Expedition to Lapland
Encyclopedia
The Expedition to Lapland, the northernmost region in Sweden
, by Carl Linnaeus in 1732 was an important part of his scientific career.
Linnaeus departed from Uppsala
and travelled clockwise around the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia
over the course of six months, making major inland incursions from Umeå
, Luleå
and Tornio
. His observations became the basis of his book Flora Lapponica
(1737) in which Linnaeus’ ideas about nomenclature
and classification
were first used in a practical way. Linnaeus kept a journal of his expedition which was first published posthumously as an English translation called Lachesis Lapponica: A Tour in Lapland (1811).
for his journey. Olof Rudbeck the Younger
, one of Linnaeus' former professors at Uppsala University
, had made an expedition to Lapland in 1695, but the detailed results of his exploration were lost in a fire seven years afterwards. Linnaeus' hope was to find new plants, animals and possibly valuable minerals. He was also curious about the customs of the native Sami people
, reindeer-herding nomads who wandered the vast tundras of Scandinavia
.
in May; he travelled on foot and horse, bringing with him his journal, botanical and ornithological manuscripts and sheets of paper for pressing plants. It took him 11 days to reach Umeå
, via Gävle
(near which he found great quantities of Campanula serpyllifolia, later known as Linnaea borealis, the twinflower that would become his favourite). He sometimes dismounted on the way to examine a flower or rock and was particularly interested in moss
es and lichen
s, the latter a main part of the diet of the reindeer
, a common animal in Lapland.
, a town much further inland from the coast than he had traveled until then, examining water bird
s on the way. After five days, he reached the town and stayed with the pastor and his wife. He then attempted to reach Sorsele
but had to turn around at a place called Lycksmyran ("lucky marsh
") due to extremely difficult conditions. In the beginning of June he returned to Umeå after having spent additional days in Lycksele, and learning more of the customs of the Sami. (See e.g. Tablut)
, via Skellefteå
and Old Piteå
, passing Old Luleå
where he received a Sami woman's cap on the way. From Luleå he again traveled inland, following the Lule River via Jokkmokk
on the arctic circle
and Kvikkjokk
(then Hyttan), into the Scandinavian Mountains
, crossing the border into Norway, arriving in Sørfold
on the coast and making a trip to nearby Rörstadt. He then returned the way he came, approximately 300 kilometres (186.4 mi) back to Luleå.
(Torneå in Swedish), from which he made his third and final inland incursion, along the Tome River as far as Vittangi
. He spent some time in the Tornio area; in Kalix
he received instructions in assaying
. In the middle of September he began his return journey. Travelling via Kemi
, he followed the Finnish coastline to Turku
(Åbo in Swedish), where he sailed via the Åland Islands
, arriving in Sweden in Grisslehamn
and then finally home to Uppsala.
, Linnaeus described about a hundred previously undescribed plants. The details of his discoveries became the basis of his book Flora Lapponica
.
Linnaeus's account of the journey, Iter Lapponicum was translated into English by James Edward Smith
and published in 1811 as Lachesis Lapponica: A Tour in Lapland. Some of Linnaeus' original illustrations:
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, by Carl Linnaeus in 1732 was an important part of his scientific career.
Linnaeus departed from Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
and travelled clockwise around the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia
Gulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It is situated between Finland's west coast and Sweden's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands, between the Sea of Åland and the Archipelago Sea.-Name:...
over the course of six months, making major inland incursions from Umeå
Umeå
- Transport :The road infrastructure in Umeå is well-developed, with two European highways passing through the city. About 4 km from the city centre is the Umeå City Airport...
, Luleå
Luleå
- Transportation :Local buses are run by .A passenger train service is available from Luleå Centralstation on Sweden's national SJ railway service northbound to Narvik on the Norwegian coast, or southbound to Stockholm. See Rail transport in Sweden....
and Tornio
Tornio
Tornio is a town and municipality in Lapland, Finland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The population density is , with a total population of . It borders to the Swedish municipality of Haparanda...
. His observations became the basis of his book Flora Lapponica
Flora Lapponica
Flora Lapponica is an account of the plants of Lapland written by botanist, zoologist and naturalist Carl Linnaeus following his expedition to Lapland....
(1737) in which Linnaeus’ ideas about nomenclature
Nomenclature
Nomenclature is a term that applies to either a list of names or terms, or to the system of principles, procedures and terms related to naming - which is the assigning of a word or phrase to a particular object or property...
and classification
Classification
Classification may refer to:* Library classification and classification in general* Taxonomic classification * Biological classification of organisms* Medical classification* Scientific classification...
were first used in a practical way. Linnaeus kept a journal of his expedition which was first published posthumously as an English translation called Lachesis Lapponica: A Tour in Lapland (1811).
Background
In April 1732, Linnaeus was awarded a grant from the Royal Society of Sciences in UppsalaRoyal Society of Sciences in Uppsala
The Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala , is the oldest of the royal academies in Sweden. The society has, by royal decree of 1906, 50 Swedish fellows and 100 foreign....
for his journey. Olof Rudbeck the Younger
Olof Rudbeck the Younger
Olaus Rudbeckius, junior or Olof Rudbeck , Swedish explorer and scientist, son of Olaus Rudbeck Sr, Rudbeck Jr. succeeded his father as professor of medicine at Uppsala University. Young Rudbeck was an able botanist and ornithologist who took his doctor's degree in Utrecht in 1690...
, one of Linnaeus' former professors at Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
, had made an expedition to Lapland in 1695, but the detailed results of his exploration were lost in a fire seven years afterwards. Linnaeus' hope was to find new plants, animals and possibly valuable minerals. He was also curious about the customs of the native Sami people
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
, reindeer-herding nomads who wandered the vast tundras of Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
.
Uppsala to Umeå
Linnaeus began his expedition from UppsalaUppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
in May; he travelled on foot and horse, bringing with him his journal, botanical and ornithological manuscripts and sheets of paper for pressing plants. It took him 11 days to reach Umeå
Umeå
- Transport :The road infrastructure in Umeå is well-developed, with two European highways passing through the city. About 4 km from the city centre is the Umeå City Airport...
, via Gävle
Gävle
Gävle is a city in Sweden, the seat of Gävle Municipality and the capital of Gävleborg County. It had 71,033 inhabitants in 12/31 2010. It is the oldest city in the historical Norrland , having received its charter in 1446 from Christopher of Bavaria.-History:It is believed that the name Gävle...
(near which he found great quantities of Campanula serpyllifolia, later known as Linnaea borealis, the twinflower that would become his favourite). He sometimes dismounted on the way to examine a flower or rock and was particularly interested in moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es and lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
s, the latter a main part of the diet of the reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
, a common animal in Lapland.
First inland incursion
From Umeå, Linnaeus headed towards LyckseleLycksele
- References :...
, a town much further inland from the coast than he had traveled until then, examining water bird
Water bird
The term water bird or waterbird is used to refer to birds that live on or around water. Some definitions apply the term especially to birds in freshwater habitats, though others make no distinction from birds that inhabit marine environments. In addition, some water birds are more terrestrial or...
s on the way. After five days, he reached the town and stayed with the pastor and his wife. He then attempted to reach Sorsele
Sorsele
Sorsele is a locality and the seat of Sorsele Municipality in Västerbotten County, Sweden with 1,288 inhabitants in 2005. Sorsele is also the nearest town to the ski resort Nalovardo.- References :...
but had to turn around at a place called Lycksmyran ("lucky marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
") due to extremely difficult conditions. In the beginning of June he returned to Umeå after having spent additional days in Lycksele, and learning more of the customs of the Sami. (See e.g. Tablut)
Umeå to Luleå and second inland incursion
After returning to Umeå, he travelled further north along the coast of the Gulf of BothniaGulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It is situated between Finland's west coast and Sweden's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands, between the Sea of Åland and the Archipelago Sea.-Name:...
, via Skellefteå
Skellefteå
-Industry:*Boliden AB, a big mining and smelting company*Alimak*Natural User Interface Technologies AB - NUITEQ, a promising emerging technology start-up company-Sports:*Skellefteå AIK, an ice hockey team in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien....
and Old Piteå
Piteå
Piteå is a locality and the seat of Piteå Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden. The town has 22,650 inhabitants out of a municipal total of 41,000 in 2008.- Geography :...
, passing Old Luleå
Luleå
- Transportation :Local buses are run by .A passenger train service is available from Luleå Centralstation on Sweden's national SJ railway service northbound to Narvik on the Norwegian coast, or southbound to Stockholm. See Rail transport in Sweden....
where he received a Sami woman's cap on the way. From Luleå he again traveled inland, following the Lule River via Jokkmokk
Jokkmokk
Jokkmokk is a locality and the seat of Jokkmokk Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 2,976 inhabitants in 2005. The Sámi name of the place means "River's Curve", due to the meandering river that runs through it...
on the arctic circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
and Kvikkjokk
Kvikkjokk
Kvikkjokk is a small village situated in Jokkmokk Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden. It is located 120 km northwest of Jokkmokk. Several hiking trails start in Kvikkjokk. Kungsleden passes through it....
(then Hyttan), into the Scandinavian Mountains
Scandinavian Mountains
The Scandinavian Mountains or the Scandes, in Swedish Skanderna, Fjällen or Kölen , in Finnish Köli and in Norwegian Kjølen, with the three latter meaning The Keel, are a mountain range that runs through the Scandinavian Peninsula...
, crossing the border into Norway, arriving in Sørfold
Sørfold
Sørfold is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Straumen. The old municipality of Folden was divided into Sørfold and Nordfold-Kjerringøy on 1 January 1887.-General...
on the coast and making a trip to nearby Rörstadt. He then returned the way he came, approximately 300 kilometres (186.4 mi) back to Luleå.
Luleå to Tornio, third inland incursion and return to Uppsala
Linnaeus then continued his travel along the coast to TornioTornio
Tornio is a town and municipality in Lapland, Finland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The population density is , with a total population of . It borders to the Swedish municipality of Haparanda...
(Torneå in Swedish), from which he made his third and final inland incursion, along the Tome River as far as Vittangi
Vittangi
Vittangi is a locality situated in Kiruna Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 789 inhabitants in 2005.The locality is very notable because it houses a cluster of people suffering from congenital analgesia, an otherwise extremely rare illness....
. He spent some time in the Tornio area; in Kalix
Kalix
Kalix is a locality and the seat of the Kalix Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden. The name Kalix is believed to have come from nomadic tribes, possibly of Sapmí origin, and is derived from the word "Kalasätno", meaning "The cold river"...
he received instructions in assaying
Metallurgical assay
A metallurgical assay is a compositional analysis of an ore, metal, or alloy.Some assay methods are suitable for raw materials; others are more appropriate for finished goods. Raw precious metals are assayed by an assay office...
. In the middle of September he began his return journey. Travelling via Kemi
Kemi
Kemi is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located very near the city of Tornio. It was founded in 1869 by royal decree, because of its proximity to a deep water harbour....
, he followed the Finnish coastline to Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
(Åbo in Swedish), where he sailed via the Åland Islands
Åland Islands
The Åland Islands form an archipelago in the Baltic Sea. They are situated at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia and form an autonomous, demilitarised, monolingually Swedish-speaking region of Finland...
, arriving in Sweden in Grisslehamn
Grisslehamn
Grisslehamn is a locality situated in Norrtälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 277 inhabitants in 2010.It is located on the coast by the Sea of Åland; the Eckerö Linjen ferries between Åland and Sweden operate between Grisslehamn and Eckerö on Åland.The name Grisslehamn was first...
and then finally home to Uppsala.
Results
He returned from his six-month long, over 2000 kilometres (1,242.7 mi) expedition on 10 October, having gathered and observed many plants, birds and rocks. Although Lapland was a region with limited biodiversityBiodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
, Linnaeus described about a hundred previously undescribed plants. The details of his discoveries became the basis of his book Flora Lapponica
Flora Lapponica
Flora Lapponica is an account of the plants of Lapland written by botanist, zoologist and naturalist Carl Linnaeus following his expedition to Lapland....
.
Linnaeus's account of the journey, Iter Lapponicum was translated into English by James Edward Smith
James Edward Smith
Sir James Edward Smith was an English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society.Smith was born in Norwich in 1759, the son of a wealthy wool merchant. He displayed a precocious interest in the natural world...
and published in 1811 as Lachesis Lapponica: A Tour in Lapland. Some of Linnaeus' original illustrations: