Skandfer et al./Archaeological Perspectives on Hunter-Gatherer Landscapes, 17. Historical Sources and Ethnographic Analogies

In this chapter I consider the historical sources relevant to Sámi life in early modern interior Finnmark. I begin with a brief overview of Finnmark’s historical context from the Viking Age until the 1700s. The central focus of the chapter, however, is early modern demographic trends and economic conditions in interior Finnmark as inferred from the Swedish state taxation data, which provide the most detailed and semi-continuous historical record for the inland regions (for an overview of the sources, see Hansen 2011b; 2012). I engage with historical data for two primary study areas: the Guovdageaidnu (Kautokeino) and Ávjovárri (Kárášjohka/Karasjok) districts (Fig. 17.1, below). Limited reference is also made to a third adjacent district, Láhpojávri (Láhpoluoppal). These districts are historical siida areas; that is, Sámi ‘band’ territories (for northern Norwegian siida areas see Vorren 1978; 1980). The conclusion considers to what extent we can use these historical data as analogues to interpret the distant past.