On 9 May, Åland Post celebrates Åland archaeology with a stamp highlighting the Jettböle idol, one of Åland’s most unique archaeological finds. The stamp was created in classic engraving style by Swedish illustrator Fredrik Tjernström and is part of PostEurop’s 2025 Europa stamp series on the theme of national archaeological finds.

The Jettböle idol has become a symbol of the Åland Stone Age. The year 2025 marks the 120th anniversary of the discovery of the Jettböle Stone Age settlement in Jomala, a find that changed the view of the prehistory of Åland.

“With the stamp, a bygone history gets new life. The Jettböle idol is a unique find that put Åland on the archaeological map”, says Johanna Finne, Design Manager at Åland Post Stamps.

The Jettböle idol was found in 1906 during the excavation of the 5000-year-old Stone Age settlement in Jettböle, Jomala, which had been discovered by chance in 1905. Living nearby, crofter Karl Johan Karlsson noticed that the sand contained pieces of pottery and fragments of bone and stone. He sought out Finnish archaeologist Björn Cederhvarf, who quickly realized the significance of the find. The excavations revealed Åland’s first Stone Age settlement that could be linked to the Pitted Ware culture – which had not previously been discovered in Finland.

The Jettböle idol is one of several small burnt clay figures with geometric patterns and markings on the head and body that were found during excavations. Clay idols of human figures from the Stone Age had not previously been found in Scandinavia. Their significance has been interpreted in various ways over the years, including as ritual objects.

The Åland Museum, the collection of artefacts of the National Museum of Finland as well as the visual material of the Finnish Heritage Agency have inspired the stamp, which was illustrated by Fredrik Tjernström from Sweden. He debuts as a stamp artist with this stamp in a classic engraving style.

“I wanted the stamp to be simple and clear in its form. The two-part clay idol takes centre stage, and the colour scheme from orange to red gives a modern impression. My focus was on bringing out the structure of the different stones and their “owl-like” characters, so I worked a great deal on refining the lines, adjusting the line thickness to make it work in print,” Fredrik explains.

• Name: Europa – archaeological discovery, Jettböle idol
• Date of issue: 9 May 2025
• Artist: Fredrik Tjernström
• Design: Johanna Finne
• Edition: 30 000
• Denomination: Europa (€3.90)
• Price FDC: €4.90
• Stamp size: 30 x 40 mm
• Sheet size: 264 × 185 mm
• Stamps/sheet: 2 × 12 stamps
• Paper: 110 g/m2
• Perforation: 13 per 2 cm
• Process: 4-colour offset
• Printer: Cartor Security Printers

Order the stamp and first day cover in the webshop at alandstamps.com, by post to Åland Post Stamps, P.O. box 1100, AX-22111 Mariehamn, Åland, Finland, e-mail stamps(a)alandpost.com or telephone: +358 18636639.