Focus on Fire

Food, cult and heating through 11,000 years
Imagine living in Northern Norway in the time before electricity, even before matches.
The campfire or the hearth would be the centre for everyday life. Giving light and providing heat for cooking, the fire was where people gathered with their many tasks and doings. In the flickering light from the fire stories were told and traditions handed down from generation to generation. The flames could even be a magic medium for opening the world of ancestors and spirits. In order to master life, you had to master the fire.

Tromsø Museum welcomes you to explore the fire-technology of the past in this modern exhibition. You may gather information from presentations and interactive screens, on topics like climate, foodstuffs, clothing and ornaments of the Stone Age.

Real Stone Age tools and other objects are on display, alongside with replicas that you may handle and try out yourself. Try lighting a fire like a Stone Age man. Would you be able to use the kitchen of a Stone Age family?

“Focus on Fire” is based on archaeological finds from the island Melkøya and other sites in Northern Norway. The exhibition is sponsored by Statoil.