2 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

3,000-Year-Old Rare Carved Stone Unearthed at Prehistoric Cult Site in Norway

Archaeologists in Norway have uncovered a rare 3,000-year-old carved stone at a prehistoric cult site buried beneath clay after a massive landslide.

The discovery, made in Gauldal Valley in Central Norway, sheds light on Bronze Age ritual practices and offers new insight into how ancient communities connected with death, religion, and nature.

A Landslide That Preserved History

Around 800 BCE, a catastrophic landslide struck Gauldal, covering the river valley with thick layers of clay. For centuries, the ancient site remained hidden until archaeologists began excavations in 2014 during the expansion of the E6 highway.

“The whole area is covered in clay from that landslide,” explained archaeologist Hanne Bryn of the NTNU University Museum, who has led the research since the first survey. “We quickly saw signs of human activity, but what we eventually uncovered was far beyond our expectations.”

The excavation required two full summers instead of one, as the team had to dig through clay layers up to three meters thick. What they found underneath was extraordinary.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



The 3,000-year-old carved stone, measuring 10 × 20 cm, with human, animal, and boat engravings on both sides. Credit: Hanne Bryn / NTNU University Museum
The 3,000-year-old carved stone, measuring 10 × 20 cm, with human, animal, and boat engravings on both sides. Credit: Hanne Bryn / NTNU University Museum

A Unique Cult Site in Central Norway

Archaeologists identified the site as a 3,000-year-old Bronze Age cult center. Unlike ordinary settlements, it consisted of two main zones, each with a longhouse about 10 to 12 meters in length and associated burial structures.

One area featured a large burial cairn—a mound of stones marking a grave—along with three stone slab chambers. These chambers held cremated human bones dated between 1000 and 800 BCE, coinciding with the time of the landslide.

Scattered across the site were several decorated stones, including one with a carved footprint complete with toes and cup marks—small circular depressions common in prehistoric rock art. Near one longhouse, archaeologists found a semicircle of stones with similar markings, suggesting ritual significance.

The Rare Portable Carved Stone

The most remarkable discovery was a small portable stone, about 20 by 10 centimeters, hidden beneath a cluster of larger rocks. Unlike most rock art in Norway, which is carved directly into bedrock, this stone was designed to be carried.

On one side, it features a human figure alongside what appears to be a dog. Above the figure’s hand, a bow and arrow are engraved using a different technique. On the other side, another human figure is depicted next to a ship and an unidentified symbol.

“It’s so small you could carry it in your pocket,” said Bryn. “Finding a portable engraved stone like this in its original ritual context is extremely rare. We have nothing else quite like it in Central Norway.”


The carved stone shortly after its discovery. Credit: Hanne Bryn / NTNU University Museum
The carved stone shortly after its discovery. Credit: Hanne Bryn / NTNU University Museum

Ritual Practices and Symbolism

The layout of the site suggests it was not a residential area but rather a gathering place for ceremonies, rituals, and burial practices. Cooking pits and traces of bronze casting were also discovered, hinting at communal feasts or offerings.

“The combination of burial mounds, carved stones, and the portable engraving strongly points to ritual use,” Bryn explained. “This was a site of spiritual importance where people connected with their ancestors and the natural world.”

Was the Site in Use When Disaster Struck?

One of the lingering mysteries is whether the site was still active at the time of the landslide. The cremated remains date to the same period, but no direct evidence of people being caught in the disaster has been found.

“It wasn’t a Pompeii,” Bryn noted, referencing the Roman city buried in volcanic ash. “There are no signs of sudden abandonment, but it’s possible the community was still using the site when the clay slide covered it.”

Drawing of the carved boat on the small stone. Image Credit: Kristoffer R. Rantala / NTNU University Museum
Drawing of the carved boat on the small stone. Image Credit: Kristoffer R. Rantala / NTNU University Museum

A Rich Bronze Age Landscape

Gauldal and the surrounding region are known for Bronze Age rock carvings, particularly depictions of ships and hunting scenes. Similar engravings have been found near Gaulfossen and on nearby plateaus, suggesting the valley was an active ritual landscape thousands of years ago.

“This whole area was culturally significant during the Bronze Age,” Bryn said. “The concentration of carvings and burial sites shows that it was a gathering place for religious activity.”

Future Excavations

Excavations are ongoing, as Bryn and her team continue to investigate a plateau just above the original site. With every new find, archaeologists hope to piece together more of the puzzle about how ancient Norwegians lived, worshipped, and remembered their dead.

For now, the portable carved stone stands out as a singular discovery—an object that survived disaster and time, carrying with it the echoes of ritual, belief, and human creativity from 3,000 years ago.

Science Norway

Cover Image Credit: Drone view of the 2017 excavation in Gauldal Valley. Kristin Eriksen / NTNU University Museum

Related Articles

Oregon may be home to oldest human occupied site in North America

12 July 2023

12 July 2023

Where and when the first humans appeared in North America is a contentious issue that many disagree on, and this...

Mystery of the 1,700-year-old Mosaic Solved: The Medallion in the Mosaic uncovered to be the Symbol of a Roman Military Unit

10 August 2024

10 August 2024

The mystery of the 1,700-year-old mosaic, which was found during excavations in Amasya province in northern Turkey 11 years ago...

Remains of a Roman stylobate found in Montenegro

19 July 2023

19 July 2023

In ancient Rhizon (Risan) in Montenegro, remains of a Roman stylobate (a shared base for multiple columns) were uncovered. In...

World’s Oldest Arrow Poison Discovered in South Africa, Dating Back 7,000 Years

27 January 2025

27 January 2025 1

In a groundbreaking discovery, archaeologists excavating Kruger Cave in South Africa have identified what may be the oldest confirmed multi-component...

The Discovery of nobleman Khuwy could rewrite Egypt history

25 October 2021

25 October 2021

The mummified corpse of an ancient Egyptian nobleman named Khuwy, discovered in 2019, showed the ancient Egyptians were carrying out...

Ancient Tombs and 2-Meter Sarcophagus with Hieroglyphics Unearthed Near Aga Khan Mausoleum in Aswan

11 July 2025

11 July 2025

A joint Egyptian-Italian archaeological team has unearthed a significant collection of ancient rock-cut tombs near the Aga Khan Mausoleum on...

3,500-Year-Old Dining Set Found at Konya Karahöyük, in Türkiye

5 September 2025

5 September 2025

Archaeologists in Türkiye have uncovered an extraordinary 3,500-year-old dining set, including a jug, plate, and cup, during excavations at Konya’s...

A small temple discovered in the ancient city of Selinunte, one of the largest and most important ancient Greek cities in southern Italy

9 August 2024

9 August 2024

Recent excavations in the ancient Magna Graecia city of Selinunte in southwestern Sicily have revealed the presence of a new...

Hidden Fortune in the Desert: 2,300-Year-Old Silver Coins Linked to Alexander the Great Found in Mleiha, United Arab Emirates

13 September 2025

13 September 2025

Archaeology often surprises us with unexpected finds, but few discoveries capture the imagination like the recent unearthing of a simple...

Hittite Royal Seal Warns ‘Whoever Breaks This Will Die’

7 July 2024

7 July 2024

During the excavations in Kırıkkale, a cuneiform seal used by the royal family during the Hittite Empire was unearthed. The...

The Oldest Known Neanderthal Engravings were Discovered in a French Cave

13 August 2023

13 August 2023

According to a recent study published, the oldest engravings made by Neanderthals have been discovered on a cave wall in...

Scientists reconstruct Late Bronze and Iron Age Mediterranean silver trade

11 July 2021

11 July 2021

Scientists have recreated the Eastern Mediterranean silver trade across a time span that includes the conventional dates of the Trojan...

Crusade period grave field and a sword discovered in Finland

15 October 2023

15 October 2023

A large cemetery from the time of the Crusades was discovered near a medieval stone church in Salo Perttel, a...

New fortifications unearthed in Porsuk Mound excavations

11 August 2021

11 August 2021

In the excavations of Porsuk Mound, which is an important Hittite settlement and where traces of settlement remains can be...

Freshwater and marine shells used as ornaments 30,000 years ago discovered in Spain

7 June 2023

7 June 2023

In Malaga’s Cueva de Ardales, up to 13 freshwater and marine shells that were carefully transformed by humans between 25,000...