The first humans settled in the Geopark’s areas when the ice retreated, approximately 10.000 years ago, and ever since they have depended on the natural resources available to them, whether biological or geological. The proximity to the coast gave the local societies access to large amounts of food in the form of fishing, but the varied landscape shaped by the rich geological history, also laid the foundation for farming, hunting and gathering. The connection to the ocean can be seen in the municipal crests of Kragerø, Bamble and Porsgrunn, all showing marine symbology, respectively a ship, a ship wheel and an anchor. 

 

The varied geology of Telemark and Vestfold also laid the foundation for the extraction of both stone and minerals, going far back in time. The whetstone production in Eidsborg started already in the Viking age, and lasted well into the 20th century, during which millions of whetstones were produced and exported. The whetstones, sandstone used for sharpening metal tools, was one of Norway’s first export goods, and was transported to Skien through the Telemark Channel. From here they were shipped out to countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Poland and England. Whetstones from Eidsborg has also been discovered on the East Coast of North-America, indicating that the vikings might have brought them along when coming to Vinland, as they named it on discovery. 

 

The early inhabitants of the Geopark areas had clear knowledge about how to use different stones. The finegrained sandstones were great for sharpening tools, hard rocks such as Gneiss were well suited as building material, while softer rocks could be used for ornamental designs. This can be seen in Holla Church Ruin in Ulefoss, which was built in the 12th century. Most of the church is built using hard rock from local quarries, such as Gneiss and Fenite. The more ornamental parts however, are carved into a softer volcanic limestone, Sovite, showing that those who built the church had a good understanding of the properties of different rock types already in the olden days.

 

In the Middle Ages, the extraction of minerals intensified, as the demand increased in several parts of society. Iron was needed for tools, limestone was important for making mortar, and rock resources for an increasingly complex architecture in churches, monasteries and more.  The increased mining and quarry activity led to a bigger demand for lumber. More information on how these natural resources paved the way for large-scale industry which shaped the local communities, can be found here.