Polar ice cap during last Ice Age may not have been as extensive as previously thought

Archaeologists looking at the remains of human settlements in the north of Sweden have suggested that the Polar ice cap during the last Ice Age might not have been as extensive as previously thought.

People may have lived in the northern region of Tornedalen as far back as 11,000 years ago, said researcher Olof Ostlund, speaking to the Norrlandska Socialdemokraten newspaper.

The 2 settlements were found in the area around Kaunisvaara, where a new mine is about to be built.

Carbon dating of the finds show that they are much older than previously thought, and mean that previous theories that the area would be covered by the huge polar ice cap are wrong.

"We will now have to re-think our theories on how people migrated to northern Sweden and northern Norway, said Ostlund.

"They didn't get here from the south via the coasts, the finds in Kaunisvaara make this very clear," he added.