About the Museum of Archaeology

The Museum of Archaeology at UiS conducts research, administration and dissemination regarding human beings and their environments, mainly from prehistoric times and the Middle Ages. In addition to the dissemination work performed at the museum at Våland, the Museum of Archaeology is also responsible for disseminating information about the reconstructed Iron Age Farm at Ullandhaug.

Published Updated on
Facts
Employees

Around 90

PhD Schoolars

5

Yearly visitors

62.000

Director

Ole Madsen


Pearl of reddish-brown amber.

Administration of Rogaland’s history

Perlekjede fra yngre jernalder/ vikingtid.
Pearl necklace from the viking age.

The Museum of Archaeology has scientific collections that are available for various national and international research communities. Public exhibitions and other research-based dissemination initiatives are areas of priority. The museum conducts extensive administrative tasks pursuant to the Cultural Heritage Act.

The Department of Education and Visitor Service ensures that knowledge and research results about ancient human history are made known to the public through services to schools, exhibitions and events, lectures and open days at excavation sites etc.

The Department of Archaeological Excavations and Natural Sciences is legally responsible for archaeological surveys in relation to construction projects in Rogaland County that may come into conflict with cultural heritage sites and monuments. 

The Department of Conservation’s field of expertise includes the conservation of archaeological material;  stone preservation and building restoration; the conservation of paintings, building surveys and scientific services.

The Department of Collections receives artefacts and scientific samples from archaeological surveys and from private individuals. In addition, the department is responsible for the scientific archive including all documentation material and databases.

The museum’s Division of Administration provides support to the Director and the various departments. 

Contact

Phone: 51 83 26 00
E-mail: post-am@uis.no

Visitors address:
Peder Klowsgate 30 A
4010 Stavanger

Opening hours in the reseption:
Monday - Friday 08.30 - 15.30


Postal address:
Arkeologisk museum
Universitetet i Stavanger
4036 Stavanger

Find us (Mazemap).

The management

Director of Museum
51832665
Museum of Archaeology
Head of Section
51832608
Museum of Archaeology
Department of Exhibitions and Public Engagement
Director
51832882
Museum of Archaeology
Museum Administration
Associate Professor
51832588
Museum of Archaeology
Department of Collections
Avdelingsleder, Avdeling Fornminnevern
Museum of Archaeology
Department of Cultural Heritage
Archaeologist
51832601
Museum of Archaeology
Department of Exhibitions and Public Engagement
Fagkoordinator
51832826
Museum of Archaeology
Department of Exhibitions and Public Engagement
Head of Department
51832689
Museum of Archaeology
Department of Conservation

The Department of Cultural Heritage

The Department of Cultural Heritage is legally responsible for archaeological surveys in relation to construction projects in Rogaland County that may come into conflict with cultural heritage sites and monuments. The department also provides advisory services and is a centre of expertise regarding archaeological issues.

Flint daggers from the Stone Age. Photo: Annette Øvrelid, Arkeologisk museum, UiS.

Rogaland County is rich in cultural heritage, and in connection with administrative excavations, archaeologists from the Museum of Archaeology often find exciting traces that have been left by people of the past. If the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage grants permission to alter or remove a registered cultural heritage site or monument in relation to a planned development within Rogaland County, the Museum of Archaeology is responsible for carrying out an archaeological survey of the site.

Employees at the Department of Cultural Heritage will then excavate and document the cultural heritage site in question in order to preserve as much knowledge as possible. The department then conducts research on the recovered material to increase knowledge about early human history and disseminate this to interested research communities and the general public.

Advisory services

The Department of Cultural Heritage at the Museum of Archaeology serves as an advisor and a centre of expertise, and we:

– provide professional assistance to the county authorities, the Sámi Parliament and the Directorate of Cultural Heritage by virtue of being the professional centre of expertise for Rogaland County, especially in connection with planning cases and environmental crime.

– safeguard archaeological source material and carry out excavations of endangered and protected archaeological sites of cultural importance.

– participate in the planning and implementation of cultural heritage site maintenance and management in cooperation with the county authorities, the Sámi Parliament or the Directorate of Cultural Heritage.

– provide advisory services to the Directorate of Cultural Heritage regarding applications for exemption from the Cultural Heritage Act.

Interdisciplinary

The Museum of Archaeology places special emphasis on interdisciplinarity within the fields of research and management development.

Natural scientists within the fields of botany, geology and meteorology collaborate with archaeologists to map and understand natural and anthropogenic changes in the natural environment, and how natural resources were used in the past.


The Department of Exhibitions and Public Engagement

The Department of Exhibitions and Public Engagement ensures that knowledge and research results about ancient human history are made known to the public through services to schools, exhibitions and events, lectures and open days at excavation sites etc.

Bronselurer. Funnet på Revheim. Fra yngre bronsealder. Foto: Annette Øvrelid, Arkeologisk museum, UiS
Bronze horns. Photo: Annette Øvrelid, Arkeologisk museum, UiS.

People have lived in Rogaland for more than 11,000 years and have experienced changing natural conditions. They have left traces in the form of utensils and tools, weapons, jewellery, burial mounds, rock carvings, house ruins, fields with traces of cultivation, etc. The museum’s scientists that specialise in different disciplines use these traces to constantly find out more about the way humans lived, their beliefs and their values in a distant past.

Disseminating knowledge

The Department of Exhibitions and Public Engagement at the Museum of Archaeology shall ensure that this knowledge and the research results are made available to the general public. We do this by creating exhibitions and special events at the museum, giving lectures, arranging open days at excavation sites and organising guided tours, etc.

During the summer months, we offer an extensive activity programme for children, and we also organise special activities during the autumn and winter holidays. The school service also ensures that schools and kindergartens in the county receive quality educational arrangements.

‘Night at the Museum’ is arranged every autumn and includes entertaining, enlightening and surprising experiences for both adults and children.

People from Rogaland who visit our exhibitions will find antiquities from their home municipalities on display. It is also easy to get an overview of other discoveries and cultural monuments by using computers with access to databases.

The museum’s popular science journal called Frá haug ok heiðni presents archaeological survey results from around the county.

The museum shop offers varied literature from both its own publishing house and a wide selection of other cultural history books and booklets, along with copies of jewellery from Rogaland’s past and other selected souvenirs.

We also have a nice café that serves tasty, homemade food.

The Department of Conservation

Avdeling for konservering sine fagområde omfattar konservering av arkeologisk materiale; steinkonservering og bygningsrestaurering; malerikonservering og We work on the conservation of cultural heritage sites and monuments. Cultural heritage is regarded as having high societal value. The Department of Conservation’s four fields of expertise are the conservation of archaeological material, scientific services, stone preservation, building restoration, the conservation of paintings and building surveys.

To spannformede leirkar og et hankekar. Foto: Annette Øvrelid, Arkeologisk museum, UiS.
Photo: Annette Øvrelid, Arkeologisk museum, UiS.

The Directorate for Cultural Heritage is the governing body of cultural heritage management and must approve project descriptions and budgets for archaeological excavations before they can start. The Directorate for Cultural Heritage must also approve treatment proposals for protected church furnishings and restoration proposals for listed buildings before work commences.

The Department of Conservation works to preserve archaeological artefacts found at ongoing excavations. We are also responsible for documenting and finding out as much as possible about the information they can provide about the past.  We preserve, document and disseminate cultural heritage as well as the values and information associated with it.

The archaeologists also receive soil samples in order to examine the pollen, seed and charcoal content. These parameters provide information about vegetation history and climate variations far back in time. Excavated and preserved artefacts are included in the museum’s collections and are displayed in exhibitions or kept in the museum’s storage facilities. Employees at the Department of Conservation ensure that climate conditions at both the exhibitions and storage facilities are suitable for the artefacts.

Different climates suit different artefacts. Therefore, expertise in conservation is required for this. Iron artefacts must be kept dry so they don’t continue to rust, while wood, textiles and leather require a little more humidity so they don’t dry out and begin to crack. The most important climate factors that are taken into consideration are temperature, light and humidity.  

Parts of the Museum of Archaeology’s conservation activities are assignment-based. Conservation and restoration assignments are announced within the field of cultural heritage management for public and private sector clients. The assignments are carried out either in the field or at the Museum of Archaeology’s workshop. Most of the assignments take place in Rogaland County, but there have been several cases where we have also undertaken both minor and major assignments in other counties. The restoration of the furnishings and fixtures in St. Mary’s Church in Bergen, which the Museum of Archaeology is about to complete after 5 years of work, is an example of a major project involving the conservation of paintings. This is one of the department’s two assignment-based areas of activity.

Our main clients are the Directorate for Cultural Heritage, Rogaland County Authority, the municipalities in Rogaland, the museums and public and private institutions.

The Department of Collections

The Department of Collections is responsible for the museum’s collections of artefacts and scientific sample material, and the documentation materials prepared in connection with cultural heritage site surveying. In addition, the department is responsible for databases associated with various disciplines, GIS and digital documentation.

Fiskekroker i flint. Foto: Annette Øvrelid, Arkeologisk museum, UiS
Fish hooks made out of flint. Photo: Annette Øvrelid, Arkeologisk museum, UiS.

Avdeling for samlinger tar imot gjenstander og naturvitenskapelige prøver fra

The Department of Collections receives artefacts and scientific samples from archaeological surveys in Rogaland County. We also receive artefacts from Rogaland County Authority’s registrations as well as artefacts that private individuals have found and handed in to the museum. Apart from conservation, the department deals with all aspects of artefact processing. We are responsible for receiving, cataloguing, photographing and storing material that has been found, as well as following-up cases where things have been loaned out and the issuing of diplomas to private individuals who have handed in artefacts.

The Department of Collections is also responsible for the documentation material produced in connection with archaeological surveys and the handing in of artefacts, such as photographs, drawings, reports and digital measurement data. The scientific archive manages several different archive collections, including a topographically arranged archive, drawing archives, tracings of rock carvings, photo archives and various databases.

The Department of Collections also has a well-equipped photo studio. Our photographer takes on photography assignments for both private individuals and for businesses.

We also provide guidance to students, researchers and the general public regarding our collections, and the photo archive lends images to various publications and other purposes.

Click here to search the photo database and the artefact database.

Styret 2017 - 2021

The Museum Board

The board at the Museum of Archeaology

Fingerring av sølv fra senmiddelalder
Silver ring.

Chairman of the Board:
Axel Christophersen, Professor, Vitenskapsmuseet, NTNU

Other permanent members:
Annamaria Guitierrez, Stavanger Venstre
John Peter Hernes, Gruppeleder Stavanger Høyre
Magne Bartlett, Studentrepresentant
Wenche Brun, Vitenskapelig ansatt, Arkeologiskm museum, UiS
Astrid Johanne Nyland, Vitenskapelig ansatt, Arkeologiskm museum, UiS
Krister Eilertsen, Vitenskapelig ansatt, Arkeologiskm museum, UiS
Ellen Tjørnhom Bøe, Teknisk-administrativt ansatt, Arkeologiskm museum, UiS

Deputies: 
Karl Karlhovd, Ass. Museumsdirektør KHM UiO,  1. vara eksterne medlemmer
Trond Meling, 1. vara vitenskapelig ansatte
Eli-Christine Soltvedt, 2. vara vitenskapelig ansatte
Barbro Irene Dahl, 3. vara vitenskapelig ansatte
Anne Kari Skår, 4. vara vitenskapelig ansatte
Sigrid Alræk Dugstad, 5. vara vitenskapelig ansatte 

Administration:
Ole Madsen, museumsdirektør, styrets sekretær

Reglememt for museumsstyret ved Arkeologisk museum, UiS. Regulations for the Museum Board (in Norwegian).

MANDAT, SAMMENSETNING OG LEDELSE Museumsstyrets mandat, sammensetning og ledelse (Museumsstyrets mandat, sammensetning og ledelse er vedtatt av UiS-styret, saken US 32110, 53/10 og US 09/11) Målsetting og ansvar (fra UiS-styresak 53110) Målsetting med Museumsstyret er å styrke studenters og ansattes innflytelse på utviklingen av universitetet og eget fakultet: Styrene skal primært ha et fagstrategisk ansvar, herunder et overordnet budsjettansvar, og fatter vedtak i slike saker. I vedtaket understrekes at ansvaret for den daglige driften fortsatt skal ligge hos museumsdirektøren: Ledelseslinjen går fra styret via rektor/direktør til dekan/museumsdirektør og videre til institutt­ /senterleder. Dekaner/museumsdirektør har resultatansvaret for driften og rapporterer dette til rektor/direktør 1. Museumsstyrets mandat Museumsstyret har ansvar for å fastsette overordnete mål, prioriteringer og strategier for enheten innenfor rammer gitt i regelverk og overordnete nivås beslutninger. Dette ivaretas ved at museumsstyret selv tar stilling til: a. Enhetens strategi og overordnede faglige prioriteringer b. Budsjett og hovedfordeling, med vekt på strategiske prioriteringer c. Saker av stor strategisk eller prinsipiell betydning d. Oppnevne eksterne til egne institutt-/senterstyrer Museumsstyret vil også inngå i institusjonelle prosesser rundt universitetets overordnede strategier. Føringer/bestemmelser: Fakultetsstyre og museumsstyre: 1. Mandatet og styrevedtakets pkt 2 om å unngå byråkratisering og økte kostnader, tilsier at museumsstyret konsentrerer sitt arbeid om 4-6 møter i året knyttet opp mot årshjulet og viktige prioriteringer og vedtak: Det innkalles til møte 4-6 ganger i året. Utover dette når styreleder og museumsdirektør sammen mener særlige hensyn tilsier ekstraordinært møte. 2. Verneombudene deltar på et møte pr. semester der HMS er tema. Møtene integreres i den eksisterende møtestruktur. (Gf. HMS-håndboka, pkt. 3.1.5). 2. Museumsstyrets sammensetning og ledelse Museumsstyret velger selv sin leder, og museumsdirektøren er sekretærer for styret (Gf. sak US 32/10). Museumsstyret har 10 medlemmer: • 4 vitenskapelige ansatte, hvorav 1 kan være midlertidig ansatt dersom denne gruppen har mer enn 25 prosent av de vitenskapelige ansatte • 2 studenter • 2 teknisk-administrative ansatte • 2 eksterne medlemmer, hvorav 1 kan være fra en annen intern enhet Museumsstyret velger selv sin leder.