Lost Viking mountain pass yields treasures

[Eldorado]

"During 2011’s particularly warm summer, archaeologists surveying Lendbreen for the first time found centuries-old horse dung littered all over the ground and ancient artifacts melting out of the ice.

"Among those early finds was a 1700-year-old tunic, the oldest piece of clothing ever discovered in Norway and one that is puzzlingly complete, perhaps tossed off by a traveler in the delirious late stages of hypothermia.

"Now, after several more explorations of the site, researchers have discovered more than 1,000 artifacts including scraps of wool clothing and leather shoes, fragments of sleds, horseshoes and walking sticks.

"A new analysis of artifacts from the ice patch, published today in the journal Antiquity, offers new information about how this mountain pass was used over time—and some ominous clues about why it was eventually abandoned."

Full story at the Smithsonian Mag: Link

Research at Cambridge Uni: Link

[Cookie Monster]

15 minutes ago, Eldorado said:

"During 2011’s particularly warm summer, archaeologists surveying Lendbreen for the first time found centuries-old horse dung littered all over the ground and ancient artifacts melting out of the ice.

"Among those early finds was a 1700-year-old tunic, the oldest piece of clothing ever discovered in Norway and one that is puzzlingly complete, perhaps tossed off by a traveler in the delirious late stages of hypothermia.

"Now, after several more explorations of the site, researchers have discovered more than 1,000 artifacts including scraps of wool clothing and leather shoes, fragments of sleds, horseshoes and walking sticks.

"A new analysis of artifacts from the ice patch, published today in the journal Antiquity, offers new information about how this mountain pass was used over time—and some ominous clues about why it was eventually abandoned."

Full story at the Smithsonian Mag: Link

Research at Cambridge Uni: Link

I liked the bit about how they thought the wearer of the tunic had hypothermia.

In the later stages people feel incredibly hot (making them undress) and get the urge to find somewhere to hide. Its the body preparing for hibernation but with the exception of Australian Aborigines most of us have lost our evolutionary edge with hibernation so it kills us.

An interesting find, maybe it was an outlaw hiding in the mountains.

[DieChecker]

I was just reading about this. I was wondering if the area was mostly ice free in the 4th century to 10th century, and later iced over much more. There had to be some permanent ice since objects dating to the 4th century have been preserved.

[Seti42]

This is really cool. I like reading about everyday item finds in archaeology almost more than grand temples, elaborate burials for the wealthy, etc.

[mdbuilder]

I hope everyone grasps the implications relative to the hype over 'global warming'.

[Myles]

One of the few positives of global warming.