Surprises from the Ice: Ancient Arrowheads Found Via Melting Glaciers in Norway

A number of arrowheads have recently been found in the melting glacier on the mountain Kvitingskjølen in southern Norway’s Jotunheimen range. Some have been dated to between 900-1050 AD based on the types of arrows and techniques used in their creation. However, additional evidence suggests other points may be much older.

Science Nordic reports that the researchers chose to work at the glacier site because it is known to be a hotspot for reindeer. As Espen Finstad, archaeologist in Oppland County and co-director on the glacier project said, “The oldest finds here are around 6000 years old. Which means that there’s been hunting here for at least that long.”

Secrets of the Ice, a website associated with the current archaeological work, says that although there were only a few recorded discoveries made on the ice in Norway at the end of the 20th century, things changed with a warmer autumn in 2006. Since then,

“The high mountains of Oppland have seen repeated episodes of melting in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014. More than 2000 archaeological finds have now been recovered in Oppland County alone, making the region the most finds-rich area for glacier archaeology globally with more than half the finds worldwide. Oppdal has also seen melting and many new finds. Recently, finds have also started to appear in other mountain regions in southern Norway.”