Langs elven og ud i fjorden – marinarkæologi i Nidelven, Trondheim

Abstract

The Nidelven River, which meanders through the centre of Trondheim before flowing into the Trondheim Fjord, has played a vital role in the location, growth and development of the city since its establishment in the 10th century until today. However, no systematic study has been conducted to explore the association between the river and the topographical elements of the settlement that can be related to the river's course over time. The aim of the "Nidelven Project" is to change this. Over the last five years, individual studies have been conducted in and around the river. So far, the investigations have focused on two sites. One is the archaeological remains of the medieval Elgeseter Bridge, first mentioned in written sources from the late 12th century. The second is a timber construction south of Trondheim's Gamle Bybro, the Old City Bridge, which was examined and dated in 2013. The structure turned out to be part of a wharf from the first half of the 17th century. Together with what we already know about activities linked to the river, the studies will strengthen the empirical basis for a major interdisciplinary research project on the changing significance of the Nidelven for the emergence and development of the city from ancient times to the present. In the article, the preliminary results are presented and some of the plans for the coming years are described.