Places with a story
Skipshelleren
Skipshelleren at Straume is a prehistoric rock shelter whose unusually well-preserved remains reveal how people hunted, fished and lived beside the fjord. Research at the place continues to add questions to the archaeological story of Vaksdal.
The place2
The shelter's overhanging cliff kept the area where people lived dry and helped preserve animal bones, tools and other traces. University research describes seven phases of use spanning the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages. Deer, seal, wild boar and fish remains provide evidence of food resources, while later domestic-animal bones show that the uses of the place changed over time.
History and local connections1
Johannes Bøe excavated the shelter in 1931, recovering an exceptionally large collection of animal bones and bone implements. Earlier interpretations treated the place as fully excavated, but recent research identified surviving areas suitable for further study. The University of Bergen announced new fieldwork in 2026, connecting an important older collection with modern archaeological methods.
What to look for23
Look at the shelter together with the fjord and imagine the changing shoreline. The ground where prehistoric people lived now stands well above the water, whereas the sea reached much closer during earlier use. Bone fishhooks and the variety of animal remains help explain a livelihood based on several resources rather than one activity. Information at the place complements the museum and university research.
Planning a visit31
The local visitor guide describes access by boat or by a path from the Demring bus stop. Check current conditions and any fieldwork restrictions before travelling, and choose an approach appropriate to your mobility. Leave deposits and objects undisturbed: the shelter is an archaeological place where small surviving traces can still provide new information.
Sources
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