The Pike´s Gut – an Ancient Archipelago Guest Book

By the farthest point of the Hanko Peninsula you find two little islands. The narrow
inlet between them is called Hauensuoli, meaning The Pike´s Gut. On these rocky
islands some 340 rock carvings have been identified, the oldest dating back to 1508.
These carvings are Hanko´s foremost ancient monument from the times, when the
Kingdom of Sweden reached the entire coastline of the Baltic Sea.

Sweden waged several wars in the Baltic area. Troops were transported by sea. The
sailing vessels needed protected harbours, when waiting for favourable winds. The
Pike´s Gut was an important strategic mustering place for crossing the Gulf of
Finland.

The wait could be long, and a popular pastime was carving a memento on these
rocks. They are mostly simple marks or initials, but many are coats of arms of noble
or wealthy merchants´ families. Besides officers and soldiers, merchants and sailors
would carve their marks in this guest book.

Through centuries many carvings were covered by moss and lichen. During the last
century they have at intervals been cleaned out by various methods, but the
vegetation has always returned. To protect them from erosion, all manners of
cleaning them was ruled out in the year 2000. However, lately they have been
subject to very tender cleaning, and may thus again illustrate our forefathers´
history of the past centuries.

The Friends of the Hanko Museum have since 2023 charted and cleaned a selection
of carvings in accordance with a detailed plan of care and maintenance for the
Tulliniemi ancient monument. By “Adopting an ancient monument”, local volunteers
maintain and oversee historic monuments under the guidance of museum
professionals.