View of Reinsennvatnet from hill behind. The Sami site is on the right hand side where the road curves away from the lake.
In 2008, archaeologists uncovered three Sami dwellings beside Reinsennvatnet in Vestre Slidre. What made this site particularly exciting was that it is about 150-200km further south than sites where signs of inhabitation have been found previously. The dwellings at Rensenn date from the Iron Age to Middle Age and are among many other archaeological sites in this area which was important for the extraction of iron ore.
From the formation of the fire place, archaeologists have suggested that the Sami may have lived here in the Middle Ages. There is also evidence of what may have been a Sami dwelling. This dwelling is from the latter part of the Middle Ages. As well as the dwellings, there is a large stone with three small cup forms carved out and other stones that show the production of iron has happened here.
Example of what dwelling might have been like (photo taken at Saemien Sijte in Snåsa)
Notice board at the site
The main site. The two smaller dwellings are to the left of the photo.
The main dwelling. The circular form is clear in the terrain. You can see how large it was compared to the person.
Other Sami sites have been found further south than was previously thought, for example, in Hallingdal and in Rendalen.
Sources:
https://www.nrk.no/ho/fann-samebusetnader-i-valdres-1.6200763
https://kulturminnesok.no/minne/?queryString=http%3A%2F%2Fkulturminnesok.no%2Ffm%2Fsamisk-busetting-pa-rensenn
https://www.nrk.no/sapmi/_-bosettinger-mye-lenger-sor-1.8376386
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