Vistehola (Svarthola)

Situated at Viste is Vistehola (Svarthola), one of Norway's oldest Stone Age settlement sites. The cave, probably formed during the last ice age, is almost 9 m deep, 5 m wide and 3 m high. The first people settled in here around 6000 BC, and used it during various periods up until the age of migration, around 500 AD. Today, the cave is situated in a good distance from the sea at 16 metres above sea level. In the Stone Age, however, the waters of the sea would have lapped at the cave's entrance.

The thick layer of earth in and by the cave has proved a rich source of bones, antlers and flint tools, casting light on people's life and livelihood. The remains of about 50 different animal and bird species have been found here. During an excavation in 1907, the skeleton of an approximately 15-year-old boy (Vistegutten) was discovered. This is one of the best preserved skeletons found from the Stone Age, and it is believed to be 8,200 years old. Vistegutten is now exhibited at the Archaeological Museum in Stavanger.