Tilblivelsen av setre som automatisk fredete kulturminner: Kvantitative og kvalitative tilnærminger til kulturminneforvaltningens håndtering av setre som arkeologiske kulturmiljø

The Emergence of Shielings as Archaeological Heritage Archaeological sites are not simply found. They emerge through a step-by-step process, between archaeologists and the landscapes in which they operate, and may thus be affected by various discourses, practices, tools and methods. Based on interviews and questbacks, I argue that in parts of Norway, shielings are underrepresented in the National database of Cultural Heritage (Askeladden). This bias is not primarily due to variation in modern development rates, but to differing emphasis and strategies within Regional Cultural Heritage Management. However, we cannot rule out that the shieling system was in fact more widespread across Western Norway. As material actors, sites and landscapes also participate in the creation and maintenance of regional discourses, blurring the line between the spatial distribution maps on the one hand and past realities on the other. By reflecting on our own practice, however, we may approach a better understanding of the past.