The Secrets of the Ice team made another spectacular discovery in their investigations of the mountainous areas of central Norway.
The glacial archeologists have confirmed that they have located a superbly preserved textile garment fragment at Lendbreen Pass, thought to have been a busy thoroughfare during the Viking Age.
Braving the elements
Secrets of the Ice is a group of archeologists based in Innlandet County, central Norway.
Over the past 18 years, they have produced a series of stunning finds, many of which have been preserved in the ice for more than 1,000 years.
The pass at Lendbreen was first discovered in 2011 and has yielded countless artifacts.
Earlier this week, several members of the group made the long trip to Lendbreen on foot, with the help of packhorses, before setting up camp at the bottom of the pass.
As Lars Holger Pilø, co-director of the Secrets of the Ice program, told The Viking Herald, the textile fragment was discovered on an impromptu trip towards the evening on Tuesday.
"The weather was really bad yesterday, with howling wind and pounding rain, so the team had to stay in camp," Lars says.
"Luckily, however, it got a bit better towards evening, and they were able to venture out for a quick trip to the ice before nightfall."
"The textile was found during this first quick reconnaissance along the upper edge of the Lendbreen ice patch, just below the pass."
The team set up camp at the base of Lendbreen Pass, battling harsh weather conditions as they continue their search for artifacts. Source: Secrets of the Ice
A treasure trove of artifacts
Though textile finds are extremely rare in archeology, the item had likely been encased in ice for many centuries and appears to be virtually intact.
"The piece is really well preserved," Lars admits. "It is about 10 cm across and appears to be folded up."
"On our Facebook page, a textile expert at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo has commented that it looks like a 2/2 twill, z-spun in both directions."
This is not the first textile identified by the team – more than 60 pieces of textile have previously been recovered in the area around the pass.
Although many are thought to be from the Viking Age, the collection also includes a full Iron Age tunic believed to be around 1,700 years old.
"There are quite a few cut pieces of textile from the pass area, and most of the ones we have radiocarbon-dated belong to the Viking Age and the Medieval period," Lars tells us.
"They all seem to be from different cloth, so they are probably scraps used for various purposes."
Indeed, as Lars discussed in a detailed article on the group's website, suggested uses range from sanitary purposes to route markers, bindings for animals, or even religious purposes. However, no definitive answer has yet been found.
In addition to hunting tools and shelters, the team found "scaring sticks" used to direct reindeer into specific areas, making them easier to catch. Source: Secrets of the Ice
A mixed blessing
The Secrets of the Ice team typically works in August and September, as the warmer weather leads to the melting of the ice.
During their most recent trip, the archeologists noted that the ice levels at Lendbreen Pass have receded dramatically since they first discovered the pass.
Lars points out that these changes are a clear sign of the warming conditions caused by climate change, a sobering reminder of the concerning reality that enables them to carry out their work.
In recent weeks, the team has also succeeded in uncovering a series of "scaring sticks" – used to herd reindeer into a specific area – as well as hunting tools and shelters.
As their investigations continue, we can expect more updates from the team in the next few days and weeks. In the meantime, work will also begin on submitting the most important finds to the museum for further analysis.
We get to provide readers with original coverage thanks to our loyal supporters. Do you enjoy our work? You can become a PATRON here or via our Patreon page. You'll get access to exclusive content and early access.
Feel free to reach out to discuss potential stories that may be in the public interest. You can reach us via email at [email protected] with the understanding that the information you provide might be used in our reporting and stories.
