...Stone Age...

in Stavanger, Norway.

It was a cold clear autumn day. Gard, a young boy of 12 was a top of one of the highest points in the Stavanger area, Ullandhaug, looking over the land, sea, and fjords. He saw 30 geese flying southwards in a almost perfect "w" formation. He could almost see to all the corners of what is called "Rogaland County" today.

In the south the rolling hills and ultra flat landscape with the richest soil that could be found prevailed. This area, called Jæren, is comparable to Denmark's Jylland. The light and the atmosphere has provided inspiration to artists for thousands of years. The soil is among Norway's best.

To the east the great fjords, gateways to magnificent hunting and fishing areas dominated. The glaciers provided the fjords and made them as deep as the surrounding mountains are high.

To the west he saw the mighty sea. Warmed by the Gulf Stream and very rich. There were only a few islands to shelter passing boats from gale force winds.

To the North Gard could see as far as Karmøy. In the near distance he observed the great forest of tall oak trees changing color and the fields being harvested. The valley which led out to the sea gave the people of the village harvests of barley and oats. The bay area just north of this, provided a gentle shelter from the seas. The steep rock formations on the east coast most likely provided the origin to the name "Stavanger".

The origin of the name "Stavanger" is really not known. The name consists of two Norse words; "stav-" and "-angr". The first meaning steep cliff or vertical rock, the latter meaning a narrow fjord, or bay area. Thus "Stavanger is the name of the bay area near the steep cliffs. It is difficult to find this topography in Stavanger today. The land area has been built on and much of the bay area has been filled in. The cliffs on the east side of the bay, where the Valberg Tower is, probably dropped straight into the bay 1000 years ago.

Stavanger was surrounded by oak forests and fields on both sides. Both of these areas were called "Eiganes / Eikanes" or the oak covered point. Whilst Stavanger is probably the name of the bay, Eiganes could have been the name of the village which, in pre-viking times, probably was a center for southwestern Norway. The location connects the land areas in the south, the gateways to the fjords, and rather safe travel to the areas in the North.

The first trace of man in Norway dates back to around 8000 BC. Exactly when the first settlements were founded has not yet been determined, nor is it certain where the first hunters and fishermen came from. One theory claims they migrated from Russia, another, they came from the south. At this time glaciers covered the area from the North down to Germany and Poland. When the climate turned warmer, the ice melted and the animals moved north, probably followed by man.

The earliest trace of man in the Stavanger region can be dated as far back as 3000 B.C. The findings are however sparse. Findings dated 1500 - 500 B.C. show that the area most likely was permanently inhabited.

The most important remembrance of this era can be seen at The Black Cave (Vistehola), 9 km north of Stavanger. The Stone Age people lived in open settings or caves near the shore. Findings here include pottery, flint tools, and remains of wild animals. Bear, deer and wild bore were hunted. The only domestic animal was the dog. Flint, wood, bones and horns were the most important raw materials.

Copyright © 2000
Stavanger-Web.Com
28-Nov-2004