Record-breaking summer temperatures in Norway have led to the rapid retreat of the Jotunheimen glaciers, revealing a series of perfectly preserved Neolithic archaeological sites. Researchers have uncovered ancient fish traps and stone-lined pits used for large-scale fish processing, dating back to 6000 BCE. The finds include organic materials like birch-bark containers and bone needles that are rarely preserved outside of icy environments.
This discovery provides the first concrete evidence of high-altitude industrial activity by early hunter-gatherer societies in Scandinavia. Archaeologists are racing against time to document these artifacts before they decompose upon exposure to the air. The presence of these sites suggests that ancient populations were far more mobile and organized in their exploitation of seasonal mountain resources than previously understood.