Østerdalen

Østerdalen is a valley and traditional district in the eastern part of Norway, consisting of the municipalities Rendalen, Alvdal, Folldal, Tynset, Tolga and Os in the north, Elverum, Stor-Elvdal, Engerdal,Trysil and Åmot in the south.

The upper river valleys of Norwegian rivers have distinctive names which are vestiges of earlier cultural distinctions such as building styles, traditional clothing or bunad and domestic crafts.

The name

The Norse form of the name was Øystridalir (Eystridalir) 'the eastern valleys'. The name was referring to the valleys of the rivers Glomma, Rena, Trysilelva and Österdalälven (the parishes Idre and Särna belonged to Norway until 1644).

The modern form -dalen is the finite singular of dal m 'dale, valley'.