Rapportserie fra den arkeologiske virksomheten ved Norges arktiske universitetsmuseum, UiT Norges arktiske universitet. Serien omfatter rapporter fra forvaltningsarkeologiske utgravninger, forskningsundersøkelser og annet feltarbeid, og faglige programmer. Redaksjonen består av Anja Roth Niemi og Janne Oppvang, Norges arktiske universitetsmuseum.
Stauran is a long-known farmstead locality situated on the mainland in Tjeldsund municipality, in the northeastern part of Tjeldsundet. The site was partially investigated in 1988–1989, re-registered in 2015, and its final section was examined in 2023 by the Arctic University Museum of Norway. The investigations indicate that a farm settlement was likely established at Stauran sometime around the year 1000 CE. The site consists of several houses that were probably used during different periods. In the lower part of the farm, a large waste deposit was also examined in 2023. A large number of artifacts were collected in 2023, many of which have been precisely dated. Additionally, a significant amount of bones was collected, several of which have undergone osteological analysis. Stauran appears to have been abandoned sometime in the late 13th century and was never re-established as a farm.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mikael Cerbing https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
In the summer of 2025, the Arctic University Museum of Norway carried out archaeological monitoring of excavation work for drainage around a house located on the farm mound at Vollstad in Harstad Municipality. Previous investigations have documented traces of settlement in the farm mound dating back to the 14th century. During the monitoring, a few pockets of cultural deposits were recorded in the eastern part of the monitored area, but no finds or clearly defined cultural layers that with certainty can be dated to the medieval period were identified.
Copyright (c) 2026 Martine Lahti https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
At Sørrollnes, an Early Stone Age settlement was investigated in connection with the replacement of water pipes. The site, registered in 2011, is located on a terrace 58–60 meters above sea level and dates to the Early Mesolithic (9500–8500 BCE). The investigations uncovered 444 finds, primarily quartzite with some flint, indicating short-term stays with local raw material utilization. The finds include debitage, cores, and a few tools such as a fragment of a tanged point, scrapers, and a burin. The material shows similarities to other Early Mesolithic sites in the region, such as Stangnes Syd and Årbogen 2, as well as sites further north in Troms and Finnmark. The finds contribute to a better understanding of early settlement and mobility in southern Troms, and the site is interpreted as part of a larger network of Early Mesolithic settlements. Summary is translated by AI (Chat UiT, 2026) and modified by author.
Copyright (c) 2026 Janne Oppvang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Forvika was a multi-phase Stone Age settlement/activity area that appears to have been in use throughout much of the Late Mesolithic. The earliest traces of human activity at the site were found in a tent site on the upper terrace, dated to around 6000 BC (approximately 29 meters above sea level). On the site's lower terrace, around 24 meters above sea level, two additional areas were investigated. First, a house structure, House 1, which seems to have been used for a different type of activity than a typical dwelling (dated to around 5500 BC). However, the house structure was largely destroyed due to water flow. North of the house, an activity area without clear structural remains was also investigated. It is possible that this activity area was used repeatedly during the period around 5300–5000 BC.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mikael Cerbing, Alice Sunde Kvalheim https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
The activity at Årbogen 2 is associated with the utilization and collection of raw materials. The site is covered by moraine deposits left by the last Ice Age. These moraine deposits are rich in quartzite, which was exploited for various types of flaking technology at the site. The site mainly consists of localized find concentrations, containing typologically diverse categories of finds. The stone material indicates activity ranging from the Early Stone Age to the latter part of the Early Metal Age. The three C14 datings from the site support this, providing dates from 8100 BC to AD 802.
Copyright (c) 2025 Alice Sunde Kvalheim https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
At Årbogen 1, remains of a single tent ring were discovered, consisting of a cleared surface surrounded by stones and a possible flagstone-paved entrance. The finds were concentrated on a cleared surface and primarily consisted of flint. The site is interpreted as a short-term stay by a small group of people. Reliable datings from the tent ring indicate the periods 6644–7025 BC and 7607–8305 BC, with the latter aligning well with the artifact assemblage. The blade material is prominent, and evidence of both pressure flaking/indirect techniques, associated with an eastern tradition, and direct techniques, linked to southern traditions, was observed.
Copyright (c) 2025 Signe Groot Terkelsen, Janne Oppvang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
In late autumn 2025, the Arctic University Museum of Norway carried out archaeological monitoring in Tjeldsund municipality in connection with the expansion of a ditch that passed through a previously known farm mound. The farm mound “Tofta” is the first registered farm mound in Northern Norway, and it was investigated and supposedly levelled in 1874–1875. The monitoring revealed part of a possible intact cultural layer in the most northwestern part of the ditch. A thinner layer of disturbed farm mound mass could be detected in several places in the ditch, and some examples of finds and two charcoal samples from the possibly intact layer were collected. Otherwise, it seems that at least this part of the farm mound was levelled in the way described in texts from the 19th century.
State of Knowledge and Research Questions
The chapter outlines the research questions of the project and the existing knowledge about the region prior to the project's initiation. The focus is on the Stone Age and Sámi cultural heritage, the two periods for which the project has generated the most new knowledge.
Copyright (c) 2025 Inga Malene Bruun, Erlend Kirkeng Jørgensen, Janne Oppvang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Full text format of the report "Archaeology along the Hålogaland Road" has conducted archaeological investigations at 32 sites. The sites primarily encompass the periods of the Early and Late Stone Age, as well as Sami cultural heritage. The Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Middle Ages are represented by a few sites. From both the Early and Late Stone Age, we have examined several settlements, as well as other types of sites such as hunting stations. Many of the settlements from both periods feature house remains and cleared surfaces, and several of these show signs of being used repeatedly. Flint was the most important raw material during the Early Stone Age, while slate became central in the Late Stone Age. The sites appear to have been focused on the exploitation of marine resources. Among the findings, we particularly highlight the rich collection of axes and flakes from the Early Stone Age, where the flakes, among other things, indicate eastern connections. while single-edged knives, slate points, and several large grindstones are notable from the Late Stone Age. Numerous fishing sinkers have also been found throughout the period, one of which features an engraved figure. The Sami sites are dated from the Middle Ages up to the 20th century and include structures such as turf huts, a smithy, stone fences, and a tent settlement. These sites represent both the coastal Sami and reindeer-herding Sami cultures in the region, utilizing both marine and land-based resources. The findings primarily come from the two sites Kåringskrysset and Nesset Kobbenesset and include items such as boat nails, a padlock, window glass, cutlery, anvil stones, baking stones, ceramics, fire flint, and slag.
Copyright (c) 2025 Janne Oppvang, Inga Malene Bruun, Erik Kjellman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Foreword and Introduction to the report: Archaeology along the Hålogalandsvegen.
Copyright (c) 2025 Inga Malene Bruun, Janne Oppvang, Erik Kjellman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
A single charcoal pit was investigated in 2025 on the Løvdal farm in Gratangen. The pit measured 2.8 meters in diameter, and with the embankments 5 meters in diameter. It was used to produce charcoal, and the size indicates that up to 160 liters of charcoal may have been produced per burning in the pit. Charcoal at the bottom of the pit was dated to the 14th century, while a possible drainage ditch around the pit was dated to the 13th century.
This field report presents results from research excavations at the sites of Gollevarre in Tana, Finnmark and Drag in Tysfjord, Nordland. One of the main objectives was to obtain data for a Ph.D. project utilizing sedaDNA from cultural deposits and aDNA from reindeer bones to document the transition towards reindeer pastoralism. The excavations also provided insights into two medieval to early modern period settlements associated with reindeer exploitation from contrasting environments and cultural contexts within northern Norway. Gollevarre is a residential site occupied from the 12th to 17th century that had a primary focus on reindeer hunting utilizing nearby pitfall trapping systems. Multiple phases of settlement with overlapping turf house structures reflect intensive hunting-related seasonal use. A 2 x 1 m trench was excavated within a 16th to early 17th century refuse deposit associated with a nearby turf hut/house structure. The deposit consisted almost entirely of reindeer bone originating from disposal of household refuse and hearth maintenance. Although very few artifacts were recovered, fragments of modified reindeer bone and antler were documented throughout the deposit. A majority of the worked bone appears to reflect butchery activity that included extensive long bone splitting for marrow extraction. Zooarchaeological analysis of the reindeer assemblage revealed a skewing towards young individuals and high frequency of antler relative to contemporaneous Sámi dwelling sites in Finnmark. Non-reindeer faunal remains reveal a varied subsistence strategy including the presence of livestock (pig and sheep) and exploitation of wild game including fish, birds and mammals. The Drag settlement mound was first investigated as part of a research project on coastal Sámi farming settlements in Tysfjord. A 1.5 m2 unit excavated in 2009 documented a settlement sequence dated from the late 12th century into the 18th century. A 1 m2 unit was excavated in close proximity to the earlier excavation in 2024 and revealed two spatially distinct use zones in a cultural deposit spanning the 16th century. Two-thirds of the unit was occupied by boulders from a structural foundation wall. Slag from blacksmithing along with boat rivets and nails indicate specialized workshop use associated with the structure. The remainder of the unit reflects residential activity including waste disposal with significant quantities of charcoal and ash as well as highly fragmented bone dominated by domesticates, c. 60% burnt. The faunal assemblage as a whole is dominated by livestock but also includes small to medium sized wild mammals, birds, fish and fragments of worked whalebone. A majority of the five identified reindeer bone fragments are burnt. The presence of reindeer throughout the cultural deposit in the 2009 unit (n=20) was one of the main reasons for additional excavation in 2024.
Copyright (c) 2025 Stephen Wickler https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
I 2009 så undersökte Tromsø museum ett antal kokgropar SV om det återuppbyggda vikingahuset på Borg. Ett större fält och fyra mindre områden öppnades och undersöktes 16 kokgropar med dateringer som spenner fra førromersk jernalder til merovingertid, och en ugn med ett antal mer eller mindre osäkra stolphål dokumenterades. Kokegropene kan ha inngåtti ett större kokgropsfält på lokaliteten vars utsträckning ännu är okänt. Samlat så visar undersökningen ifrån 2009 att kokgropsaktivitet skett på Borgehöjden ifrån troligen något efter 500 fvt till i det minsta inledningen av 600-talet evt. Det begränsade utgrävningsområdet kan inte säga oss något om hur regelbunden eller stor denna aktivitet var, men dessa resultat pekar mot ett utökat bruk av dessa fält under 500 till början av 600-talet. Här föreslås det även att ugnen som identifierades vid undersökningen tillhör en senare fas av aktiviteten på fältet, något som kanske kronologiskt kan knytas upp mot byggandet av langhusene Borg 1:1a och 1:1b.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mikael Cerbing https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
«Arkeologi langs Hålogalandsvegen» er det største arkeologiske prosjektet noensinne i Nord-Norge. I løpet av tre feltsesonger skal alle kulturminnene som vil bli berørt av den planlagte Hålogalandsvegen undersøkes. Statens Vegvesen er tiltakshaver. Sommeren 2022 var tredje og siste feltsesong, og 9 av i alt 33 lokaliteter ble undersøkt. Majoriteten av lokalitetene var fra steinbrukende tid. Litt nord om Tjeldsundbrua, lå våre to nordligste lokaliteter: Fauskevåg 1 og Fauskevåg 2. Begge er mesolittiske, de ligger like ved hverandre, og har et ganske ensartet uttrykk. Begge ligger på fine sandflater, men har ingen synlige strukturer. En del funn ble det gjort begge steder, men kanskje mindre enn forventet. Litt lenger sør finner man Årbogen 2. Denne lokaliteten ble oppdaget under undersøkelsen av den nærliggende Årbogen 1, og Statens Vegvesen stilte med midler for at også denne kunne undersøkes. Årbogen 2 er en mesolittisk lokalitet, der uthenting av kvartsitt synes å ha vært det sentrale. I Lødingen kommune ligger årets siste mesolittiske lokalitet; Strand 1. Her ble det ikke påvist noen strukturer, og det var lite funn. Antagelig har stedet vært brukt for et kort stopp. Ikke langt unna ligger Båtvikmyra. Her var det to tufter, antagelig fra yngre steinalder. Materialet var begrenset, men til gjengjeld var gjenstandene forseggjorte skiferredskaper. Den største lokaliteten 2022 var Djupfest 1, fra yngre steinalder. Her var det flere tufter med tydelige konstruksjonsdetaljer, aktivitetsområder og mange flotte funn. Det var et høyt antall skiferkniver, noen skiferspisser og en hel del fiskesøkker. Stedet må ha hatt en sterk marin tilknytning. På Storhaugen var det også flere tufter, med en enda tydeligere høydemessig fordeling. Disse er også fra yngre steinalder, men med et begrenset funnmateriale. De to yngste lokalitetene var Kåringskrysset og Våtvoll. Kåringskrysset ble påbegynt i 2021, men ble fortsatt og avsluttet i 2022. Dette er en samisk boplass med ulike typer tufter rundt et tun. Våtvoll var årets eneste lokalitet i Gullesfjorden, og var også et kort prosjekt. Her er det en heller med samisk bruk. Det ble ikke gjort noen funn, men det var tydelige trekullag under overhenget.
Copyright (c) 2023 Inga Malene Bruun https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
«Arkeologi langs Hålogalandsvegen» er det største arkeologiske prosjektet noensinne i Nord-Norge. I løpet av tre feltsesonger skal alle kulturminnene som vil bli berørt av den planlagte Hålogalandsvegen undersøkes. Statens Vegvesen er tiltakshaver. Sommeren 2021 var andre feltsesong, og 17 av i alt 32 lokaliteter ble undersøkt. Om lag halvparten av lokalitetene var fra eldre steinalder. Blant annet ferdigstilte vi arbeidet på den store boplassen Solli som ble påbegynt i 2020. Videre undersøkte vi Haukebø 2, en lokalitet som tydelig viser at fiske og utnytting av maritime ressurser sto sentralt. På Gausvik 5 så vi for oss noe lignende, men her var kun noen få steinalderfunn mens resten var fra jernalder. Lenger sør lå Forvikneset og Forvika like ved hverandre. Forvikneset kan en gang ha vært en stor lokalitet, men størsteparten har blitt fjernet i nyere tid. På Forvika var det spor av en teltboplass og muligens en tuft. Vår så langt eldste lokaltitet er Årbogen 1, noe som viste seg å være en liten teltboplass.De resterende lokalitetene som ble gravd, var ulike typer samiske kulturminner som dateres til middelalder og nyere tid. På Kåringskrysset ble arbeidet med å undersøke de to tuftene påbegynt, men de var langt mer komplekse enn antatt og i tillegg fant vi tre tufter til, så dette arbeidet fortsettes i 2022. På Nesset Kobbenesset undersøkte vi det som viste seg å være en smietuft. I Hamna og Bømark ble tre steingjerder dokumentert, mens vi på Kvitnes Middagshaugen gravde en teltboplass. Fredheim 1 og 2, Kistholmbukta og Sommarset viste seg og ikke være automatisk fredete samiske kulturminner.
Copyright (c) 2022 Inga Malene Bruun, Janne Oppvang https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.no
In connection with new planned retail development at Leknessletta in Vestvågøy, Nordland County Council recorded a cooking-pit site in 2019. In 2023, the Arctic University Museum of Norway carried out an excavation of the site. Several cooking pits, hearths, postholes and a three-aisled post-built hose were identified. Cooking-pit activity appears to begin in the Late Pre-Roman Iron Age. Several similar post-holes were examined where one is dated to the Early Roman Iron Age. A post-built house consisting of three pairs of posts, a hearth and a cooking-pit dated to the Merovingian period is interpreted as a dwelling or possible workshop.
Copyright (c) 2026 Andreas Luneborg https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
In connection with the planned expansion of Kongsvik churchyard, several archaeological features were discovered in 2020, leading to a full-scale excavation in 2021. The investigation revealed a pre-Roman Iron Age settlement environment consisting of two three-aisled longhouses, several cooking pits, hearths, and two oven installations—one of which is interpreted as a two-chamber dome oven, likely used for baking or food production. The radiocarbon dates indicate that the main activity took place between approximately 360 and 160 BCE, with some evidence suggesting continued activity towards the turn of the era. Building 2 may be somewhat older than Building 1, but the dating ranges overlap, and contemporaneity cannot be ruled out. The excavation also revealed modern disturbances in the area, which have affected preservation conditions. The artefact assemblage was relatively limited and dominated by clay daub from the oven structure. Finds of asbestos-tempered pottery, bronze melt droplets, and slag were also made, indicating possible craft activities. Overall, the investigation provides an important contribution to the understanding of early agricultural settlement in Northern Norway, as few longhouses from the pre-Roman Iron Age have previously been documented in the region.
Copyright (c) 2026 Andreas Luneborg, Heidi Fløttum Westgaard, Anja Roth Niemi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
In the summer of 2025, we excavated a burrow located at Børvågneset in Andøy kommune. The burrow had been dated to the Middle Ages during the registration work, and our examinations confirmed this. The area also yielded several dates ranging from the 16th century all the way up to the 19th century. This provides evidence of long and continuous use of the area. In more recent times, the site is known as a harbor for fishing activities. The burrow itself offered very few clues about its construction—no construction elements were recorded except for an intentionally dug pit. A small layer of coal inside the pit provided a C-14 date of 1274–1299 A.D.
Copyright (c) 2026 Alice Sunde Kvalheim https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
The chapter details how the finds material was cataloged. It primarily focuses on stone artifacts, including an overview of artifact terms and the various types of stone raw materials.
Copyright (c) 2025 Janne Oppvang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Synthesis of the project with a focus on results and research potential. The synthesis highlights resource utilization, mobility, settlement patterns, and tool use. The chapter summarizes the findings from the reports on the various sites and examines these in relation to the project's research questions.
Copyright (c) 2025 Erlend Kirkeng Jørgensen, Inga Malene Bruun, Janne Oppvang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Both Kistholmbukta and Sommeret must be considered as areas without traces of cultural heritage. Whether this was due to a registration error or incorrect coordinates being provided is unknown. A search for cultural heritage was conducted in a larger area around the sites, but this also yielded no results.
Copyright (c) 2025 Tor Ketil Krokmyrdal, Janne Oppvang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Fredheim 1 was recorded in 2015 as a foundation stone structure with presumed Sámi connections. However, the archaeological excavation revealed that it was not a structure but rather a modern clearance cairn and waste disposal site. Fredheim 2 was recorded in 2015 as an earth cellar. It was considered a Sámi cultural heritage site based on oral sources and place names. The earth cellar was archaeologically investigated in 2021. It is likely that the cellar belonged to the farm on which it was built and may have been constructed around the same time as the rest of the buildings on the farm. All finds made during the excavation were of more recent date. The earth cellar went out of use in the 1950s–1960s, after which the structure was filled with the farm's garbage.
Copyright (c) 2025 Tor Ketil Krokmyrdal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
At Bømark in Gullesfjorden, two fences were recorded. One was located in the marsh, while the other was situated near the river. The latter appeared more like a wall than a fence and can be interpreted as the foundation for a forest road leading up to the mill further along the river. The function of the fence in the marsh is more uncertain. Both sites are associated with the Sámi settlement and use of Gullesfjorden.
Copyright (c) 2025 Inga Malene Bruun, Erik Kjellman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Hamna is a fence site located on the western side of Tjeldsundet, near the bridge. The fence stretches from the shoreline approximately 600 meters up the hillside, where it splits into a northward and a southward axis. The total length is about 1.6 km. Only the easternmost part, which is affected by the road plans, was investigated and documented. The function of the fence is uncertain. It may have served as a guiding fence for reindeer swimming across the strait and/or to separate grazing livestock. The fence was likely constructed in the mid-19th century.
Copyright (c) 2025 Tor Ketil Krokmyrdal, Inga Malene Bruun https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
The stone block at Våtvoll is interpreted as a Sámi cultural heritage site, associated with travel and tradition, with evidence of short-term stays. The site is located in an area with known Sámi clearings from the 17th century onwards and can be linked to travel and outfield use connected to the nearby farms. Charcoal dating indicates at least one stay under the dripline during the period AD 1665–1800. The charcoal shows that there was a hearth under the overhang and that it may have been used multiple times, though it does not indicate how many times or the duration of the stays. However, the overhang appears too small to accommodate longer stays.
Kvitnes Middagshaugen was recorded in 2015 as a tent settlement with an árran (hearth) and a tent ring. Archaeological investigations revealed that it was situated directly on the bedrock, on a small hill. Such a location is typical for Sámi spring settlements. Analysis of charcoal from the hearth provided a dating to 1639–1792.
Finnsteinen was recorded in 2015 as two individual features: the stone itself, associated with Sámi religion, and an árran (hearth) located under an overhang on the stone. The investigations revealed that there was no árran present but rather a charcoal layer extending along the entire eastern side of the stone. This layer contained a significant amount of fire-cracked flint, as well as some finds of iron, leather, and bone. Many stories are connected to the stone, and it has been interpreted as both a dwelling site and a sacrificial stone. Our investigations suggest that the site may have been used repeatedly for short stays, but also that the stone—at least in more recent times—may have served as a sacrificial site.
Kåringskrysset was first recorded in 1969 and re-registered in 2015 as two turf hut remains. The archaeological excavation uncovered an additional two remains. Two of the remains were elongated and likely used as dwellings. A square-shaped structure appears to have been used as storage, while the last one may have been a barn. Finds included ceramics, boat nails, fishing sinkers, window glass, cutlery, and parts of copper kettles. The datings indicate a period of use between the 15th and 17th centuries. The excavation took place in 2021 and 2022.
Copyright (c) 2025 Inga Malene Bruun, Ingar Olsborg f, Tor Ketil Krokmyrdal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Kobbenesset was recorded as a turf hut (gammetuft) in 2015. The archaeological investigation in 2021 uncovered a forge with a centrally placed hearth. Finds included slag, scale, slag spheres, anvil stones, and whetstones. Metallurgical analyses indicate that the forge was used for secondary smithing.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ingar Olsborg Figenschau, Inga Malene Bruun https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
The site consisted of two small charcoal pits located on either side of a small hillcrest, a bit into the forest west of Tjeldsundet. The southern pit was dated to the late 13th century, while the northern pit was dated to the mid-14th century.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mikael Cerbing, Silje Sivertsvik https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0