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44-397: The area was a medieval petty kingdom , and after Norway's unification became known as Egdafylki and later Agdesiden , a county within the kingdom of Norway. The name Agder was not used after 1662, when the area was split into smaller governmental units called Nedenæs, Råbyggelaget, Lister, and Mandal. The name was resurrected in 1919 when two counties of Norway that roughly corresponded to

88-513: A dramatic change in the flora and fauna. In Scandinavia, this period is often called the "Findless Age", due to the lack of archaeological finds. While the archaeological record from Scandinavia is consistent with an initial decline in population, the southern part of the culture, the Jastorf culture , was in expansion southwards. It consequently appears that climate change played an important role in this southward expansion into continental Europe. It

132-403: A kingdom has been contested by some historians. rulers or figures: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Vingulmark is the old name for the area which today makes up the counties of Østfold and Akershus , and included the site of Norway's capital, Oslo , which had not been founded at this time. Archaeologists have made finds of richly endowed burials in the area around the estuary of

176-467: A local development from Bronze Age culture. Another Iron Age nucleus considered to represent a local development is the Wessenstedt culture (800–600 BC). The bearers of this northern Iron Age culture were likely speakers of Germanic languages. The stage of development of this Germanic is not known, although Proto-Germanic has been proposed. The late phase of this period sees the beginnings of

220-454: A special type of ship. These were pointed on both ends and were driven by banks of oars that could be rearranged or shipped for river passage. They did not depend on sail (so Tacitus says) but other than that they do not differ from Viking ships. These civitates went all the way around Scandinavia to the Arctic, or at least to regions of very long days, where they stopped. It seems clear that in

264-400: A word of that period does present itself and fits the geographical lore of the times: *agwjō (meaning "island"), which Jordanes and all his predecessors writing of Scandinavia believed it to be. A simple metathesis produces a possibly late form, *augjo-, but this derivation is speculative. There is no other evidence on Auganza, and its connection to Egder is hypothetical too. On 1 January 1838,

308-592: Is Heimskringla , often refer to the petty rulers as konungr , i.e. king , as in Agder, Alvheim, Hedmark, Hordaland, Nordmøre og Romsdal, Rogaland, Romerike, Sogn, Solør, Sunmmøre, Trøndelag, Vestfold (which at various times included several of the aforementioned) and Viken; however in Hålogaland the title was jarl , i.e. earl (compared with Count in the Norse sources, as well as German Gräf ), later Ladejarl (from

352-584: Is a part of the Iron Age . The name comes from the hold that the Roman Empire had begun to exert on the Germanic tribes of Northern Europe . In Scandinavia, there was a great import of goods, such as coins , vessels , bronze images, glass beakers, enameled buckles , weapons, etc. Moreover, the style of metal objects and clay vessels was markedly Roman. Objects such as shears and pawns appear for

396-708: Is associated with the area of the Uralic languages. During the 4th millennium BC , the Funnelbeaker culture expanded into Sweden up to Uppland . The Nøstvet and Lihult cultures were succeeded by the Pitted Ware culture Early Indo-European presence likely dates to the early 3rd millennium BC, introducing branches of the Corded Ware culture (such as the Battle Axe Culture ), later be followed by

440-588: Is debated why cultural innovation spread geographically during this time: whether the new material culture reflects a possibly warlike movement of Germanic peoples (" demic diffusion ") southwards or whether innovations found at the Pre-Roman Iron Age sites represent a more peaceful trans-cultural diffusion . The current view in the Netherlands is that Iron Age innovations, starting with Hallstatt (800 BC), did not involve intrusions and featured

484-627: The Hallstatt culture in Central Europe. Archaeologists first decided to divide the Iron Age of Northern Europe into distinct pre-Roman and Roman Iron Ages after Emil Vedel unearthed a number of Iron Age artifacts in 1866 on the island of Bornholm . They did not exhibit the same permeating Roman influence seen in most other artifacts from the early centuries AD, indicating that parts of northern Europe had not yet come into contact with

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528-769: The Late Bronze Age collapse , the Pre-Roman Iron Age of Northern Europe covered the 5th/4th to the 1st centuries BC. The Iron Age in northern Europe is markedly distinct from the Celtic La Tène culture south of it. The old long-range trading networks south–north between the Mediterranean cultures and Northern Europe had broken down at the end of the Nordic Bronze Age and caused a rapid and deep cultural change in Scandinavia. Bronze, which

572-790: The Migration Period , starting with the invasions of the Teutons and the Cimbri until their defeat at the Battle of Aquae Sextiae in 102 BC, presaging the more turbulent Roman Iron Age and Migration Period. Fortified settlements from this period include Tönsberg , Erdenburg and Grotenburg in Germany, Borremose in Denmark and Atuatuca in Belgium. The Roman Iron Age (1–400 AD)

616-544: The Nordic Bronze Age . The tripartite division of the Nordic Iron Age into "Pre-Roman Iron Age", "Roman Iron Age" and "Germanic Iron Age" is due to Swedish archaeologist Oscar Montelius . The Pre-Roman Iron Age (5th/4th–1st centuries BC) was the earliest part of the Iron Age in Scandinavia and the North European Plain . Succeeding the Nordic Bronze Age , the Iron Age developed in contact with

660-640: The Norwegian language . Its meaning is not known. Just as the Norwegian language derives from Old Norse , Agder derives from the Old Norse word Agðir . In the early Viking Age , before Harald Fairhair , Agðir was a petty kingdom inhabited by a people named after it, the Egðir. Nothing in Old Norse gives any hint as to the word's meaning; it was not produced (from known segments) in Old Norse, which means

704-557: The Roman Iron Age Norway was populated by people of the same identity as Sweden, who were called the Suiones by Latin sources. In settling the coast at some point in prehistory they had been divided into civitates by the terrain. These states took on mainly geographical names or names of individuals or mythological characters. Agder was one of them. After the unification of Norway by Harold Fairhair and army and allies in

748-611: The climatic changes and gradually adopting the Neolithic Revolution , transitioning to the megalithic Funnelbeaker culture . The Pezmog 4 archaeological site along the Vychegda River ( Komi Republic ) was discovered in 1994. Pottery of early comb ware type appears there already at the beginning of the 6th millennium BC. Pit–Comb Ware culture appeared in northern Europe as early 4200 BC, and continued until c.  2000 BC . Some scholars argue that it

792-626: The formannskapsdistrikt law went into effect, creating local municipalities all over Norway. The municipalities have changed over time through mergers and divisions as well as numerous boundary adjustments. When Agder county was established on 1 January 2020, it had 25 municipalities. Norway of the Viking Age was divided into petty kingdoms ruled by chiefs who contended for land, maritime supremacy, or political ascendance and sought alliances or control through marriage with other royal families, either voluntary or forced. These circumstances produced

836-409: The 10th century, all the civitates became provinces ( fylker ) and after their conversion to Christianity, they became dioceses or parishes. The development of Old Norse into local dialects and the dissimilation of customs due to isolation added an ethnic flavor to the area, which is cherished today. Petty kingdoms of Norway The petty kingdoms of Norway ( Bokmål : smårike ) were

880-702: The 3rd century onwards. Through the 5th and 6th centuries, gold and silver become more and more common. This time saw the ransack of the Roman Empire by Germanic tribes, from which many Scandinavians returned with gold and silver. A new Iron Age had begun in Northern Europe, the Germanic Iron Age. The Germanic Iron Age is divided into the Early Germanic Iron Age (EGIA) and the late Germanic Iron Age (LGIA). In Sweden ,

924-619: The 4th century in Nydam Mose in southern Denmark. The Gudme Hall complex, a ruling elite residence and cult site, was built in Denmark in the 3rd century. At Uppåkra in Sweden, the largest Iron Age settlement in Scandinavia developed from c. 200 AD onwards. A wooden temple was built at Uppåkra in the 3rd century and continued to be used and rebuilt over 600 years, into the early Viking Age. Gamla Uppsala in Sweden developed into an important religious, economic and political centre from

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968-602: The 7th millennium BC. The transition to the Neolithic is characterized by the Funnelbeaker culture in the 4th millennium BC. The Chalcolithic is marked by the arrival of the Corded Ware culture , possibly the first influence in the region of Indo-European expansion . The Nordic Bronze Age proper began roughly one millennium later, around 1500 BC. The end of the Bronze Age is characterized by cultural contact with

1012-540: The 8th century, a number of small political entities existed in Norway. The exact number is unknown, and would probably also fluctuate with time. It has been estimated that there were 9 petty realms in Western Norway during the early Viking Age . Archaeologist Bergljot Solberg on this basis estimates that there would have been at least 20 in the whole country. There are no written sources from this time to tell us

1056-506: The Central European La Tène culture ( Celts ), contributing to the development of the Iron Age by the 4th century BC, presumably the locus of Common Germanic culture. Northern Europe enters the protohistorical period in the early centuries AD, with the adoption of writing and ethnographic accounts by Roman authors. The following is a refined listing of Northern European archaeological periods, expanded from

1100-690: The LGIA (550–800) is usually called the Vendel era ; in Norway and Finland, the Merovinger ( Merovingian ) Age. The Germanic Iron Age begins with the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Germanic kingdoms in Western Europe. It is followed, in Northern Europe and Scandinavia , by the Viking Age . During the decline of the Roman Empire , an abundance of gold flowed into Scandinavia; there are excellent works in gold from this period. Gold

1144-662: The Norwegian high king and some would try to break free again. Below follows an incomplete list of petty kingdoms of Norway and their known rulers. Most of the people mentioned in this list are legendary or semi-legendary. Some of the areas might have a contested status as petty kingdoms. Rulers: Legendary (from Gautreks saga ) Kings from 790 to 987 Might also be called Firda or Firdafylke. Rulers: Olaf brother of Anund Yngling Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: The status of Telemark as

1188-697: The Romans at the beginning of the Iron Age. Out of the Late Bronze Age Urnfield culture of the 12th century BC developed the Early Iron Age Hallstatt culture of Central Europe from the 8th to 6th centuries BC, which was followed by the La Tène culture of Central Europe (450 BC to 1st century BC). Although the metal iron came into wider use by metalsmiths in the Mediterranean as far back as c. 1300 BC due to

1232-564: The basic three-age system with finer subdivisions and extension into the modern historical period. During the 6th millennium BC , the climate of Scandinavia was generally warmer and more humid than today. The bearers of the Nøstvet and Lihult cultures and the Kongemose culture were mesolithic hunter-gatherers. The Kongemose culture was replaced by the Ertebølle culture , adapting to

1276-591: The briefest of sketches, only citing all of Norway as the Chaedini ("country people"). Perhaps the difference between kingdoms was not sufficiently important to cite them individually. Prior to then the most credible and respected source, Tacitus in Germania Chapter 44 described the Suiones , who were divided into civitates (kingdoms?) along the coast of Scandinavia and were unusual in owning fleets of

1320-409: The entities from which the later Kingdom of Norway was founded. Before the unification of Norway in 872 and during the period of fragmentation after King Harald Fairhair 's death, Norway was divided in several small kingdoms . Some could have been as small as a cluster of villages, and others comprised several of today's counties . By the time of the first historical records of Scandinavia, about

1364-607: The first time. In the 3rd and 4th centuries, some elements are imported from Germanic tribes that had settled north of the Black Sea , such as the runes . There are also many bog bodies from this time in Denmark , Schleswig and southern Sweden. Together with the bodies, there are weapons, household wares and clothes of wool . The prime burial tradition was cremation, but the third century and thereafter saw an increase in inhumation. Great ships made for rowing have been found from

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1408-569: The generally turbulent and heroic lives recorded in the Heimskringla . For example, the Ynglinga saga tells us that Harald Redbeard, chief of Agðir, refused his daughter Åsa to Gudröd Halvdanson, on which event Gudröd invaded Agðir, killed Harald and his son Gyrd, and took Åsa whether she would or no. She bore a son, Halvdan (the Black), and later arranged to have Gudröd assassinated. Among

1452-524: The name is older still. The Egðir are believed to be the same etymologically as the Augandzi people mentioned in the Getica of Jordanes , who wrote of Scandza (Scandinavia) in the 6th century. If Jordanes's Scandza is a palatalized form of *Scandia, then Augandzi is likely a palatalized form of *Augandii, residents of *Augandia. A name of that period would have to be closer to Proto-Germanic ; in fact,

1496-654: The old Agdesiden county were renamed Aust-Agder (East Agder) and Vest-Agder (West Agder). Even before the two counties joined in 2020, they cooperated in many ways; the University of Agder had sites in both Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder, as did many other institutions, such as the Diocese of Agder og Telemark , the Agder Court of Appeal , and the Agder Police District . The name Agder is older than

1540-522: The port side for three days. Rulers: Rulers: Rulers: Roman Iron Age The archaeology of Northern Europe studies the prehistory of Scandinavia and the adjacent North European Plain , roughly corresponding to the territories of modern Sweden , Norway , Denmark , northern Germany , Poland , the Netherlands and Belgium . The region entered the Mesolithic around

1584-624: The river Glomma , at Onsøy , Rolvsøy and Tune , where the remains of a ship, the Tune ship , was found. This indicates that there was a center of power in this area. There are indications that at least the southern part of this area was under Danish rule in the late 9th century. In the account of Ottar , which was written down at the court of the English king Alfred the Great , Ottar says that when he sailed south from Skiringssal , he had Denmark on

1628-542: The royal families, these events seem to have been rather ordinary. Her word was the last in the argument, as her grandson, Harald Fairhair, unified Norway. Prior to the Viking Age is a gap in the region's history for a few hundred years, but in Jordanes we also find regions of the same but earlier forms of names, presumably also petty kingdoms under now unknown chiefs. The previous most credible source, Ptolemy , gives

1672-471: The rulers power base at Lade, in modern-day Trondheim ). The rulers of all the areas might be called petty kings, herser, subkings, kings or earls depending on the source. A number of small communities were gradually organised into larger regions in the 9th century, and in AD 872 King Harald Fairhair unified the realm and became its first supreme ruler. Many of the former kingdoms would later become earldoms under

1716-600: The styles of which were continuous from the Bronze Age. Some of the most prominent finds from the pre-Roman Iron Age in northern Europe are the Gundestrup cauldron and the Dejbjerg wagons , two four-wheeled wagons of wood with bronze parts. The cultural change that ended the Nordic Bronze Age was influenced by the expansion of Hallstatt culture from the south and accompanied by a changing climate, which caused

1760-421: The title used by these rulers, or the exact borders between their realms. The main written sources we have on this period, the kings' sagas , were not written until the 12th and 13th centuries. While they were in part based on skaldic poems, and possibly on oral tradition , their reliability as sources for detailed events of the Viking Age continues to be debated among historians. The sagas, most notable of which

1804-432: Was an imported alloy, suddenly became very scarce; and iron, which was a local natural resource, slowly became more abundant, as the techniques for extracting, smelting and smithing it were acquired from their Central European Celtic neighbours. Iron was extracted from bog iron in peat bogs, and the first iron objects to be fabricated were needles and edged tools such as swords and sickles. The rise of iron use in Scandinavia

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1848-686: Was now much scarcer and mostly used for decoration. Funerary practices continued the Bronze Age tradition of burning corpses and placing the remains in urns , a characteristic of the Urnfield culture. During the previous centuries, influences from the Central European La Tène culture had spread to Scandinavia from north-western Germany, and there are finds from this period from all the provinces of southern Scandinavia. Archaeologists have found swords, shield bosses, spearheads, scissors, sickles, pincers, knives, needles, buckles, kettles, etc. from this time. Bronze continued to be used for torcs and kettles,

1892-426: Was slow: bog ore was only abundant in southwestern Jutland and it was not until 200–100 BC that iron-working techniques were generally mastered and a productive smithing industry had evolved in the larger settlements. Iron products were also known in Scandinavia during the Bronze Age, but they were a scarce imported material. Similarly, imported bronze continued to be used during the Iron Age in Scandinavia, but it

1936-600: Was used to make scabbard mountings and bracteates . After the Western Roman Empire fell, gold became scarce and Scandinavians began to make objects of gilded bronze, with decorative figures of interlacing animals . During the EGIA, decorations tended to be representational; the animal figures were drawn in more basic forms. In the LGIA, artistic styles became more abstract, symbolic, and intricate, including figures with interlaced shapes and limbs. The LGIA in

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