How do we know it’s not just a stone?
Anyone can find a stone on the ground that is pointed and sharp, but how do we know this is an arrowhead? There are two diagnostic features: the first is that it is made of flint. Flint is a type of stone that was much used by people in the Stone Age. The second is that someone has intentionally made a “tang” at one end of the arrowhead by removing small flakes from two sides. This tang makes it possible to attach the arrowhead to an arrow.
Who made this arrowhead?
Take a closer look at this arrowhead. If the tang has a smooth, clean edge where small flakes have been removed from the flint, we can say that the person who made the arrowhead had a steady hand and was skilled. However, if the tang has an uneven edge, it is likely that the arrowhead was made by someone with less experience, possibly even a child. By studying these stone artefacts carefully, we can glean information about the people who lived here 11,000 years ago.
Pioneers by the Oslofjord
The settlement at Elgsrud and other similar settlements from that time are called pioneer settlements. These pioneers were the first people to settle by the Oslofjord after the last ice age. At the time this settlement was built, the ice had retreated to about 20 km north-east of present-day Oslo, where Skedsmo now is.
Can we learn anything from these first people who came to the Oslofjord?
Chosen by Cathrine, museum conservator (55)
On loan from the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo