A field in Østfold south of Oslo turned out to be full of ancient rock carvings, discovered by local enthusiasts who go out hunting for them at night, equipped with powerful lights.
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported this week on the largest discovery so far this year of rock carvings (helleristinger) that also feature etchings of flowers and stars not found in Norway before. They were discovered in a field in Råde, not far from Fredrikstad and in an area rich in both rock carvings, stone circles and other traces of life in the Iron Age.
Lars Ole Klavestad, a landscape architect, is among those who go searching for rock carvings at night, along with archaeologist Magnus Tangen and graphic designer Tormod Fjeld. They’ve found more than 400 previously unknown rock carvings in Østfold, but were especially thrilled by the latest.
“Crosses and stars are almost unknown on other rock carvings in Østfold,” Klavestad told NRK. Similar carvings have been found, however, farther south along the Bohuslän coast of western Sweden. All rock carvings found in Norway automatically become protected cultural heritage sites.
newsinenglish.no staff