According to Snorres’ Kings’ Saga, Harald Fairhair fought two sea battles against the Earls of Møre on the island of Solskjel right across the fjord from Edøya. These were strikes against the armies that prevailed south of Trøndelag.
Mørejarlen Hunjov along with his son Solve Klove and Nokkve Earl of Romsdal united to form a large army when they heard that Harald was on his way with his entourage to conquer the ruling royal powers in Norway.
Harald emerged victorious from both battles. Huntjov and Nokkve both fell in battle, whilst Solve Klove saved himself by fleeing. After the battles King Harald appointed Ragnvald Mørejarl chief of the two counties.
The axe blade is from a burial mound on Kuli and was discovered along with other tools and weapons such as swords, a small hunting knife, a spear, iron tools and sword hilts. Today the axe blade can be found on display at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History in Oslo. Early Iron Age (500BC to 1030AD).
When Solve Klove the son of King Huntjov travelled south to mobilise the people of Sunnmøre in the fight against Harald Fairhair; he told King Audbjørn in the southern fjords:
“It is now clear to see that we all only have one choice, we can rise against King Harald together, we will have great strength, and fate will take its victory, or we must become Harald’s slaves and that is not a choice for men who have no less inferior names than Harald himself. My father felt that it was better to fall in battle in his own kingdom than to be King Harald’s underling.”
The sacred white stone is a fertility symbol which can be seen on the North Easterly side of Kuli and is connected to one of seven large burial sites on the island. The placing of the stones in a circle can indicate that they were used in rituals. A stanza from the poetic Edda tells of their significance “I want you all to swear by the sacred stone, pure white”
Mrs Guri of Edøy is a fictitious character in the outdoor play “Fru Guri av Edøy” written by Peggy Kruse. She could have been a figure who lived at the time when the old church in Edøy was built. We know that at that time there was conflict between the King who wanted to promote Christianity in the country and the local Chiefs who wanted to retain power and keep the Norse traditions alive.
We estimate that the Old Edøy church was built around the 12th century. Mrs Guri therefore would have been living through a period of transition. Influences were arriving from the outside world, including the introduction of Christianity and a move away from Norse traditions. In Norway the transition from Pagan beliefs to Christianity took place over a period from around 800 to 1100.
The Edøy star is a star shaped triangular construction which lies around 40cms under the ground where you are now standing. It has a length of 8 metres from tip to tip and each of the three arms measures 5 metres. Triangular constructions are usually found next to large burial sites and later in church yards, they are a sign that there was a centre of power here during the Iron Age. Findings of coal and burnt human and animal remains point towards cremation activities being carried out at the star.
Farmer Tore Kuløy explains that the Kuli stone was a border marking and visible line between two farms during the time of his Grandfather Tore and his brother Halvard. It caught the attention of archaeologists because of a cross carved on the broad side of the stone and it was this that led them to start excavations at the farm.
The archaeologists trampled down the fields which made Halvard mad. On one occasion, he chopped the top off the stone and used it as a support under the barn’s bridge!
The stone remained under the barn’s bridge until Assistant Professor B. E. Bendixsen had it transported to the Science Museum in Trondheim in 1913, where it was placed in the Museum Garden. It was not until 44 years later, in 1956 that a rune inscription was discovered on the stone by the runologist Aslak Liestøl which read as:
«Tore and Halvard erected this stone…. For twelve winters Christianity has been in Norway”
The Kuli stone plays an important role in Norway’s history, because it tells of the transition from Paganism to Christianity in the country. The inscription mentions for the first time on Norwegian soil the name ‘Norway’ and it is also the first time that we see the word Christianity written in Norway.
Because of this the stone is often referred to as Norway’s baptism certificate. The stone and its text are incorporated into the UNESCO list of Norway’s document heritage.
The inhabitants of Edøya and Smøla have long been aware of an extensive history of human activity on the archipelago. Several archaeological finds have been made in the area, flints, stones, tools, weapons, and hewn wood have all been found in the fields and marshes.
This has created wonder, speculation and curiosity about the people who have lived here throughout the ages, spanning from the Stone and Iron Ages through the Middle Ages up to the present day. The first archaeologists that examined the islands in the 1800s were for the most part interested in uncovering treasure from the Viking burial mounds.
Any artifacts of interest that were uncovered were sent to the Science Museum in Trondheim and the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo. Today, the development of new technologies and other approaches to the field of archaeology have led to the emergence of new insights and understanding of history.
In 2019 a geo-radar survey was carried out and a Viking grave was uncovered. This proved that this location had been a centre of power. The ship was estimated to have dated from the Pre-Iron Age (600-800 BC) the outline shows a 13-metre-long keel with an indication of strakes.
The ship lies in what would have been a mound with a circular 18 metre diameter. It looks like it was a lighter ship that could be manoeuvred, sailed or rowed quickly by 24 men and was maybe used as a part of the ‘Leidang’ costal fleet.
The ship held a principal place in Norse beliefs and burial rituals during the time of the Scandinavian Vikings, it is thought to have symbolised the journey to another world and could also have been an offering to the Gods. A ship burial was a political expression of power by a Chief, Chiefs that were buried here wanted to demonstrate their power to those who travelled past by building a mound visible from the shipping route.
During the war the Germans took over the old Edøy church which had been destroyed by a lightning strike in 1887. They used it for weapon storage, as a shelter and trenches and because of this valuable cultural soil layers were destroyed. History tells that one of the soldiers liked to mix with the locals for social contact and to enjoy a dram, but his destiny was to stand on his own mine and perish.
The former church was built on a spot that had a central function in pre-Christian times as a centre of power and as the seat of the Chieftain. The church was able to harness the character of this holy site and consequently reduced some of the opposition to breaking away from the old Norse beliefs and mythology.
It is estimated that the old Edøy church was erected around the 12th century, but recesses under the nave and its position on a slope may indicate that it was previously a tomb for a local chief. In the Middle Ages one in every three churches was built from stone which was more costly, labour intensive and required building expertise from outside the country.
The altarpiece from the old Edøy church was lost. But we know that during the Middle Ages St. Olav was revered as a Saint in these parts. Even after the reformation we can find figures of saints on altarpieces St. Olav is represented here in a wooden sculpture obtained from the altarpiece belonging to the fishing village of Veiholmen dating from 1530 which today can be found in the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo.
