Hiker stumbles on massive medieval reindeer traps in Norway
In the fall of 2024, a remarkable discovery unfolded in Norway’s Aurlandsfjellet region, thanks to the keen eye of hiker Helge Titland. While trekking through the mountainous landscape, Titland stumbled upon unusual wooden stakes protruding from melting snow. Recognizing the potential significance of his find, he promptly reported it to local archaeologists. However, a return of snow delayed immediate investigation. Fast forward a year, and a team from Vestland County Municipality, in collaboration with the University Museum in Bergen, returned to the site, unveiling a stunning 1,500-year-old mass reindeer trapping system, the first of its kind made of wood to be discovered in Norway, and potentially unique in Europe.
The excavation revealed a complex network of hundreds of carved wooden posts, along with two fences designed to funnel reindeer into a pen for capture. Archaeologist Øystein Skår noted that the facility’s construction and the artifacts found—such as iron spearheads, wooden spear shafts, and intricately crafted wooden objects—offer valuable insights into ancient hunting practices. Among the most notable finds were well-preserved reindeer antlers, all marked with carving signs, which provided additional context to the hunting activities. The researchers also uncovered a beautifully designed dress pin made of antler, likely lost by a trapper, and a set of ornately decorated oars, the purpose of which remains a tantalizing mystery. This site, preserved for centuries under snow and ice, highlights the importance of the cold climate in safeguarding historical artifacts until now.
As the team continues to study the site, they face challenges regarding preservation. With climate change leading to further melting, archaeologist Skår expressed concern that artifacts may be lost to looters or decay if the ice continues to recede. The discovery not only sheds light on ancient hunting techniques but also serves as a poignant reminder of the need to protect archaeological sites in the face of environmental change. The hope remains that some of these remarkable finds will eventually be displayed in museum exhibits, providing a tangible connection to Norway’s rich history and the people who once roamed its rugged landscapes.
In the fall of 2024, a hiker named Helge Titland was trekking through
Aurlandsfjellet
, a mountainous region and plateau in Norway and got a little more than just some time with nature. Titland found some strange wooden stakes peaking out of melting snow. He wisely reported it to local
archaeologists
, but snow returned before the team could investigate. One year later, a team from Vestland County Municipality and the University Museum in Bergen returned to the site and found a 1,500-year-old mass reindeer trapping system.
“This is the first time a mass hunting facility made of wood has emerged from the ice in Norway, and the facility is probably also unique in a European context,” Øystein Skår, an archaeologist in Vestland County Municipality,
said in a museum statement
.
The reindeer trapping facility on Aurlandsfjellet is 1,500 years old and has been melting from the ice over the last few years.
Image: Thomas Bruen Olsen, University Museum, UiB.
Skår and his colleagues also found several very well-preserved reindeer antlers, which confirm the nature of the facility, according to the archaeologist. “All the antlers have carving marks, which gives us deeper insight into the hunting activity itself,” he added. Sorry, Rudolf.
The remains of this ancient trapping system consist of hundreds of carved wooden posts. The researchers also identified two fences that would have led the
reindeer
into a pen to be killed. Artifacts came to light as well, including iron spearheads, wooden spear shafts and arrow shafts, parts of bows, and puzzling objects finely crafted in wood. While their exact purpose remains mysterious, they were likely also connected to the hunt.
Archaeologist Leif Inge Åstveit shows one of the vessels found in connection with the trapping facility.
Image: Thomas Bruen Olsen, University Museum, UiB.
Furthermore, the team found “a beautifully designed dress pin made of antler, which was probably lost by a trapper in the heat of battle,” Skår added. “The most surprising find, however, is one or more oars with intricate ornamentation. What these were used for, and why they were taken to the mountains 1500 years ago, is still a mystery.” After all, the
hunting
facility is over 4,500 feet (1,400 meters) above sea level.
This antler brooch was probably lost by one of the trappers who worked at the facility.
Image: Thomas Bruen Olsen, University Museum, UiB.
The site has remained remarkably well preserved due to a cold period that struck around the middle of the 500s, covering it in snow all year long and eventually sealing it in ice. The remains have been protected by
optimal preservation conditions
—cold, dark, and damp—until now. The objects recovered by the archaeologists are now sitting in a freezer at the museum, slowly drying. However, they weren’t able to take everything with them.
“The problem going forward is that things will disappear because people will take the artifacts with them. In addition, all the wood will quickly decay if the ice disappears further,” Skår concluded. He hopes that parts of the discovery will one day make it into one of the museum’s exhibits.
It’s a good reminder to leave things where they belong—though some might warrant phoning in the local archaeological team.
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Hiker stumbles on massive medieval reindeer traps in Norway
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