AI Image
5,000-year-old arrow emerges as Norway’s melting mountain ice reveals older archaeological finds
Archaeology News Online Magazine • • world
Key Points:
- Archaeologists in Norway’s Jotunheimen mountains have recovered 48 prehistoric arrows from melting mountain ice, including a 5,000 to 6,000-year-old arrow with a slate head and wooden shaft.
- Researchers report a shift in the age of artifacts emerging from melting ice, with more Stone Age and Bronze Age objects now appearing, some over 6,000 years old, contrasting earlier finds mostly under 2,000 years old.
- The discoveries come from the Kvitingskjølen mountain area, where significant ice loss has exposed ancient objects that are rapidly decaying once uncovered, creating urgency for archaeological recovery.
- Since 2006, the Glacial Archaeology Programme in Innlandet has documented 73 sites and recovered over 5,000 artifacts, including hunting gear, clothing, and daily life objects, preserved by frozen conditions.
- With mountain ice expected to disappear within two decades at many sites, archaeologists face a limited window to study and conserve these fragile finds, some of which are now displayed at the Norwegian Mountain Centre in Lom.
