The found rock painting is visible at a certain angle of the sun's rays
An unusual discovery was made by archaeologists in Norway. Their excavations are connected with plans to build an oil transshipment terminal. Archaeologists were in the final stages of researching Stone Age settlements and an ancient site from a later time. And taking a shortcut to their place of work, scientists made a new discovery.
At a close distance from the excavations, in a field, archaeologists discovered a rock with a painting that is approximately 6-7 thousand years old. The drawing made of lines resembles something scratched by bear claws.
“Suddenly, like lightning from a clear sky, figures jump out one after another. Then we realized that this was something special. This is something sensational,” — says archaeologist Erik Kjellmann.
Several scientists from the museum returned after the discovery of the rock art to check the condition of the find and the surrounding area. At the same time, new innovative documentation was made using a drone with lidar.
Archaeologist Ingrid Sommerset notes that stone carvings on the territory of Stone Age settlements are a rare phenomenon, and the discovered drawing — the only one in this part of Norway. This means archaeologists can hope to find more rock art in eastern Finnmark.
«The figures and motifs on the rock are in the same tradition as the rock art at Alta, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.” , — emphasizes Sommerset.
To date, about 30 images of reindeer and elk from the Stone Age have been documented. The reindeer figures are depicted as herds of small and large animals, while the elk figures are depicted alone.
According to archaeologists, the characters are very naturalistic. They have details such as ribs and reindeer antlers, while moose have ears and beards on their chins. Figures ranging in size from 10 to 40 centimeters are carved on the surface of a rock 15 meters long and up to 3 meters high. They are very difficult to see in dim lighting, but when the sun hits at the right angle, the animals come to life and almost emerge from the rock.
In total, there are about 117 rock art sites with more than 5,000 unique drawings. Rock paintings are found under slabs, in caves, on rocks, on cliffs and in mountains. It refers to all prehistoric periods, starting with the Mesolithic 10,000 years ago and ending with our time.
We would like to remind you that before carrying out construction work in Norway, archaeological excavations are required by law.
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