Researchers from the universities of Bergen, Oslo and Cambridge have found 68 arrowheads and other items that were previously frozen in an ice patch. The amount of items is remarkable, but they’re also from various time periods and materials.
According to New Scientist, the arrows can be dated between 4100 BC and 1300 AD. This means the oldest finds are older than any other ice site in Northern Europe, according to the researcher’s website. For comparison, the famous ice mummy Ötzi is usually dated between 3365-3041 BC. Lars Pilø, one of the researchers, also writes that this location contains the most arrows of all the ice sites in the world. The researchers have been working on the site (referred to as their ‘secret arrow site’) for years, but decided to keep it secret until the fieldwork was completed.
While this is a unique and interesting find, there’s an unfortunate reality behind it. The ice patch, located in Norway’s Jotunheimen region, is currently only 30% of the size it was 20 years ago due to climate change. It has been revealing artifacts since 2006 and will probably keep doing so, as noted by Pilø.
For in-depth information about the ice patch and its finds, see the researcher’s website, Secrets of the Ice.
Sources: Smithsonian Magazine, New Scientist, Secrets of the Ice.