Nordland - History

History

There is evidence of human settlement in Nordland as far back as 10,500 years ago, about as early as in southern Norway. These Stone age people lived near the coast, often on islands and typically along straits near the open sea, with a rich provision of marine resources. Such archeological evidence has been found on Vega, in Leirfjord and along Saltstraumen. There are at least 15 locations with prehistoric rock carvings in Nordland, from Helgeland in the south to Narvik in the north (see Fosna-Hensbacka culture).

Some of the oldest houses known in Norway was excavated on Langhågan on the island Sanna in Træna municipality ; the oldest house was oval, 6 x 4.5 m, and is dated to 4000 BC. From the house is still visible a 65 m long stone paved "trail" down to a small harbor, today 23 m above sea level.

The 4,600 year old rock drawings at Rødøy, which depict a man on skis holding a stick, is the oldest known reference of skis being used. The location is somewhat surprising, as this island has unreliable snow cover, and the Scandinavian climate was warmer in the Stone Age.

This rock drawing was used as a pictogram in the Lillehammer Olympic Games in 1994.

The first agricultural culture has been dated to the Bronze Age. This culture left large burial cairns close to the sea, for instance in Steigen and Vestvågøy, and the northernmost location is around Harstad in southern Troms. These locations have significant areas of lowland suited for agriculture, they are close to the sea and they have many natural harbors.

The oldest remains of a boat ever found in Norway was discovered in a bog in Sømna. Known as Haugvikbåten, the well preserved piece, kept in the Museum of Science (Vitenskapsmuseet) in Trondheim, has been dated to 800 - 400 BC - the Nordic Bronze Age .

For many generations Hålogaland had been the northernmost area of Norse settlement. The remnants of large longhouses near Borg (Vestvågøy) and in Steigen is dated to the Merovinger period (ca 600 AD). There are substantial archeological evidence of a Norse iron-based culture along the coast from approximately 200 AD .

Nordland is regarded as part of Sápmi (area). The Sami, which are not of Norse origins, have lived in Nordland for at least 2000 years. Not just inland, but also along the fjords and, in the northern part of Nordland, even on the coast and larger islands, such as Hinnøya. There is a story in Heimskringla about a Viking which became a contender for the throne, Sigurd Slembe. He was on the run from the king, and was helped by Sami in what is probably Lødingen municipality today. The sami even built him a boat, which the saga mention was made from pine wood (viking ships was typically made from oak wood, but oak does not grow naturally this far north). Tysfjord today is a center for the Lule Sami culture.

The current county of Nordland was part of the petty kingdom of Hålogaland in the Viking era. This kingdom also included southern part of Troms.

In January 1432, an Italian trade ship going from Crete to Flanders was hit by a storm and taken far north where it was wrecked; some of the crew survived and came ashore on a small island near Røst. They were taken care of by the people of Røst. The story, told by one of the men, Pietro Querini, gives one of very few descriptions of life in Nordland in this time period (Querini - Norw txt). Querini sees the people of Røst (in all 120 people) as very trusting and good Catholics, the inner circle of paradise. He also mentions a German priest, which they could talk to in Latin. People lived from fishing cod and halibut, which they traded for other goods (like grain) in Bergen - the cod as stockfish. Each family also had about 5 cows, and collected eggs from semi-domesticated ducks. The shipwrecked men did not lack food during their winter stay, usually fish, but Querini also mention, milk, meat, butter and pancakes. The people of Røst lived in round, wooden houses, and mostly used clothes made by wool.

By late May, sailing in 24-hr daylight, the Italians were taken south to Bergen. The largest ship disaster ever in Norway took place in 1944 when Rigel transporting German prisoners was bombed by RAF near Sandnessjøen (Alstahaug), with more than 2,500 casualties. The ship was grounded on Rosøya, where it remained, half sunk, until it was demolished in 1970.

Petter Dass lived in Alstahaug, and the Nobel laureate author Knut Hamsun grew up in Hamarøy after his family moved there when he was 3 years old.

Nordland county is identical with the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland.