Abstract:
This paper explores an application of concepts from chaos theory and nonlinear
system theory, and argues that nonlinear system theory is a useful tool in understanding
the use of landscape and the creation of taskscapes by prehistoric and
modern people around Lake Vavatn in Lærdalsfjellene (the Lærdal Mountains),
a part of the high mountains in South Norway. It is necessary to replace a static
model based on duration and stability with a model that can focus on change
and variability in recorded archaeological material that is the result of past and
present events. Sites and areas that have artefacts indicating many events are
seen as focal points in the landscape. The trajectories of movements and events
in time and space are described as strange attractors. These strange attractors
are visualised through the Poincaré set created by sites and single artefacts. In
the case of Lake Vavatn, traces of human activity from several periods have
created points in the Poincaré set; the typologically dated stone artefacts from
earliest Middle Mesolithic at several early intervals, possible pastoralist activities
from the Neolithic, the probably medieval animal fall pits at a later time, the
modern shieling, cottages for leisure, and archaeological surveying today. The
sum of observations does not allow statements about continuation during this
over 8000-year period of archaeological and modern history, but it does show
that Lake Vavatn has been attractive throughout multiple periods.