Coastal sedentism during the Atlantic period in Nordhordland, western Norway? : the middle and late Mesolithic components at Kotedalen

Abstract

This thesis evaluates the proposition that there was year-round sedentary occupation on the coast of western Norway during the Atlantic period. The modern boundaries of Nordhordland circumscribe a physiographic region that is representative of the fjord indented landscape of western Norway. The seasonal and spatial distribution of food resources available in Nordhordland during the Atlantic period is reconstructed and found to be relatively rich and varied throughout the year, especially in the inner coastal region. The year-round availability of various species of cod is a stabilizing factor. This allows for some degree of flexibility and both seasonally mobile, semi-sedentary and sedentary settlement strategies were possible. -- Scenarios for each of these strategies indicate that they are all capable of producing large sites with thick deposits, but it is suggested that the internal characteristics of such sites will differ depending on which settlement system they are a part of. The artifacts, faunal remains and the features from four stratified layers at Kotedalen, a large, multicomponent site located in the inner coastal region of Nordhordland, are evaluated to determine the length of occupation and the kinds of activities they represent. Kotedalen is situated next to a good fishing location with easy access to resources in other physiographic regions and year-round settlement would have been possible from such a location. -- Although data from one site cannot provide clear answers concerning regional settlement patterns, the data from Kotedalen, with its relatively good faunal preservation, identifiable features and stratified layers do provide insight into how one site was used at different points in time. The data from Kotedalen suggest that it was repeatedly reoccupied and that there was some degree of variability in site use. Data from two of the layers indicates that Kotedalen was occupied at least on a semi-sedentary basis, whereas the other two layers are not adequately sampled, but appear to show more sporadic use.