Members: 001, 002, 003, 007.
Type: Ironmine.
Status: Abandoned.
As described in Expedition 11, Norway has a lot of natural resources that other nations have been more than willing to exploit. Let's take a journey back in time...to the year 1538. Norway is under danish rule, and will continue to be so until we get our constiution in 1814, after which we enter into a union with Sweden for almost a hundred years. But either way, back on track..the year is 1538 and the danish king Christian III orders a mining expert from Saxony to travel to the area of Skien to prospect for iron. The german mining expert's name is Hans Glaser. He has loads of experience from mining in eastern Germany. After poking around in the hills west of Skien he sends a letter to the danish king saying something along the lines of "God has shown us mercy by placing an abundance of iron ore in Skien, in plenty and wide locations."
Hans Glaser goes about making major plans for developing Skien into a mining town. This is said to be the earliest know comprehensive plan for developing industry in Norway. This was never to materialize though. Based on experience from Saxony, Hans Glaser had expected the ores to widen as they mined further down into the mountain. They didn't..they were widest near the surface and narrowed as one descended.
The nearby ironworks of Fossum were established, and in 1543 Glaser reports that the first mine is up and running and iron production at Fossum has commenced. This first mine, the "Glaser Mine" (It probably didn't have this name in 1543.) is the oldest ironmine that can be dated in Norway. The Glaser mine was only the first mine of many in this area, and Fossum ironworks stopped production as late as 1867 after more than 300 years of producing canons, ovens and so forth. Unfortunately most of Fossum ironworks is gone today. The Castle of the owners (quite spectacular), along with the gunpowder house remain to this day. There is an estimated 400-600 mines of various size in the hills west of Skien, most of them not secured by fences, and anyone traveling to this area is advised to stick to the paths and to show caution to where one steps if going of road. (The Cavemen experienced this when traveling through the wilderness, but we were prepared and cautious and therefore avoided falling into the abyss on several occations.)
The Glaser Mine was an obvious destination for the Cavemen!!
We set out early one saturday morning. I hop on into the cavemobile, and with exploration music blaring out of the speakers to set the mood, I head for 003's hideout. Soon after, 007 was picked up for his first expedition and we were off. 002 was supposed to meet us on site with his girlfriend, but after a distress call we ended up picking up him aswell. All four of us packed into my little Toyota Yaris, we were ready for action, until 002 decided he couldn't go anywhere without his dose of morning coffee. A few take away coffee's later we're back on road and find the designated parking. We gear up and head off into the bush. After 20 minutes of walking we are met by the first warning signs..we're getting close.
 |
| Dangerous Open Mines |
 |
| Near The Entrance. An Airshaft Provides Daylight. |
 |
| In The Halls Of The Mountain King |
It was an awesome feeling walking through this miningtunnel thinking about the primitive methods of mining they had in the 16th century.
 |
| Belly Of The Beast |
 |
| Caveman 002 |
 |
| Guided By The Lights |
After a few journeys back and forth taking pictures, I told the guys about an access point across the hill that lead down into a cave containing a small lake. They needed no convincing and so we were off. Once there my camera was bugging out, so I got no good pictures from the inside but i'll throw in a shot of the entrance itself.
 |
| The Other Side Of The Mountain |
We entered the cracks in the picture above and found ourselves in a cavern with a small lake. There were side entrances back into the mine we had previously explored, but we were cut off by collapses and water. Caveman 007 was all eager and began planning absailing into the cut off sections from above, and so the rest of us had to calm him down...you've got to applaude his dedication though, but one thing at a time right. That being said, it's an interesting thought..people may not have been down there, in the closed off sections for hundreds of years..would be nice if the Cavemen were amongst the first to really map this thing in a proper way.
 |
| One Of Many Holes Into The Deep Below, Scattered Along Hill |
On our way back across the hill, 007 was creeping on all four into every nook and cranny looking for ways into the mine. Some were fenced off, leading a long way down judging by the small rocks we threw in, others were small entrances not really leading into the mine itself, being blocked by cave-ins. 003 had one hell of slide down a slope, getting a few bruises, but nothing a Caveman can't handle right?! He's now a nominee for injury award during the Cavemen Awards 2014. (Until I came home and found out I had a bug stuck to my thigh...a bug known to carry the disease Borrelia, making you insane.) So in the words of 003: "During the spring of 2014, if you start climbing walls in bunkers, trying to convince the rest of us that you're Spiderman, you deserve that award by a mile."
-Caveman 001-
Ingen kommentarer:
Legg inn en kommentar