STORA ÄXHOLMEN

People have made their way to Stora Äxholmen in the fishing season since early times. This is shown by all the stone-settings you find along the shore.

They are not foundations, but remains of the walls of temporary settlements that can be seen around the coast from Norway to Finland. The roof might be made by stretching the sail across the oars and the mast.

The walls were sealed with seaweed, which also had to serve as a mattress. The dwellings are difficult to date. On Söön, not far from here, traces dating from the thirteenth century have been found. Further north in Bohuslän there are dwellings high on the rocks.

These may have been erected in Viking times, when the water level was much higher than today. People have returned to these temporary settlements again and again. There is evidence of their being used into the twentieth century.