Madla Sør in Rogaland, Southwest Norway : a settlement with long continuity?

Abstract

This article discusses the continuity/discontinuity in Iron Age settlements in Norway. The article presents finds and research at the site of Madla Sør in Stavanger, Rogaland county, Southwest Norway, and particularly the series of 14C-datings from its features, and argues that they point towards a continuous occupation throughout the Iron Age. Traditionally such continuity has not been seen as likely in Norwegian settlements, but, as more and more sites with traces from both the Early and Late Iron Age have been excavated and studied, the likelihood of long continuity within a settlement starts to look stronger, especially in southwestern parts of the country. In many cases it is possible to observe continuity within and/or around a settlement, especially when larger areas have been excavated. The often subtle changes in the organisation of settlements and their placement in the landscape can reflect changes in society and landownership. Although such processes with respect to Iron Age settlements and societies are similar across large parts of Scandinavia, there are local variations in when and how they occur. Work at Madla Sør, with its comprehensive radiocarbon dating-series, amplified by other evidence from Rogaland county presented briefly in the article, contributes to the ongoing discussion of settlement continuity in Norway.