Archaeologists working on the Aurlandsfjellet mountain plateau in Vestland County have uncovered one of Norway’s most remarkable finds of 2025: a 1,500-year-old reindeer trapping system revealed by retreating ice. Led by Vestland County Council and the University Museum of Bergen, the discovery offers a rare look at large-scale Iron Age hunting practices in the high mountains.
A Large-Scale Hunting Installation
Originally spotted in 2024, the structure emerged more fully in 2025 as the ice melted. Hundreds of carved wooden logs formed two long converging fences leading into a large enclosure where reindeer were driven and killed. This is the first major wooden trapping system ever found melting out of ice in Norway or elsewhere in Europe. A nearby cache of reindeer antlers—many with deep cut marks—confirms that the location was used for organised mass hunting. The site dates to the mid-6th century CE, when a colder climate soon sealed it beneath snow and ice.
Artifacts Frozen in Time
The frozen conditions preserved not only the wooden trap but also iron spearheads, arrow fragments, carved wooden tools, and several decorated wooden paddles whose purpose remains unclear. A carefully made antler dress pin, likely lost by a hunter, was also recovered.
From Chance Sighting to Major Discovery
The site came to light thanks to local hiker Helge Titland, who noticed carved wood emerging from melting ice and alerted archaeologists. Returning with him a year later, the team found much more had thawed, revealing the true scale of the installation.
Urgent Conservation
As modern warming accelerates ice melt, archaeologists warn that many similar sites may soon deteriorate. All finds from Aurlandsfjellet are now being conserved in Bergen, while the mountain area has been officially protected to prevent damage or looting. This extraordinary discovery provides a vivid glimpse into Iron Age hunting technology—and highlights how climate change is reshaping the archaeological record across the Nordic region.
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