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Country: |
Sweden |
Locality: |
Kallsängen |
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Region: |
Bohuslän |
Area: |
Bottna |
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Environment & Surface |
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Altitude:
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40 m
Open-air
Shelter
Cave
Portable
Megalithic
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Geography: |
SW edge of forest, sloping rock at the base of a major ridge. |
Proximity: |
500 m E of major road, 300 m W of farm. |
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Geology: |
Greyish kind of rock, partly coloured by iron sediments. |
Surface: |
Flat, surface, partly weathered. Grinded, deeply carved figures. |
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Art |
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Description: |
Engravings
Paintings
Painted engravings
High or low-relief
Sculpture
Kallsängen, Bottna parish. There is a total number of c. 80 figures, of which 15 ship figures. The carving covers an area of c. 30 square meters. On the right side of the panel there is a group of 9 animals with long bushy tails, possibly wolves running uphill. In the centre of the carved panel a number of shallow figures like animals, ship figures, human figures and a ner figure (?). On the left side of the carving are the most famous figures at Kallsängen, the 5 winged figures with bird-beak shaped heads or masks, one with two heads, sword hilts. The figures are totally carved out and have enlarged calves. Further below, a human figure is depicted, in the proceeding of having sexual intercourse with a horse.
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Figures: |
total number 80
15 ship figures
80 cup marks
Human figures/5 winged with bird-beak shaped heads.
Animal figures/Horse/Wolf
Weapon
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Chronology: |
Palaeolithic
Epipalaeolithic - Mesolithic
Neolithic
Copper Age
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Roman
Middle Age
Modern
Unknown
he 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.
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Notes: |
The Kallsängen locality with the winged figures with bird-beak shaped masks are an unique illustration of ceremonies and rituals of the Bronze Age. The figure with two heads is reminiscent of a Greek legend of a pair of Siamesic Twins, the Aktorione-Molione warriors, the sons of the "Earth-shaker" Poseidon (Winter 2001:206). |
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Bibliography |
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Conservation |
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Status: |
Public
Private
Park
Classified site
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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. |
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Conservation: |
Good
Quite good
Mediocre
Bad
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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. |
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By |
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| Record n. 757 / 807 |
No commercial use is allowed. Specific © is mentioned in the captions or owned by each Author or Institution |
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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).
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