World Heritage Rock Art Centre Alta Museum
World Heritage Rock Art Centre Alta Museum
World Heritage Rock Art Centre Alta Museum
World Heritage Rock Art Centre - Alta Museum
Introduction
The Rock Art of Alta, Norway

Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Map
Source: World Heritage Rock Art Centre - Alta Museum

The prehistoric rock art of Alta displays some of the finest carvings in Europe, and is inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. This section is based on the collaboration between the World Heritage Rock Art Centre - Alta Museum and the Bradshaw Foundation, initiated by Norwegian archaeologist Rune Normann.

The World Heritage Rock Art Centre - Alta Museum plays a role model as a cultural center, with exhibitions that cover a long period of time and a wide range of themes; rock art of Alta, Sami Pre-historic religion, northern lights, salmon fishing in the Alta River, among others.

It has also launched a Digital Rock Art Archive which provides in-depth material on the rock art of the municipality of Alta. Presented in both Norwegian and English, the Archive provides an interactive map with data browsing and download facilities.

Rock Art Sites

Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Alta Museum
© Photograph Kjersti Bjordal, VAM
Hjemmeluft, Kåfjord, Transfarelv, Storsteinen, Amtmannsnes [UNESCO's World Heritage List], Isnestoften & Tollevik. Full descriptions of each of the sites can be found on the World Heritage Rock Art Centre - Alta Museum website, and in the Digital Rock Art Archive.

Location

The World Heritage Rock Art Centre - Alta Museum is located in the town of Alta in Finnmark, Northern Norway. The museum is in Hjemmeluft, roughly 5 km from the town centre. Close to the museum is one of the five rock art areas inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985. For information about the rock art, the Collections, the Permanent and Temporary Exhibitions and Activities, and how to plan your visit view the World Heritage Rock Art Centre - Alta Museum website. The museum is open year round, but the rock carvings can only be seen in the snow-free season, from May to October.

Visit the Alta Museum website:
→ World Heritage Rock Art Centre - Alta Museum

Digital Rock Art Archive

Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Alta Museum
© Photograph Bernt Holst, VAM
The rock art of Alta is now also available online in Alta Museum's digital rock art archive. Anyone who would like to study the rock art in detail can do so through the archive's rich and varied graphic material. The contents of the Alta Rock Art Archive are continuously expanded and will also include texts, management documents, videos and other documents containing information about the rock art and its history.

In the Rock Art Archive the world heritage of Alta is made available to everyone. Rock art which is otherwise not possible for the public to experience can now be visited through the archive. The Rock Art Archive is initially meant to be a resource for the heritage management and rock art research. By making the archive accessible to all, the Alta Museum aim to increase the knowledge and interest in the world heritage of Alta among the general public.

Visit the Alta Digital Rock Art Archive:
→ Alta Digital Rock Art Archive

Motifs

The rock art in Alta was created by people who hunted and fished. The art not only reflects the natural surroundings and the resource basis [selection of animals depicted - reindeer, elk, bear, dog/wolf, fox, hare, goose, duck, swan, halibut, salmon, whale], but also their beliefs and rituals, and the figures may have been elements in myths or stories. Scenes depict hunting, gathering and fishing as well as dancing and rituals.

Bear hunting in northern lights, Ole Pedersen Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Bear hunting at Ole Pedersen
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Geometric figure at Kåfjord Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Geometric figure at Kåfjord
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Human at Transfarelv Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Human at Transfarelv
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Ole Pedersen Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Ole Pedersen
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Elk and fringed figure at Bergbukten Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Elk and fringed figure at Bergbukten
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Hunting fence at Bergbukten Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Hunting fence at Bergbukten
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM

Landscape at Apana Gård Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Landscape at Apana Gård
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
The rock art in Alta was inscribed on the World Heritage List in December 1985, as the only prehistoric cultural heritage monument in Norway. It consists of four areas of rock carvings (Hjemmeluft, Kåfjord, Amtmannsnes and Storsteinen), and one area of rock paintings (Transfarelvdalen), and listing just over 3,000 carvings and paintings. They are concentrated heavily at the end of the Altafjord. Since 1985, rock art has been discovered at two more locations - Isnestoften and Tollevik. Whilst these two sites are not officially part of the world heritage listing, they are currently managed in the same manner. Today, in total, there are more than 6000 registered carvings and paintings spread out over some 100 panels. Rock paintings constitute only six panels with about fifty paintings all together. Most of the carvings are located at Hjemmeluft - the location of the World Heritage Rock Art Centre - Alta Museum - and in terms of preservation is the only area that has been facilitated for visitors.

Gallery of Alta Rock Art

Alta has the largest concentration of rock art in Northern Europe made by people with a hunting-fishing economy. The rock art consists of carvings and paintings made between ca 7,000 to 2,000 years ago. All the rock art sites in Alta are open-air sites.

Bear in the rock - digitally enhanced Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Bear in the rock - digitally enhanced
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Boat with human at Ole Pedersen Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Boat with human at Ole Pedersen
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Bears den at Kåfjord Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Bears den at Kåfjord
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Boat at Apana Gård Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Boat at Apana Gård
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Elk & northern lights at Ole Pedersen Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Elk & northern lights at Ole Pedersen
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Human at Amtmannsnes Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Human at Amtmannsnes
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
Human with snowshoes at Kåfjord Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Human with snowshoes at Kåfjord
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Human at Amtmannsnes Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Human at Amtmannsnes
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Humans with elkhead staffs at Bergbukten Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Humans with elkhead staffs at Bergbukten
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Hunting skier at Apana Gård Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Hunting skier at Apana Gård
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Reindeer at Bergbukten Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Reindeer at Bergbukten
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
 
Bear and Cub at Bergbukten Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Bear and Cub at Bergbukten
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
Scientific Discovery of Alta’s Rock Art

This first occurred 60 years ago. The small stone known as Pippisteinen - The Pippi-stone - which was found close to Isnestoften on the westside of the Altafjord.

Following this in 1966 the rock paintings in Transfarelv were discovered and reported to Tromsø Museum. Several further rock carving areas were discovered in the Altafjord during the 1970’s. All of the four rock carving areas on the World Heritage List were discovered during this decade - 1973, 1977 and 1978. Within the World Heritage Areas several more panels and carvings have been discovered since then, and continue to do so today.

Halibutfishing at Bergbukten (left), Huge Human at Amtmannsnes (centre), Human with Bow & arrow at Kåfjord (right) Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Halibutfishing at Bergbukten (left), Huge Human at Amtmannsnes (centre), Human with Bow & arrow at Kåfjord (right)
© Photograph Karin Tansem, VAM
Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage
Dating & Chronology

It is believed that the rock carvings in Alta were made close to the sea, on rocks by the shore. As the land rose with the end of the Ice Age and new, smooth rocks appeared, these were in turn used for carvings. The oldest panels are therefore high above the modern sea level, while the younger carvings are located lower down nearer the sea level. It is unclear whether the rock paintings had the same close attachment to the sea and the beach. Based on the meters above sea level Professor Emeritus Knut Helskog at Tromsø University Museum dated the rock carvings in Alta to the period from around 4200 B.C. to 200 A.D. Within this period of time the rock carvings are divided into five distinct phases based on stylistic changes:

Professor Knut Helskog at Tromsø University Museum Dating
Phase 1: 5000 - 4800 B.C.
Phase 2: 4800 - 4000 B.C.
Phase 3: 4000 - 2700 B.C.
Phase 4: 2700 - 1700 B.C.
Phase 5: 1700 - 500 B.C.
Phase 6: 500 B.C. - 100 A.D.

However, archaeologist Jan Magne Gjerde suggests that the rock carvings in Alta are older than this:

Archaeologist Jan Magne Gjerde Dating
Phase 1: 5200 - 4200 B.C.
Phase 2: 4200 - 3000 B.C.
Phase 3: 3000 - 2000 B.C.
Phase 4: 1700 - 1200 B.C.
Phase 5: 1100 - 200 B.C.
Phases - Figure changes over time in Alta Rock Art

Table below indictates the changes in the rock art of Alta Norway over time. Diagram created by Karin Tansem, VAM.

Human Reindeer Elk Fish Boat Bear Bird Geometric/
abstract
22-26,5 masl - Hjemmeluft, Kåfjord and Storsteinen - Ca 7000-6000 years old
Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
17-21 masl - Hjemmeluft, Kåfjord and Storsteinen - Ca 6000-5000 years old
Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
14-17 masl - Amtmannsnes and Storsteinen - Ca 5000-4000 years old
Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
10-13 masl - Hjemmeluft - Ca 4000-3000 years old
Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
9-10 masl - Hjemmeluft - Ca 3000-2000 years old
Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum Alta Museum Rock Art Alta Norway UNESCO World Heritage Museum
Rock Art Links

→  Subscribe free to the Bradshaw Foundation YouTube Channel

→ Scandinavia Rock Art
→ Alta Rock Art Norway
→ Vingen Rock Art at Risk
→ Vingen Rock Art Film
→ Finland Rock Art Paintings
→ Tanum Rock Art Sweden
→ Thor Heyerdahl - Sea Routes To Polynesia

→ Bradshaw Foundation
→ Rock Art Network

Follow the Bradshaw Foundation on social media for news & updates
Follow the Bradshaw Foundation
on social media for news & updates
Follow the Bradshaw Foundation on social media for news & updates
Follow the Bradshaw Foundation
on social media for news & updates
If you have enjoyed visiting this website
please consider adding a link © Bradshaw Foundation
 
 
Bradshaw Foundation Donate Friends
Support our work & become a
Friend of the Foundation
 
 
 
Bradshaw Foundation YouTube
Bradshaw Foundation Rock Art Network Getty Conservation Institute
Bradshaw Foundation Rock Art Network Getty Conservation Institute
Bradshaw Foundation Rock Art Network Getty Conservation Institute
Bradshaw Foundation iShop Shop Store
Bradshaw Foundation iShop Shop Store
Bradshaw Foundation iShop Shop Store