In western Sweden, researchers have found around 40 petroglyphs, stone drawings depicting people, animals and ships, estimated to be approximately 2,700 years old. The carved granite rock is steep and was once part of an island, in a position where it would only have been possible to mark it from a boat or a platform built into the ice.
The location that houses the find is Bohuslän, a province that has already brought several stone markings to archeology, such as the Bronze Age arts of Tanum, considered universal cultural heritage by UNESCO. The team of scientists was looking for petroglyphs in the area when they came across the rock, covered in moss. When cleaning it, the arts in question were seen, which had to be accessed by a platform.
meaning two petroglyphs
Among the images, it is possible to identify ships, animal and human figures, including what appear to be horses, given their 4 legs and other characteristics. The largest of the petroglyphs is 4 meters long and represents a ship, while most figures are 30 cm to 40 cm.
They were manufactured by pressing hard stones against the granite surface, exposing an underlying white layer. This would have made the glyphs quite visible at the time, even when seen from the mainland or aboard passing ships.
The researchers are unable to say exactly what the markings were for, but it is likely that they were made to demarcate ownership. It is also theorized that, if they were manufactured within a short period of time, they could have served to tell a story, representing a narrative through the images.
Some of the figures are repeated several times, such as chariots, carts and animal figures, and this, according to specialists, is a common characteristic of arts that bring a chronology of events. The archaeological site with the petroglyphs was discovered earlier this month of May, but further research is still being carried out.
Source: LiveScience, UNESCO
