Lost Viking Age settlement found by Norwegian archaeologists
Archaeologists from the Secrets of the Ice project have found traces of an ancient road in the area of the Lendbren mountain pass (Norway). They set off along it and came across a previously unknown destroyed settlement, which consists of 21 dwellings. It dates back to 750-1150 – the Viking Age. The find is reported on the official website of the project's scientific group.
It is noted that the warm summer weather, which has established on the planet in recent years, has led to the fact that many territories have become glacier-free. This gave researchers a lot of archaeological finds: from the remains of pack horses to ancient weapons.
Artifacts from the Landbren Pass area indicate that an important corridor passed here, which was actively used by locals and traders, moving between permanent and temporary settlements along the Otta River. The road was difficult, which forced the travelers to leave behind many things and clothes. And then the snow accumulated over the years reliably preserved these forgotten or lost objects. Scientists regularly make finds and discoveries on the territory of the Lendbren mountain pass. So, they discovered traces of an ancient trail. In some cases, the direction of the road was indicated by preserved ancient stone signs. After a long journey, archaeologists found several ruined houses in the juniper thickets on the hillside.
They speculated that the buildings might have been built from wood that had rotted away a long time ago. The only thing that could be discerned with the naked eye was the fuzzy lines of the walls, rows of overgrown stones or low embankments. In the center of each of the dwellings, hearths were found containing a dense layer of wood ash.
Radiocarbon analysis was carried out. The results of the study showed that the buildings date back to 750-1150 years. Scientists hypothesized that the settlement could be year-round, and the houses could be used by local hunters who hunted reindeer here.
