Anna Wessman

Anna Wessman is a Professor of Iron Age Archaeology at the Department of Cultural History, University Museum of Bergen. Her research spans Late Iron Age Finland and the Baltic region, burial archaeology, metal-detecting cultures, citizen science, and museum studies. She has led major projects like the Levänluhta water burial analysis and co-developed the semantic portal FindSampo, integrating public finds into open-access databases.

• PhD in Archaeology (University of Helsinki, 2010) with a focus on Iron Age burial rituals
• Acting University Lecturer in Museum Studies, University of Helsinki (2015-2017)
• Adjunct Professor in Iron Age Studies, University of Turku (2022 onwards)

Her research combines ethnographic methods with isotopic analysis, examining topics like the Finnar in sagas, cremation practices, and the role of citizen scientists in archaeology. She collaborates across disciplines, including genetics (e.g., Levänluhta isotope studies) and digital humanities (FindSampo platform).

Recent articles highlight her work on metal-detected artifact networks (2025), Viking Age magic interpretations (2025), and cremation studies (2024). Her projects have been funded by the Kone Foundation, Academy of Finland, and Emil Aaltonen Foundation, focusing on community archaeology and digital heritage platforms.

Wessman actively bridges academic and avocational communities, advocating for structured collaboration with metal-detectorists to enhance archaeological data. Her publications address ethical dilemmas in displaying human remains (2021) and methodological innovations like 'archaeological object interviews.'

• Key affiliations: University of Bergen (current), University of Helsinki (PhD), University of Turku (Adjunct Professor)
• Founding member of the European Public Finds Recording Network and Cultural Heritage Crime Network