Melting Norwegian Mountains Reveal 1,500-Year-Old Wooden Reindeer Hunting Trap
A remote mountain plateau in western Norway has yielded an extraordinary archaeological find: a 1,500-year-old wooden reindeer hunting facility, uncovered as the region’s ice continues to melt. The discovery, announced by the Vestland County Municipality, has astonished researchers with its remarkable preservation, including wooden structures that still retain the scent of reindeer.
The site, located on the Aurlandsfjellet plateau in Sogn, was first brought to attention when a hiker spotted wooden logs emerging from the melting ice and alerted local authorities. Archaeologists from the University Museum of Bergen and Vestland County quickly mobilized to document the find. Their work revealed a complex trap made from several hundred hewn wooden logs and two wooden fences constructed from stakes, designed to funnel reindeer into an enclosure.
Leif Inge Åstveit, an archaeologist involved in the excavation, described the find as a “significant surprise,” noting that while stone trapping facilities have long been known in Norway’s mountains, an entirely wooden structure of this scale was unexpected. “Thousands of logs, weighing several tons in total, were transported high into the mountains,” he said. The barriers formed a funnel stretching as wide as 1,000 feet, guiding the animals toward the trap.
Alongside the wooden framework, researchers uncovered iron spearheads, arrow shafts, parts of bows, and a wooden spear, tools likely used to manage and harvest the reindeer once trapped. A large collection of well-preserved reindeer antlers was also found, many of which still emit a faint reindeer scent despite their age. The antlers are believed to have belonged mostly to younger and female reindeer, discarded after the hunt.
Åstveit explained that the trap’s design allowed hunters to drive the reindeer calmly at first, but as the animals were funneled into narrower spaces, their pace quickened and panic likely spread through the herd. The barriers became more solid near the enclosure, preventing escape and enabling hunters to extract the animals one by one.
This discovery sheds new light on the ingenuity of early mountain hunters and their ability to manipulate the challenging landscape for survival. The find also highlights the impact of climate change on archaeology, as melting ice continues to reveal ancient sites previously locked away for centuries.
Vestland County Municipality’s announcement has drawn attention from the broader scientific community, including experts at the National Park Service Archaeology Program and the Archaeological Institute of America, who emphasize the importance of preserving such fragile sites. The Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage is working alongside local authorities to ensure the site’s protection and further study.
As global temperatures rise, the uncovering of this hunting facility underscores the urgency of documenting and safeguarding cultural heritage exposed by environmental changes. This rare glimpse into prehistoric life offers invaluable insight into the resourcefulness and traditions of Norway’s ancient inhabitants.
For more on climate impacts on archaeology, visit the NOAA Climate.gov portal, which tracks how melting glaciers and ice patches worldwide are revealing long-hidden artifacts.
The discovery on the Aurlandsfjellet plateau stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of human adaptation and the stories waiting to be told beneath the earth’s changing surface.
Leave a Reply