Melting glacier reveals prehistoric sledge

Norwegian archaeologists of the Hordaland County Council and University Museum of Bergen discovered parts of a prehistoric sledge that were revealed in 2015 by the melting Vossaskavlen Glacier in western Norway. The find was made by surveyors who thought that the wooden remains were poles marking a route over the glacier. At an area 50 meters from the ice edge at an altitude of 1500 meters they found 21 wooden fragments with signs of craftsmanship.

Wooden poles - remains of the prehistoric sledge (by Glacier Hub)
Wooden poles – remains of the prehistoric sledge (by Glacier Hub)

Radiocarbon dating of the pine wood sledge fragments dates them to between 545-655 AD, the beginning of the Late Iron Age. This makes the find the oldest sledge ever found in Norway. Previous archaeological finds in the northern part of the Vossaskavlen Glacier area, including skis dating back to the medieval period, a spearhead from the Early Iron Age, and arrowheads from the Late Iron Age.

Artist's reconstruction of the sledge (by Glacier Hub)
Artist’s reconstruction of the sledge (by Glacier Hub)

(after Glacier Hub)

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