In the Jotunheimen mountains of eastern Norway, glacial archaeologist Espen Finstad recently made an extraordinary discovery: a 3,000-year-old wooden arrow, complete with a quartzite tip and feathers in remarkably good condition. This find is just one of many artifacts that have emerged from melting ice around the world, as climate change takes its toll on permafrost and glaciers.
Finstad, who works for Innlandet County, expressed his excitement about the find, noting its rarity and completeness. He and his colleagues estimate that the arrow belongs to a reindeer hunter from the late Stone Age or early Bronze Age.
The warming temperatures caused by climate change are rapidly melting ice across the globe, providing a brief window of opportunity for glacial archaeologists. They must work quickly to uncover these historical artifacts before they are destroyed by the elements.
Lars Holger Pilo, a glacial archaeologist and colleague of Finstad, emphasized the urgency of their work. They are determined to save as many artifacts as possible before they are lost forever.
For over a decade, Finstad’s team has been exploring mountain passes in Norway as part of the Secrets of the Ice project. This project, a collaboration between Innlandet County Municipality and the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, has resulted in the discovery of around 4,000 artifacts and remains.
Similar work is taking place in Alaska, Siberia, and Mongolia. Some of the most notable finds include Yuka, a 39,000-year-old baby Mammoth found in Siberia, and a 280-million-year-old tree fossil discovered in Antarctica. However, the most famous of all is Ötzi, a 5,300-year-old iceman found in the Italian Alps.
Currently, Finstad and his colleagues are thrilled with the 250 objects they have retrieved this year from melted sludge in Norway. Among these objects is the well-preserved 3,000-year-old arrow, which provides valuable insights into its construction and use.
William Taylor, an associate professor of archaeology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, commended the arrow’s preservation. He stated that it fills gaps in our understanding of ancient objects and leaves nothing to the imagination. Time is of the essence in this field of research, as objects quickly deteriorate once exposed.
Espen Finstad, the archaeologist who made the discovery, considers it one of his top 10 favorites. He feels a special connection to the people who lived and lost the arrow in the same mountains he now explores.
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