Coast/inland relations in the Mesolithic of southern Norway

Abstract

The paper discusses regional Mesolithic interactions in southern Norway. The earliest coastal sites have been dated to c. 10,500–10,000 BP, and all through the Mesolithic the dissected coastlines of Norway retained a position as prime areas for subsistence and settlement. An important point is that there was coast/inland interaction in certain areas already soon after deglaciation. A premise for this is that western groups seasonally moved through the intermediate zones into the mountains.

Due to short distances and easy access between coast and mountains, Southwest Norway in particular holds potential insights concerning hunter‐gatherers’ use of different ecological zones in the course of a single year. However, lack of evidence in the intermediate zones, and the paucity of faunal remains and radiocarbon dates at the coastal sites, make it difficult to specify regional patterns of seasonality.

Keywords:

• Mesolithic
• pioneer settlement
• coast/inland interaction
• settlement patterns
• South Norway