What at first sight appeared like an historical firepit has confirmed to be a uncommon 4,000-year-old stone cist grave in Halden, southeastern Norway. It’s one in every of solely about 20 stone cists present in Norway, in distinction to Sweden the place 2,000 are identified, and that is the one ever to be excavated by skilled archaeologists.
Only a few miles from the border with Sweden, the realm is slated for improvement into a brand new industrial park. Archaeologists are excavating the location to doc and get well every little thing they will discover earlier than development begins. The group uncovered some stones sticking up out of the soil, and a charcoal layer which steered to them it was an historical firepit. It was solely once they eliminated among the stones that they noticed the stone slab sides of a cist grave.
The cist was constructed utilizing stone slabs weighing a whole bunch of kilos with wedges pushed down into the corners to create an in-ground coffin. The stone slabs are neatly positioned and thoroughly wedged to maintain them secure. Small, clean stones had been used to line the underside of the grave making a flooring.
No traces of human stays had been discovered contained in the grave. Comparable examples have contained the skeletal stays of younger males, some exhibiting proof of battle accidents. They had been buried with daggers and arrowheads, suggesting they could have been warriors in life. The Halden cist did comprise an arrowhead, however no daggers. Additionally they discovered one amber bead and a fraction of corded ware pottery.
Archaeologists consider the deceased was probably an area resident, maybe a farmer. To reply among the questions concerning the grave and its proprietor, archaeologists are using an experimental approach: they are going to be extracting DNA from soil samples. The physique has decomposed, however the soil it decomposed into continues to be there and nonetheless retains traces of DNA. Archaeologists hope they’ll be capable to discover out extra concerning the deceased from these traces.
The Cultural Historical past Museum is now discussing the destiny of the cist grave with Østfold County Council. The controversy is whether or not it must be allowed to stay in situ so that folks can go to it in its authentic location, or recovered and reconstructed contained in the museum.
