|
|
|
Country: |
Sweden |
Locality: |
Backa |
|
|
Region: |
Bohuslän |
Area: |
Brastad |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Environment & Surface |
|
|
|
|
Open-air
Shelter
Cave
Portable
Megalithic
|
Geography: |
Area of rock carvings, a number of panels at the left side along the road from Backa - Immestad, 270 m S of crossroad. Panels overlooking the fields. E base of ridge. |
Proximity: |
In the vicinity of the sea, area of arable land. |
|
|
Geology: |
Greyish kind of rock. |
Surface: |
Smooth, sloping surfaces. Microflora. |
Dimensions:
|
Length 8.00 m.
Width 3.00 m.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Art |
|
|
|
Description: |
Engravings
Paintings
Painted engravings
High or low-relief
Sculpture
Backa, Brastad parish. The carvings are situated on a number of panels along the road Backa - Immestad. The locality is situated at the base of a major ridge, just at the edge of farmingland. The first large panel are situated c. 300 m from crossroad, and is generally called "Field of the Cobbler", because of the huge human figure (1.5 m) phallic, raised axe and a neck-ring. At the feet of this figure there are a chariot and further below a ship with 6 human figures, solemnly looking. Even further below, there are a number of large figures, including a number of birds with long legs and a ship with crew in stem and stern. On the left side of the panel are a ship with snake-like decoration. The area of rock carvings continues further down the road, for c. 300 m. Another field, c. 8 m wide, consists a number of strange figures, for example 2 big animals, elk-looking but with long tails and hanging heads. Here are also deers. Close to the centre, there are several discs or wheels, and at the base a "sun-chariot" - 2 wheels with a large disc and a mantle-design. There are about 7 similar chariots. Another panel has a 3.5 m long ship figure with a spiral decoration in the prow, and a number of cup marks above and under the hull. At another field, there is a large, impressive disc at a triple-pole. A bit further down the road, following a path up to a house, there are a few more panels with carvings. 80 m straight on from the buildings there are a small panel, 6 m wide with some interesting figures. The panel is dominated by a large ship, 2 m long, with a turned prow. There are a number of other, smaller ship figures all around. There are also 2 horses, turned towards each other, with 2 acrobats and a large lying human figure with a smaller one rising up from the chest.
|
Figures: |
total number 150
Ship figures
Human figures
Birds
Animals/horses/elks(?)
Wheel crosses
Circle figures
Weapon
Chariots
Cup marks
|
|
|
Chronology: |
Palaeolithic
Epipalaeolithic - Mesolithic
Neolithic
Copper Age
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Roman
Middle Age
Modern
Unknown
The rock carvings of Southern Scandinavia are generally dated to the middle and later part of the Bronze Age, c. 1500-500 BC. Occasionally, more absolute dating of single panels or figures can be made, based on typological or stylistic features of the image, and by comparisons with identifiable objects.
|
Notes: |
The rock carvings at Backa were among the first to be discovered in Sweden. Interestingly enough, the large phallic human figure with the axe has long been known locally and goes by the name of "The Cobbler" . |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bibliography |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Conservation |
|
|
|
Status: |
Public
Private
Park
Classified site
|
Risk: |
The major risk for rock carvings are chemical weathering, which makes the hard quartzite losen up and fall out, leaving white dots on the darker rock surface. Also natural weathering (mechanical weathering) during winter/spring, when water freeze in cracks and openings in the rock, creates major damage to rock faces with carvings. The biological weathering is also a danger to the rock carvings, and even to intense cleaning of the rock surface during documentation can make the rock fragile and expose the carvings to wind, water and air-born pollution. |
|
|
Conservation: |
Good
Quite good
Mediocre
Bad
|
Intervention: |
Problems concerning conservation and preservation, registration and documentation of rock carvings in Scandinavia are discussed by several departments, i.e. Riksantikvaren in Norway, Riksantikvarieämbetet in Sweden, several universities and research departments. Different methods are tested, for example covering of carved surfaces, measuring of temperature and different contents in water and air and also the composition in the granite. Hollows and cracks in the rock surface can be repaired and carefully filled in. An easy method of taking care of the rock surface is by ordinary sweeping. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
By |
|
|
|
Record n. 759 / 807 |
No commercial use is allowed. Specific © is mentioned in the captions or owned by each Author or Institution |
|
|
|
EuroPreArt, European Prehistoric Art, is a web-based archaeological project funded by the European Union which aims to establish a lasting data-base of European prehistoric art documentation, to launch the base of an European institutional network and to contribute to the awareness of the diversity and richness of European Prehistoric Art.
It is proposed by: Instituto Politécnico de Tomar (IPT, Portugal),
CUEBC - European University Centre for Cultural Heritage (Italy - Europe),
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (España),
Asociación Cultural Colectivo Barbaón (España),
Université de Liège (Belgique),
Gotland University College (Sverige),
University College Dublin (Eire),
Cooperativa Archeologica Le Orme dell'Uomo (Italia),
Study Centre and Museum of Prehistoric Art of
Pinerolo (Italia),
The European Centre for Prehistoric Research in the Alto Ribatejo (Portugal),
ArqueoJovem - a youth NGO (Portugal).
|
|
|
|
|