As we very soon welcome the new year, we are delighted to announce that Foundation Osiliana will continue researching the early history of Saaremaa with the support of Kristjan Rahu!
Five years ago, a group of enthusiasts led by philanthropist and entrepreneur Kristjan Rahu and Marika Mägi, Doctor of Archaeology at Tallinn University, established Foundation Osiliana with the aim of conducting scientific research into the early history of Saaremaa. We are now pleased to announce that Kristjan Rahu has decided to support the foundation’s activities for the next five years with a total of €750,000.
Thanks to donations from Kristjan Rahu and several other history enthusiasts, numerous thorough archaeological excavations have been carried out on Saaremaa over the past five years using state-of-the-art technology, and several geophysical and laboratory studies have been conducted. The research has significantly expanded our knowledge of Estonia’s early history. The Valjala and Pöide hill forts have been thoroughly studied, and additional research has been conducted on the Kaarma and Muhu hill forts. Special attention has been paid to the burial sites of the first Christian islanders, which date back to the 13th century. Several analyses have been carried out on those buried there, including ancient DNA testing.
Several scientific articles have been published on the results of the research. In cooperation with the Saaremaa Museum, an exhibition on medieval islanders was curated, and in 2026, a book on medieval Estonia will be published in cooperation with the Estonian History Museum and the University of Tartu. Audio guides in Estonian and English have been created for Valjala hill fort, and a 3D model of Valjala is being developed, which will allow visitors to explore the different parts of the hill fort.
In addition, an Estonian- and English-language web platform www.osiliana.eu/en has been developed, which brings together databases of archaeological finds, research, and translations of documents from Saaremaa, and regularly publishes overviews of the foundation’s activities and research results. Members of the Osiliana team have presented the history of Saaremaa and Estonia at international conferences in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Spain, and the Czech Republic.
Many thanks to all our supporters and have a wonderful new year!
