A shaman or seer was found to have an ancient snake staff that is 4,400 years old in Finland. Experts believe that this mysterious snake staff was used in shamanic ritual ceremonies. With a length of 53 cm and a thickness of 3 cm, this staff is made of wood and has the shape of a snake's head with an open mouth. This discovery was made in the city of Jarvensuo, 120 km northwest of Helsinki, in a peat layer, and its condition is still intact and well-preserved.

Besides that, it is believed that ancient communities in that region practiced shamanistic beliefs, which is the belief in a world inhabited by various spirits or ghosts. This belief still persists in some remote areas in northern Scandinavia, Europe, and Asia. Ancient stone art from Finland and northern Russia depicts human figures with hands resembling snakes. This is considered as a representation of the shamans who use carved wooden ritual staffs resembling snakes.

"This reminds me of the northern shamanism from the historical period, where snakes had a special role as spirit helpers for shamans. Despite the significant gap in time, the possibility of some form of continuity is very intriguing. Do we have a staff of a Stone Age shaman?" said Lahelma.

Near Jarvensuo, the site is believed to be located on the outskirts of a shallow lake when occupied by a group of people in the Late Stone Age. The discoveries include wooden tools with bear-shaped handles, wooden paddles, and fishnet floats made of pine and birch bark.

Koivisto warns that similar objects like "snake sticks" have the potential to disappear due to the abundance of archaeological sites in dry swamp areas. "Wetlands are becoming more important to us than ever before, due to their vulnerability and the degradation of fragile organic data sources from drainage, land use, and climate change," he said. "We must hurry before these valuable materials are completely lost," he added.