Per Storemyr Geoarchaeology & Conservation

With pickaxe into modern times: Quarrying of Bernese sandstone (CH)

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Per Storemyr

Was it like this that the quarrymen extracted Bernese sandstone?

Even until the 1950s the quarrymen in Berne extracted their sandstone using pickaxes. They carved out trenches around the blocks to be removed, not unlike the way their colleagues did 5.000 years ago in ancient Egypt. Why so? Join me on a trip to the Sandsteinlehrpfad in Krauchthal and Wege zu Klee in Ostermundigen to find out – and to learn about Berner Sandstein. It was a most important stone in Switzerland, giving rise to historic quarry centres substantial on a European scale. Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, Old quarries, Switzerland | Tagged Bern, Berner Sandstein, Gurten, Krauchthal, Ostermundigen, quarry, sandstone, Switzerland | 11 Comments

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Per Storemyr

Thanks to colleagues and partners for 2012 – and, in particular, to the thousands of visitors to my website.

Looking forward to 2012!

Per Storemyr

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Posted in Other | Leave a comment

“Steinriket Bømlo”: Nettsted om steinbrytning i 10.000 år

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Per Storemyr

(10.000 years of quarrying at Bømlo / for Norwegian readers / English? Try Google Translator)

Slik kan det ha sett ut på Hespriholmen i steinalderen. Kilde: "Steinriket Bømlo"

Her forleden kom jeg over et særs interessant nettsted, nemlig “Steinriket Bømlo” som forteller historien om utnyttelsen av stein på denne ytterst steinrike øya – ytterst i havgapet på Vestlandet. Naturligvis står to av Norges flotteste steinalderlokaliteter i forgrunnen: Øksebruddet på Hespriholmen og pilespissbruddet på Siggjo.

Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Norway, Old quarries | Tagged Bømlo, Hespriholmen, Norway, quarry | 1 Comment

Classic Cars, Castro’s Cuba: Conservation in practice

Posted on December 10, 2011 by Per Storemyr

Slightly off-topic, but how Cubans skilfully care for their classic Plymouths, mFords, Buicks and Pontiacs may be a reminder for anyone dealing with heritage conservation. However, it is not necessarily out of love that the Cubans care for their cars, but of necessity. Will there now be an end to this conservation in practice? Continue reading →

Posted in Other | Tagged conservation, Cuban cars, Cultural heritage | Leave a comment

Standing at the edge of the abyss: The castle ruin at Cartatscha in Graubünden (Switzerland)

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Per Storemyr

At the edge of the abyss: the Cartatscha ruin by Trun in Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland

Working as a conservation scientist I care for cultural heritage. My “problem” is that I’m also interested in the history of decay, including catastrophic events; just these phenomena that turn old masonry to rubble. But I’ve never seen it “live” (few have!) or just after it happened. Hence, on my visits to the medieval castle ruins in Surselva (Graubünden, Switzerland), deep down there is a secret wish that I may watch them falling down, crumbling to pieces or being taken by avalanches! Yet boldly rejecting to fulfil my desires is, for example, Cartatscha by Trun; at the very edge of the abyss the small tower should have fallen years ago. But this stout ruin with the region’s finest masonry has decided to live on. For how long? Continue reading →

Posted in Ruins, Switzerland, Weathering history | Tagged Cartatscha, Graubünden, historic photos, ruin, Surselva, Switzerland, weathering | Leave a comment

International conference on millstone in Bergen – and the Hyllestad quarry landscape

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Per Storemyr

Hyllestad millstones still in use

Last week the Norwegian “millstone community” invited to an international conference in Bergen – “Seen through a millstone: Geology and archaeology of quarries and mills”. It included an excursion to the Hyllestad quarries where the participants got to know a local community that cares for the landscape and its millstone traditions in an impressive way. Key is the involvement of pupils. Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Norway, Old quarries | Tagged conservation, Cultural heritage, grinding stone, Kvernsteinsparken, millstone, Norway, quarry | 4 Comments

The Mauerzahn at Grünenfels castle ruin (CH) revisited after massive snowfall

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Per Storemyr

Top of the Mauerzahn (pinnacle) at Grünenfels castle ruin

Ten days ago winter arrived in the Swiss Alps with massive snowfall. Subsequent temperature increase and intensive rainfall led to major floods, avalanches and destruction of infrastructure such as villages and roads. Such events sometimes also affect old buildings and ruins. How did the Mauerzahn (tall stone pinnacle) at Grünenfels castle ruin, which I have earlier written about, stand the test? Continue reading →

Posted in Ruins, Switzerland, Weathering history | Tagged Graubünden, Grünenfels, ruin, Surselva, Switzerland, weathering | Leave a comment

De gamle jerngruvene i Neskilen ved Arendal

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Per Storemyr

(The old iron mines at Neskilen by Arendal / for Norwegian readers / English? Try Google Translator)

Den gamle “Stollgruva” i Neskilen

“Jeg ankom her til Næskilen […] og forbliver paa dette afskyelige Sted et par Dage. I Morgen bestiger jeg gamle Mørrefier-Gruben, som er 80 Lagter under Havets Overflade. Gud veed om jeg kommer nogensinde levende op igjen…”

Les videre om et av store gruvelandskapene i den gamle jernverkstiden fra 16- til 1800-tallet i Norge…

Posted in Archaeology, Norway, Old mines | Tagged Arendal, Cultural heritage, Neskilen, Norway, old mine | 5 Comments

Experimental archaeology: The traditional way of quarrying soapstone

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Per Storemyr

Eva Stavsøien extracting soapstone the traditional way

Experimental archaeology in old building stone quarries is a rare activity. But not so for Norwegian stone carver Eva Stavsøien. She asked herself how soapstone was extracted in the Middle Ages. Bringing handmade pickaxes, she went to an abandoned quarry to find out. The work? Not as hard as we often tend to think about traditional quarrying. Read and watch video!

Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Norway, Old quarries | Tagged experimental archaeology, Nidaros Cathedral, Nidarosdomen, Norway, quarry, soapstone, Trondheim | Leave a comment

Hunting with stone lines: The ancient game traps in Egypt and Nubia

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Per Storemyr

Ancient game trap at Gharb Aswan. Photo by Per Storemyr.

See updates and a new paper on game drives in a new post (2022): https://per-storemyr.net/2022/03/19/new-paper-in-new-book-the-ancient-game-traps-across-lower-nubia/

There is still a lot of important archaeology to be found in Upper Egypt and Lower Nubia. One group of archaeological sites is hunting features, in particular the extremely widespread ancient game traps along no less than a 400 km stretch of the Nile, from el-Hosh in Upper Egypt south to the Sudan border. Since they are so poorly known, I have recently published a summary of our knowledge.

Read on and watch slideshow of game traps