Sundom history
More than 2,000 years ago Sundom consisted of a few islands rising above water close to the open sea. On these islands fishermen and sealhunters lived in the hunting season, evidenced by remains of dwelling sites on a hill near Västersvägen. The place has been archeologically researched and the remains have been carbon-dated from a fireplace.
About 520 million years ago a big meteorite crashed into the earth, where Söderfjärden is situated today. The result of the crash was a large crater that was filled with deposits during millions of years. Half of Söderfjärden belongs to the village of Sundom. Traces of the first human beings in this area has been found on the hill Öjberget. Burned bones from a presumed season's dwelling site at above sea level has been analysed by the radio carbon dating method showing an age of 4000 years, which is the late Stone Age. At that time Öjberget was a small island in the western sea, about from the nearest main land. More about the Stone Age findings at Öjberget, click here.
It is likely that the first resident population lived here in the 13th or 14th century, when the village was called Murmursund. During hundreds of years the inhabitants of Murmursund earned their living by fishing, hunting, and small-scale cultivation. The first inhabited areas were Översundom, the centre of the village today, and Kålsö, which is Yttersundom today. From the end of the 16th century the village has been known as Sundom.
You can study the history of the fishing and small-farm village at the village museum Hembygdsmuséet, at the Södersund windmill, on the islands (e.g. the historical fishing sites Högbådan and Storsanden), or in the boat house of the association Bygdeföreningen at Västeröver. You will also find more about specialities in the history of Sundom in the publications Sundoms historia (in Swedish, in 3 volumes) and in the yearly published magazine Murmursunds allehanda (only in Swedish).
Contact us
info@sundom.fi- if you want to become a member of Sundom bygdeförening
- if you have questions about Sundom bygdeförening