Cut to the chase; in 2019, a rare arrowhead, estimated to be about 1,000 years old, was discovered in the mountains of the Hardanger Plateau in central southern Norway. Now, the question is, how did this appear? What could be the prospective factors behind the return of the arrowhead? You need not consult a History homework help expert for this. Simply invest some time in reading this blog and take home useful insights and picturesque details.
Climate Changes Play a Pivotal Role Here
It is said that the melting ice in Oppland, Northern Norway has revealed almost 3,000 archaeological artifacts including the legendary Iron Age Tunic, a 3,400 years old shoe and a 1,500 year old arrow. Back in the year 2006, archaeologist Jan Stokstad found a bone arrowhead in Norway during the time of the dramatic big melt.
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| Source: https://secretsoftheice.com |
Even though the drastic climate change brought forth some of the significant ancient ruins, it had its negative consequences as well. The long and hot autumn in Norway during the year 2006 led to heavy melting. This, as a result, melted hundreds of other historical finds in Oppland County that year.
As a matter of fact, the high mountains of Oppland have experienced similar episodes of melting between 2007 and 2014. This caused the retrieval of over 2,000 archaeological finds, hence making the area the very finds-rich land for glacier archaeology. In addition to it, a Viking age arrow was found at an ice site in the Jotunheimen Mountains.
Apart from the melted ice revealing the traces of some of the most significant historical finds, the warming Arctic Circle has threatened all artifacts locked in ice fields. According to Jørgen Hollesen, a researcher at the National Museum of Denmark, “The Arctic once offered fantastic preservation for archaeological remains, due to the cold climate. But over the last decades, the Arctic has been warming at twice the global average.”
This could be a clear indication of the fact that major climate changes are critical to the preservation of ancient findings. A 2018 case study warned that rapid climate changes are destroying a wide range of cultural sites across the world.
It is said that the main threats posed by the climate change in the Arctic region are mostly due to the coastal erosion and arctic landslides. The permafrost is gradually thawing, and sea ice is melting. This, as a result, is allowing waves and storms to access the coastlines directly.
Talking of the impact of climate change on the historical finds, some coastal archaeological sites in Northern Alaska have already disappeared into the sea due to the following factors.
- Eroding coastlines.
- Frequent storms.
- Rising sea levels.
These are only expected to make the problem more critical, unless prior precautions and strategised climate measures are implemented with precision.
Present Condition and Remains of the Medieval Arrowhead
Now that you are aware of the possible factors behind the emergence of age-old arrowhead from the Middle Age, you must be eager to know about its present condition. So, let’s delve deeper.
According to a report, the medieval arrowhead is presently rusted. The chances are that it may also have oxidised in the recent days with the object being exposed to the air after the melting of the ice.
The point is rusty and will are thus since shortly once the medieval caribou hunter lost his quarry k years past. it’s going to even have change terribly recently once the object was exposed to the air once the ice unfrozen. identical goes for the picket shaft and fletching that haven’t survived. If the arrow was at bay in soil, they’ll have rotten over several centuries. If the complete issue was cased ensconced in ice, on the opposite hand, we tend to could have lost them terribly recently.
For the students of ancient history willing to catch a glimpse of the medieval arrowhead, they can find it conserved at the University Museum in Bergen. It is said that the ancient weapon will be stabilised in order to avoid corrosions of any type.
To Wrap Up
With so many revelations and finds enriching the historical culture of Norway, it is likely that Norway’s mountains are still hiding a lot of mystery. Most of the ruins are still frozen in the ice at higher altitudes. This indicates that archaeologists in the near future may get to extract and explore more of such artefacts under favourable climatic condition.
I will be back with more news and trivia on the discovery and traces of historical finds.
Cheers!
