artefakteilla

Artefakteilla is a Finnish word form that functions as the plural instrumental case of artefakti, meaning artifact. In Finnish grammar, the instrumental case expresses the means or instrument by which an action is performed, or it can indicate accompanying items or sources. Artefakteilla therefore translates roughly as “with artifacts” or “using artifacts.” The form is used when referring to multiple artifacts as the instrument or source in a sentence.

Etymology and morphology: Artefakti is borrowed from the word artifact, rooted in Latin artefactum and propagated through other European languages. The instrumental plural suffix -illa/-illä attaches to the stem artefakt-, producing artefakteilla. The construction is typical of Finnish noun inflection, where the instrumental form often conveys how something is done, what materials are involved, or what is being relied upon in a process.

Usage and examples: Artefakteilla is commonly used in contexts involving archaeology, museology, and related disciplines, but can appear in broader discourse whenever artifacts serve as the instrument or source. Examples include: “Tutkimuksessa käytettiin artefakteilla kerättyjä tietoja,” meaning that data were collected using artifacts; “Kokoelman artefakteilla on historiallista arvoa,” referring to the artifacts in a collection as objects with historical value; and “Arkeologinen analyysi perustui artefakteilla löydettyihin esineisiin,” indicating that analysis relied on artifacts recovered in the field. The exact meaning depends on how the instrumental form relates to the verb or noun it accompanies, but it consistently signals that artifacts are the means, source, or basis of the action.

See also: artefakti, Finnish grammar, instrumental case, artifact in archaeology.