Svarthola or Vistehola is a
cave and an archaeological site, located in
Randaberg municipality in
Rogaland
Rogaland () is a Counties of Norway, county in Western Norway, bordering the North Sea to the west and the counties of Vestland to the north, Vestfold og Telemark to the east and Agder to the east and southeast. In 2020, it had a population of 47 ...
county,
Norway. The deep cavern is located on the ''Viste farm'', about northwest of the city of
Stavanger
Stavanger (, , American English, US usually , ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Norway. It is the fourth largest city and third largest metropolitan area in Norway (through conurbation with neighboring Sandnes) and the a ...
, situated near the shore of the ''Visteviga bay'', at the mouth of the
Hafrsfjorden. The site has yielded numerous
Neolithic artifacts that have been excavated and discovered in and around the cave.
History
The location served as a shelter for a group of about 25 people during the
Neolithic since around 6,000 BCE. These people were mainly
hunter-gatherers, who adopted a sedentary lifestyle based on
agriculture around 4,000 BCE. The occupants of Vistehola engaged in hunting to maintain a diet, that largely consisted of
wild boar.
Faunal remains of
moose and
seal were also found. Since around 2,000 BCE, their major form of sustenance had shifted towards farming.
The site was first studied in 1907 and 1910, and again in 1939 and 1941. The discovered material is remarkably well preserved and provides comprehensive information on the prehistoric inhabitant's living conditions from between 8,000 and 6,000 years ago. Cultural layers were divided into four distinct strata, that correspond with the local
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic (Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic is often used synonymous ...
and
Neolithic era and the most recent sediment layer has been associated with the
Iron Age. The greater discovery group includes hunting and fishing implements made of stone, antlers and bone as well as residue of shells and ornamental items.
The cave houses an inhabited area of approximately and is located about north of today's shoreline. Excavation of the site revealed implement waste and also traces of funerals. At the east wall of the cave a skeleton of a juvenile boy (around 15 year old) was found who lived about 7,500 years ago. It represents one of the earliest known human remains in Norway.
Media gallery
Vistehola.jpg, Entrance to the cave
Vistehola3.jpg, Interior of the cave
Vistehola4.jpg, Ceiling of the cave
Vistehola2.jpg, Svarthålå på Viste
References
{{Navbox prehistoric caves
Populated places established in the 7th millennium BC
Jæren
Archaeological sites in Norway
Culture in Rogaland
Landforms of Rogaland
Caves of Norway
Randaberg