The magnificent Mount Lauvhøe in Norway's Lom Municipality attracts a lot of hikers. However, hiking through Lauvhe is more than simply an exhilarating task for archaeologists who are Secrets of the Ice members. They've been searching the mountain's icy trails for evidence of ancient items for years. With the discovery of a 4,000-year-old arrow shaft, they finally struck gold.
The Ice's Undiscovered Gems
Many arrow shafts from the Iron and Middle Ages have previously been discovered by glacial archaeologists from Secrets of the Ice, a group connected to Norway's Department of Cultural Heritage. The Norwegian archaeologists discovered a Roman sandal from the fourth century AD on one of their expeditions.
After the ice at the location melted, they discovered something considerably older nearby. According to the design and craftsmanship of the arrow, the current discovery predates earlier Lauvhøe relics by at least 2,000 years. The projectile made of pressure-flaked stone is typical of Stone Age engineering. When the field season—the time frame for doing archeological research in the region—is over, the researchers will be able to submit a wood sample for radiocarbon dating with confidence.
Former hunters
This arrow shaft was probably used by reindeer hunters in the distant past. During the summer, these critters would climb to the freezing heights to escape the bothersome insects. This game was probably stalked by Stone Age hunters, who waited for the ideal opportunity to launch their arrows. However, this arrow must have missed because it fell into the snow.
Although the hunter misplaced his arrow, it has been saved for future generations, which is good news for us. "Sad for the hunter but a bull's eye for archaeology!" Secrets of the Ice co-director Lars Holger Pilø told NPR.
This discovery was made at one of Norway's 66 ice locations. Over 4,000 archaeological discoveries have been protected in these chilly chambers. It's like being in nature's own time-stopping museum. The ice is a time machine, as one of the archeologists so eloquently described it, "it brings precious objects from the past to our time in an unaltered state, like sleeping beauties."
We have a unique opportunity to connect with our ancestors and the world they lived in when the ice melts and discloses its secrets. Who knows what historical tales will next emerge from Lauvhøe.
