Melting ice due to climate change threatens archaeological finds in Norway. — Image courtesy of MWayOut/Getty Images via ETX Studio

Sunday July 17, 2022 08:22 MYT

OSLO, July 17 — In addition to threatening natural ecosystems, climate change can also threaten the relics of history. The upheaval caused by rising temperature on the Earth’s surface is affecting archaeological remains in Norway, a new study reveals.

Many archaeological sites located in Norway could disappear in the coming years due to global warming. Yet the north of the country and the thousand-year-old glaciers it shelters are territories particularly conducive to discoveries. There, archaeologists found a 6,100-year-old arrow, a 3,000-year-old leather sandal and a perfectly preserved bird corpse dating back to 2,000 BC. AD, according to a report by the NTNU University Museum.

These archaeological treasures have long been preserved by the coolness of the soil, and the cold and humid climate of this region. “Objects and remains of animals and human activities have been discovered that we didn’t even know existed,” said Birgitte Skar, archaeologist and co-author of the report. Norwegian science news. “Not a year passes without surprising discoveries that push the limits of our understanding.”

A real threat to polar archeology

However, melting ice due to climate change threatens many of these Norwegian cultural artifacts. A report cited in the NTNU University Museum study indicates that more than 585 km2 of Norwegian snow patches and glaciers have melted since 2006. This phenomenon endangers some historic sites, although it also reveals, in places, archaeological treasures buried for centuries. It happened in the mountains of Jotunheimen in southwestern Norway. In April 2020, scientists found hundreds of artifacts there dating back to the Viking Age, which had emerged from the Lendbreen Ice Patch.

Despite these findings, climate change poses a real threat to archaeological heritage in Norway. Especially since many archaeological sites have not yet been excavated and could disappear before having revealed all their secrets, carrying with them unique testimonies on the customs of the Vikings and the Norwegian indigenous peoples. “We used to think of ice as desolate and lifeless and therefore not very important,” said Jørgen Rosvold, biologist and deputy research director at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA). Norwegian science news. “It is changing now, but it is urgent. Large amounts of unique materials melt away and disappear forever. Discoveries can provide important information about the history of man and nature. — Studio ETX