{{Short description|Type of neolithic structure}} {{expand Finnish|date=June 2023}} thumb|right|Giant's Church at Kastelli thumb|right|Giant's Church at Kettukangas A '''Giant's Church''' ({{langx|fi|Jätinkirkko, jatulinkirkko}}) is the name given to prehistoric stone enclosures found along the coast of Ostrobothnia region of Finland in an area that roughly stretches from Kokkola to Kemi, with the densest concentration around Raahe and Oulu. Dating from the subneolithic period (3500–2000 BC), they are an example of monumental architecture built by hunter-gatherers in Northern Europe.<ref name="sue">{{Cite book|last1=Pollard|first1=Tony|last2=Banks|first2=Iain|title=War and Sacrifice: Studies in the Archaeology of Conflict |year=2006|page=189|publisher=BRILL|isbn=9047418921}}</ref>
==Description== The stone enclosures are rectangular or oval boulder embankments.<ref name="lionel">{{Cite book|last=Hulse|first=Eva Leonie|title=The Difference Between Dirt and Other Dirt: Using multivariate statistical analysis to classify chemical soil enrichment at Late Stone Age archaeological sites in North Ostrobothnia, Finland|year=2008|page=17|publisher=ProQuest|isbn=0549735747}}</ref> Around forty sites are known, located in a {{Convert|400|km|adj=on}} strip on the northwest coast of Finland (Ostrobothnia).<ref name="sue"/> Although located inland today, they were probably originally on the seashore.<ref name="sue"/> There is no hard evidence as to their intended use.<ref name="lionel"/> It is possible they were used by hunters of seals on spring ice, who were away from their usual dwelling places.<ref name="unesco">{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/219/|title=The large Stone Age ruin of Kastelli at Pattijoki|publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|access-date=14 June 2016}}</ref>
One of the largest known sites is Kastelli Giant's Church, which encloses an area of {{convert|60|by|35|m}}.<ref name="sue"/> The Giants' Churches have been dated to the "subneolithic" (ie. Mesolithic people who are beginning to use Neolithic artefacts) around 3500–2000 BC.<ref name="sue"/> By 1500 BC they were abandoned.<ref name="lionel"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Commons category inline|Giant's churches}}
Category:4th-millennium BC establishments Category:16th-century BC disestablishments Category:Mesolithic Europe Category:Neolithic Finland Category:Archaeology of Finland Category:Ostrobothnia (administrative region)