The Border of Farming and the Cultural Markers - Nordlige Verdener

123
Norway – the first
remains of farm houses
The Danish large scale excavations from
the 1960’ies and early 1970’ies were of
course known in Norway, but only a few
Norwegian archaeologists tried to copy
it. It was not until a research project on
Forsand in Rogaland, using a mechanical
excavator to strip off the top soil the
method was more generally introduced
in Norway. The method became more
common from the middle of the 1990’ies
and since then used regularly. Then – of
course – Bronze Age houses were found.
During the years 1980 to 1990, 1992 and
1994 about 80.000 m 2 were examined at
Forsand and approximately 250 house
remains were recognised whereof 20
were dated to the Bronze Age (Løken
1998: 170–171).
The houses in Rogaland were all of the
same type and construction as the South
Scandinavian house remains. Within a few
years more than 300 house remains from
the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age were
discovered. The development of house
types in Rogaland is shown in fig. 2.
Fig.1 (top right): Late Bronze Age house from
Ristoft, Western Jutland. The remains indicate a
house measuring 19,5 m by 6 m. Courtesy Becker
1968.
Fig. 2: House types from Rogaland from Late Neolithic
to Pre-Roman Iron Age. Courtesy Østmo,
Hedeager 2005:186.
Nordlige Verdener
Shetlandsprojekt