Pioneers in the Northern Circumpolar Areas



Pioneers in the Northern Circumpolar Areas
24.05.2007
"Arctic Natural climate and environmental changes and human
adaptation: from Science to Public Awareness" is one of Norway's three
flagship projects for the International Polar Year.

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Archaeology and geology researchers from the University of Tromsø will
contribute to the project together with a national team of researchers
from around the country.

Archaeology professor Hans Peter Blankholm is looking forward to this
interdisciplinary collaboration.

"I believe it's fantastic that we, together with the geologists, can
contribute to solving some of the puzzles of the past," says Professor
Blankholm. "From an archaeological stand point, we will carry out
research on the Northern Circumpolar Areas in the period soon after
the last Ice Age, which was around 10,000 years ago. We will look at
how people who lived here during the Stone Age related to water, the
sea, ice and temperature change."

Where did they come from?

Professor Blankholm says the objective of this comprehensive research
project is to create new models and scenarios about how the early
settlement in Northern Circumpolar Areas took place.

"Most people believe the earliest human settlement in the High North
came from the south, but some hypotheses are exploring the possibility
that they also came from the east," he says.

"There are also many hypotheses about how and why people came so far
north. One reason can be that they followed their reindeer northwards.
The early settlers also had a very strong connection with the marine
environment and they utilised the marine resources well."

Climate research among people of the Stone Age

What Professor Blankholm does know is that the move occurred very
rapidly. In archaeological terms, that means that relatively large
populations moved in the space of 500 to 1000 years.

"Unfortunately, we don't have a better chronological breakdown than
that and, as such, we allow some tolerance with the notion of time.
What we hope to achieve through this flagship project is a better
chronological breakdown with the assistance of the geologists' work."

"Among other things, the geologists can tell us in detail about the
change process in the area which occurred with the ice's recession.
They can help us to bring to light for example a 50-year cold period.
After that, we will be able to go in and look at what significance a
50-year period with cold summers had for the population."

Optimal in the north

Professor Blankholm looks with astonishment at many of the
archaeologists' and public's marginalisation of the High North. He is
often asked what on earth could have lead to human settlement in such
isolated, cold and apparently unproductive areas.

"The archaeological discipline has been directed by western culture
which has seen the High North as somewhat mystical. But there must be
a good reason as to why humans moved here so rapidly after the Ice
Age. I believe that the living conditions up here were optimal at that
time, and that it must have been absolutely fantastic for these people
to be here."

He expands on this by noting that the population which remained in
southern Scandinavia had to contend with a totally new type of natural
landscape with new animal and plant species and a totally new way of
living. Those who migrated northwards followed well-known animals and
living patterns.

Mankind as a whole

It is unknown whether the pioneers who settled here stayed in fixed
territories, says Professor Blankholm. "We will look at the dynamics
in human migration which lead to the population of regions like
Northern Norway. Several population groups probably moved into the
area, but we are unsure who these groups were."

"As far back in time as we are looking, it is difficult to talk about
specific ethnic groups or about how the pioneers viewed themselves or
others."
He believes it is important to be aware that a possible nationalistic
or ethnocentric attitude in the archaeology may exist.

"Archaeology should contribute to gaining an understanding of mankind
as a whole - how we as human beings have related to each other and our
natural environments. The long-time perspective in archaeology
provides us a unique starting point for this," says Professor
Blankholm, adding: "These relationships require us to assist with the
dissemination of information to the public and politicians and, as
such, I am extremely happy that this project will contribute to
educating research journalists."

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