interpretation filled with questions – and room for imagination.

After the excavation, the ship remains were transported to the Collection and Conservation Centre of the National Museum of Finland, where a selected portion is still undergoing conservation. This so-called block section will be displayed in the new museum of Oulu once completed. All parts were carefully documented, even though not all can be preserved.

Once the research was completed, the remaining pieces were given one more voice and visible form before eventually returning to the earth. The hand-shaped installation, sketched by shipwreck enthusiast Kalle Salonen, was assembled through volunteer effort and named Ahti’s Palm in a competition.

The artwork is an outstretched hand from underwater cultural heritage that we seldom encounter in our everyday surroundings. It reminds us of the passage of time and stands as a tribute to traditional craftsmanship.