Ancient Artifacts Of The Sami People Revealed As Snow Melts In Lappland

| September 26, 2016 | Archaeology News | No Comments

MessageToEagle.com –  Archeologists who specialize in excavation in Northern Scandinavia have unearthed ancient artifacts of the Sami People.

The discovery was made in Lappland, a province in northernmost Sweden. According to archaeologists it is global warming and much warmer summers that have contributed to the melting of the snow and thus made it possible to find artifacts that have remain hidden for thousand of years.

“Yes, increased warming has resulted in that snow patches melt very quickly and this is why we can find these artifacts. Otherwise we would never have found them. They could have been resting under the snow for an eternity, archaeologist Kjell-Åke Aronsson manager at Ájtte Museum in Jokkmokk said.

Ancient Sami arrows
The arrows are estimated to be about 1,000-year-old- Image credit: Nils Eklund

Ájtte, Swedish Mountain and Sami Museum in Jokkmokk is a gateway to the high mountains, to Lappland  and the Sami culture.

Gáktis differ from community to community. In southern parts of Sápmi homeland, they are longer than the ones in the north of the region
Gáktis differ from community to community. In southern parts of Sápmi homeland, they are longer than the ones in the north of the region

It is also important not to confuse snow patches with glaciers. A snow patch is a geomorphological pattern of snow and firn accumulation which lies on the surface longer time than other seasonal snow cover, while a glacier is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. It forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation (melting and sublimation) over many years, often centuries.

Aurora over Lappland
Aurora over Lappland

See also:

Sami People: Facts And History About The Only Indigenous People Of Most Northern Europe

Norse Shamanism: A Völva And Her Prophecies Were Feared Among Norse Gods And Vikings

Unexplainable 6,000-Year-Old Petroglyphs Linked To Ancient Ritual Site Discovered In Arjeplog Mountains, Sweden Puzzle Scientists

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Lappland (in English – Laponia  or Lapland) covers an area of 9,400km2 in the mountains and forests of Norrbotten, Sweden and has been the home of nomadic hunters and reindeer herders since time immemorial. In Lapland there are four magnifcent national parks and several nature preserves. Lapland was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996.

Lappland
Lappland, Sweden – Image credit: www.lapplandmedia.se

The recent archaeological find consists of ancient arrows that are estimated to be over 1,000-years-old and were used by Sami hunters. According to scientists these types of ancient arrowheads have also been found on other Sami settlements and sacrificial sites.

Sami arrows
The melting snow made it possible to unearth these ancient artifatcs. Image credit: Nils Eklund

 

Sami sledge
The inside of the 400 year old cargo sledge found in Sarek in 1965. Image credit: Nils Eklund

In Sweden, it is only Sami and Mountain Museum in Jokkmokk that undertakes this type of high mountains archeology. “So all the help from the public, such as mountain walkers, is very much appreciated,” Kjell-Åke Aronsson said.

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