The Pit Project
A Condensed History
Began on April 18, 2015 at Nurmijärvi, Southern Finland, on a secluded part of a cottage plot, as an impromptu makeshift fire pit. It was excavated at the site of a demolished cottage’s remains. This origin is the namesake of ”The Pit.” Over eight years, it transformed from a simple soil pit into an expansive area of 60–80 square meters.
Today, it comprises various sanctuaries, altars, and artifacts, created through extensive labor involving digging, moving, and splitting boulders using the primitive ”fire-setting” technique. All materials — earth, stone, wood — were sourced from The Pit itself.
Key Sanctuaries and Artifacts
In visiting order
01Devil’s Threshold
A reclaimed sanctuary from the site of an old log shack and compost heap, still under development.
02The Nekromanteion
A cave-like sanctuary behind the Devil’s Threshold, still under development.
03The Gate of The Pit
A 2-meter-high wooden gate, later inspiring the Tuonen Portti collective’s naming.
04Auroch Yard
Features an altar resembling a stone fence.
05Lovilehto *
Comprises a prominent altar within a grove-like space, encircled by tree branches and a wall made of ”wooden spears.”
06Heart of The Pit
The original Pit. Houses several fireplaces and a wooden shelter (lean-to).
07Terminus Chapel
Originally an old root cellar, now transformed into a chthonic chapel with an overhead ritual space and a stone altar.
08Seal Stone of the Gate of Tuoni
Rests atop a pyramid-like stone structure.
Interconnecting all sanctuaries is a pathway network, referred to as the initiation path, designed piece by piece following visionary principles of ”atavistic sacred geometry.”
* Lovilehto — Etymology
It is formed from two Finnish words: ”lovi” and ”lehto.”
Lovi carries a metaphorical meaning beyond its literal sense of a notch, groove, or cut. In Finnish shamanic tradition, it is understood as a symbolic gateway or threshold, particularly the point of entry into spiritual journeys, often associated with transitions into otherworldly realms or the underworld.
Lehto translates directly as ”grove”, referring to a small wooded area or sacred grove.
Observations
Additional Insights
