From Andøy Bygdebok, drawn by Bent Aune
The Earliest Traces
On Andøy, 11000-year-old charcoal has been discovered, indicating human presence already at that time. Charcoal rarely occurs naturally, but no other traces of settlement from that early period have been found. Other discoveries have been made that most likely date to the Late Stone Age, meaning later than 4000 BCE.
Most of the Stone Age finds from Andøy are isolated finds, which can be difficult to date more precisely than simply belonging to the Stone Age. These discoveries have been made in different parts of the island: individual finds in bogs near Andenes and at Gavlen, several finds in the Åknes–Sørmela area, and in the region between Bjørnskinn and Åse. Stone Age tools and dwelling remains have been found just south of Stave.
Because of landscape changes and rising sea levels, the oldest settlements have most likely ended up underwater. During a period from 10,000 to 6,000 years ago, areas of Andøya first experienced land subsidence, followed by rising sea levels. In addition, Andøya is covered by extensive peat bogs, with meter-thick layers of peat that accumulated after the Ice Age.
For these reasons, it is unlikely for traces of people from the Early Stone Age to be found. At the same time, it cannot be ruled out that people lived here for 11000 years, as the charcoal discovery may suggest.
How and Why Did They Come Here?
There are three possible migration routes believed to have led into Norway as the ice retreated: via Østfold, via the so-called North Sea Continent (Doggerland), and into Finnmark. According to Holberg, the first people to reach Nordland may have been groups from the coasts of northern Germany, Skåne, and Denmark who travelled across the North Sea Continent.
The sea around Andøya has rich marine life because of its unique geological conditions (link), with abundant fish and other ocean resources. This may have been a major reason why people settled here. According to Holberg, the first people to arrive in Northern Norway were mainly seal hunters. However, seal hunting did not always provide reliable returns, so having many other food resources available from the sea was highly valuable.
How Did They Live?
Finds from Lofoten and Finnmark provide some knowledge of how people in the north lived during the Stone Age. Fish was the main source of food, as large amounts of fish bones have been found, but seals were also an important resource. In addition to meat, seals provided blubber and skins. Remains of various land mammals, whales, birds, and shellfish have also been found at these sites.
The climate was warmer at the time, which meant that the tree line was higher, making it possible for more forest animals to live here.
In Andøy Bygdebok, there is a map showing a possible division of main settlements with surrounding hunting and trapping areas. This is based on the size of resource zones and hunting districts used by other peoples with similar resources, and it is assumed that they hunted and gathered within a circular area of around 10 km in radius.
In the local history book, Andøy Bygdebok, Helge Guttormsen also listed fifteen probable main settlements on Andøy: Fornes, Gavlen-Skjolde, Åkenes, Bø-Nøss, Børvågen, Stave-Skogvoll, Bleik, Endleten-Haugnes, Ramså, Dverberg-Myre, Sellevoll, Åse, Risøy, Lovik, and Trannes.
He also listed five possible main settlements: Andenes, Skarstein, N-Mjele (Nordmela), Buksnesfjord, and Forfjord.
During the Late Stone Age, people in the north generally began using slate stone, especially along the coast, and they also became more permanently settled. Pollen diagrams show that 4000 years ago, forest was cleared and grain was cultivated at Bakkan on Andøya. This marked the beginning of the combination of farming and fishing, which would remain an important way of life until modern times.