Editing History of Norway (section)

==Prehistory==
{{main|Scandinavian prehistory}}
Norway's coastline rose from glaciation with the end of the [[last glacial period]] about 12,000 BC. The first immigration took place during this period as the Norwegian coast offered rich opportunities for [[seal hunting|sealing]], fishing, and hunting.<ref>Stenersen: 7</ref> These early inhabitants were [[nomadic]], and by 9300 BC they were already settled as far north as [[Magerøya]]. Increased ice receding from 8000 BC led to settlement along the entire coastline. The [[Nordic Stone Age|Stone Age]] is evidenced by the [[Komsa culture]] in [[Troms]] and [[Finnmark]] and the [[Fosna culture]] further south. The [[Nøstvet culture]] took over from the Fosna culture ca. 7000 BC,<ref>Stenersen: 8</ref> when a warmer climate led to increased forestation and new species of mammals for hunting. The oldest human skeleton ever discovered in Norway was found in shallow water off Sogne in 1994 and has been carbon dated to 6600 BC.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thornews.com/2013/01/07/sognekvinnen-norways-oldest-human-skeleton/ |title='Søgnekvinnen' – Norway's Oldest Human Skeleton |publisher=Thornews.com |date=7 January 2013 |access-date=21 August 2014 |archive-date=5 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705005146/http://thornews.com/2013/01/07/sognekvinnen-norways-oldest-human-skeleton/ |url-status=live }}</ref> About 4000 BC people in the north started using [[slate]] tools, [[earthenware]], skis, sleds and large skin boats.<ref>Stenersen: 9</ref>

[[File:AltaRockCarvingsFences.jpg|thumb|[[Rock carvings at Alta]]]]
The first farming, and thus the start of the Neolithic period, began ca. 4000 BC around the [[Oslofjord]], with technology from southern Scandinavia.<ref name="s10">Stenersen: 10</ref> The break-through occurred between 2900 and 2500 BC, when [[oats]], [[barley]], pigs, cattle, sheep and goats became common and spread as far north as [[Alta (town)|Alta]]. This period also saw the arrival of the [[Corded Ware culture]], which brought new weapons, tools and an [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European dialect]], from which later the [[Norwegian language]] developed.<ref name="Stenersen: 11">Stenersen: 11</ref>

===Nordic Bronze Age (1800–500 BC)===
{{Further|Nordic Bronze Age}}
The Bronze Age began around 1800 BC and involved innovations such as ploughing fields with [[ard (plough)|ards]], permanent farms with houses and yards, especially in the fertile areas around the Oslofjord, [[Trondheimsfjord]], [[Mjøsa]] and [[Jæren]].<ref name="Stenersen: 11" /> Some yields were so high that it allowed farmers to trade furs and skins for luxury items, especially with [[Jutland]].<ref name="s12">Stenersen: 12</ref> About 1000 BC, speakers of [[Uralic languages]] arrived in the north and assimilated with the indigenous population, becoming the [[Sami people]].<ref name="s10" /> According to Ante Aikio<ref>{{citation |last=Aikio |first=Ante |contribution=An essay on substrate studies and the origin of Saami |editor1-last=Hyvärinen |editor1-first=Irma |editor2-last=Kallio |editor2-first=Petri |editor3-last=Korhonen |editor3-first=Jarmo |title=Etymologie, Entlehnungen und Entwicklungen: Festschrift für Jorma Koivulehto zum 70. Geburtstag |series=Mémoires de la Société Néophilologique de Helsinki |volume=63 |publisher=Société Néophilologique |publication-date=2004 |publication-place=Helsinki |pages=5–34}}</ref> the formation of the Sámi language was completed in its southernmost area of usage (central Scandinavia, South Sápmi) by 500 AD.

A climate shift with colder weather started about 500 BC. The forests, which had previously consisted of [[elm]], [[tilia|lime]], [[fraxinus|ash]] and [[oak]], were replaced with [[birch]], [[pine]] and [[spruce]]. The climate changes also meant that farmers started building more solid structures for shelter. Knowledge of [[Ferrous metallurgy|ironworking]] was introduced from the [[Celts]], resulting in better weapons and tools.<ref name="s12" />

===Nordic Iron Age (500 BC–800 AD)===
{{Further|Iron Age Scandinavia}}
Iron Age tools allowed for more extensive clearing and farming, and thus more areas were cultivated as the population grew with the increased harvests. A new social structure evolved: when sons married, they would remain in the same house; such an extended family was a [[clan]]. They would offer protection from other clans; if conflicts arose, the issue would be decided at a ''[[thing (assembly)|thing]]'', a sacred place where all free men from the surrounding area would assemble and could settle disputes and determine sanctions for crimes, such as paying fines in food.<ref name="s15">Stenersen: 15</ref>

The last century BC saw a widespread cultural development. The Norse adapted letters and created their own alphabet, [[runes]]. Trading with Romans also took place, largely furs and skins in exchange for luxury goods. Some Scandinavians also served as Roman [[mercenaries]].<ref name="s15" /> Some of the most powerful farmers became [[chieftain]]s. They functioned as priests and accepted sacrifices from farmers which were again used to pay soldiers, creating a [[hird]]. Thus they were able to rule an area of several clans and tribes.<ref name="Stenersen: 16">Stenersen: 16</ref>

The chieftains' power increased during the [[Migration Period]] between 400 and 550 as other [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] tribes migrated northwards and local farmers wanted protection. This also resulted in the construction of simple fortifications. A [[wikt:plague|plague]] hit southern Norway in the 6th century, with hundreds of farms being depopulated. Most were repopulated in the 7th century, which also saw the construction of several fishing hamlets and a boom in trade of iron and [[soapstone]] across the [[North Sea]].<ref name="Stenersen: 16" /> Some chieftains were able to control most of the trade and grew in power throughout the 8th century.<ref>Stenersen: 17</ref>

=== Archaeological findings ===
In February 2020, Secrets of the Ice Program researchers discovered a 1,500-year-old Viking arrowhead dating back to the Germanic Iron Age and locked in a glacier in southern [[Norway]] caused by the climate change in the [[Jotunheimen]] Mountains. The arrowhead made of iron was revealed with its cracked wooden shaft and a feather, is 17&nbsp;cm long and weighs just 28 grams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bailey |first=Stephanie |title=Climate change reveals, and threatens, thawing relics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/26/world/climate-change-threatens-archaeology-intl/index.html |access-date=25 March 2020 |website=CNN |date=26 February 2019 |archive-date=26 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190226163545/https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/26/world/climate-change-threatens-archaeology-intl/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramming |first=Audrey |date=6 March 2020 |title=Photo Friday: Norwegian Glacial Ice Preserves Ancient Viking Artifacts |url=https://glacierhub.org/2020/03/06/photo-friday-norwegian-glacial-ice-preserves-ancient-viking-artifacts/ |access-date=25 March 2020 |website=GlacierHub |language=en-US |archive-date=25 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325080759/https://glacierhub.org/2020/03/06/photo-friday-norwegian-glacial-ice-preserves-ancient-viking-artifacts/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=9 March 2020 |title=1,500-Year-Old Viking Arrowhead Found After Glacier Melts in Norway |url=https://curiosmos.com/1500-year-old-viking-arrowhead-found-after-glacier-melts-in-norway/ |access-date=25 March 2020 |website=Curiosmos |language=en-US |archive-date=25 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325043710/https://curiosmos.com/1500-year-old-viking-arrowhead-found-after-glacier-melts-in-norway/ |url-status=live }}</ref>