Norwegian history timeline | From hunting, fishing, gathering to farming

In history books, hunter-fisher-gatherers and farmers are often presented as separate groups. But the traditional Norwegians were — for the most part — a mix of all those things.

A 1970’s schoolbook-style illustration of a Later Stone Age homestead. | Sagahuus Press — created with Microsoft 365 Premium Copilot. All rights reserved.

Hunting, fishing, and gathering came first

Let us journey through time — and place ourselves somewhere along the coast of Norway in the Early Stone Age. The glaciers from the latest ice age are now mostly gone, and the landscape and coastal waters are abundant with wild plants and animals. The overall human population is very small.

We visit a family group living in simple dwellings with simple tools — and equally simple vessels on the water.