kivikaudelta

Kivikaudelta is a Finnish linguistic and archaeological term meaning “from the Stone Age.” Grammatically, it is the elative form of kivikausi (the Stone Age) and is used to express origin, source, or dating. In scholarly and descriptive texts it often appears in phrases such as kivikaudelta peräisin (originating from the Stone Age) or kivikaudelta ajoitettu (dated to the Stone Age).

In the Finnish context the Stone Age refers to the prehistoric period preceding later metal-using cultures in the region. The end of the Stone Age varies by area, but it generally precedes the onset of Bronze or Iron Age traditions in Northern Europe. Artifacts described as kivikaudelta typically include stone tools, weapons, and other implements associated with hunter-gatherer communities, as well as sites and deposits dated to that era.

The term is a descriptive, non-proper noun used to indicate temporal origin rather than a specific place. It is commonly combined with other nouns to specify what is from the Stone Age, for example kivikaudelta peräisin oleva esine (an artifact dating from the Stone Age) or kivikaudelta valmistettu työkalu (tool manufactured in the Stone Age context).

See also kivikausi, esine, arkeologia.