Maritime-archaeological investigations of the Hanseatic harbour at Avaldsnes ENDRE ELVESTAD AND ARNFRID OPEDAL Elvestad, E., Opedal, A. 2019. Maritime-archaeological investigations of the Hanseatic harbour at Avaldsnes. AmS-Skrifter 27, 217–236, Stavanger. ISSN 0800-0816, ISBN 978-82-7760-183-0. Investigations of the medieval harbour at the important royal manor of Avaldsnes, south-west Norway, revealed extensive underwater cultural layers and structures like ballast heaps and jetty foundations from the thirteenth until the early six- teenth century. The finds cover a large area and the conditions for preservation of the archaeological material is excellent. A waiting harbour at this strategic site along the fairway to Bergen probably got new functions and became the arena for intense activity during a 100-year period c. 1350–1450. The site known from written sources as Notau was most likely part of the same economic network as Bergen with ties to Hanseatic cities like Lübeck and Danzig. The pottery found on the sea bottom reveals an even wider range of international connections. The results have implications for the relationship between the Norwegian king and the Hanse and the Hanse’s activity outside of the medieval towns. The site is largely undisturbed by modern development and thus very well suited for future research. Endre Elvestad, Brettlandsgata 45, N-4009, STAVANGER, NORWAY. Email:
[email protected] Arnfrid Opedal, Midtre Suldalsgt. 12, N-4014, STAVANGER, NORWAY. Email:
[email protected] Keywords: medieval harbour, royal manor, Hanse, Avaldsnes, maritime archaeology Introduction of steam ships and motor-driven vessels, these anchor- Avaldsnes is a small village on the east side of the island ages lost most of their importance, but they are still used, of Karmøy in the northern part of Rogaland county in mostly by small boats and yachts (Fig.