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Levels of Narrativity in Scandinavian Bronze Age Petroglyphs

Ranta, Michael LU ; Skoglund, Peter ; Cabak Rédei, Anna LU orcid and Persson, Tomas LU orcid (2019) In Cambridge Archaeological Journal 29(3). p.497-516
Abstract
In Europe, Scandinavia holds the largest concentration of rock art (i.e. petroglyphs), created c. 5000–first century bc, many of them showing figurative and seemingly narrative representations. In this paper, we will discuss possible narratological approaches applied to these images. We might reasonably distinguish between three levels of pictorial narrativity: representations of (i) single events, understood as the transition from one state of affairs to another, usually involving (groups of) agents interacting; (ii) stories, e.g. particular sequences of related events that are situated in the past and retold for e.g. ideological or religious purposes; and (iii) by implication, master-narratives deeply embedded in a culture, which provide... (More)
In Europe, Scandinavia holds the largest concentration of rock art (i.e. petroglyphs), created c. 5000–first century bc, many of them showing figurative and seemingly narrative representations. In this paper, we will discuss possible narratological approaches applied to these images. We might reasonably distinguish between three levels of pictorial narrativity: representations of (i) single events, understood as the transition from one state of affairs to another, usually involving (groups of) agents interacting; (ii) stories, e.g. particular sequences of related events that are situated in the past and retold for e.g. ideological or religious purposes; and (iii) by implication, master-narratives deeply embedded in a culture, which provide and consolidate cosmological explanations and social structures. Some concrete examples of petroglyphs will be presented and analysed from narratological and iconographical perspectives. We will as a point of departure focus on (i), i.e. single events, though we shall also further consider the possibility of narrative interpretations according to (ii) and (iii). (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
In Europe, Scandinavia holds the largest concentration of rock art (i.e. petroglyphs), created c. 5000–first century BC, many of them showing figurative and seemingly narrative representations. In this paper, we will discuss possible narratological approaches applied to these images. We might reasonably distinguish between three levels of pictorial narrativity: representations of (i) single events, understood as the transition from one state of affairs to another, usually involving (groups of) agents interacting; (ii) stories, e.g. particular sequences of related events that are situated in the past and retold for e.g. ideological or religious purposes; and (iii) by implication, master-narratives deeply embedded in a culture, which provide... (More)
In Europe, Scandinavia holds the largest concentration of rock art (i.e. petroglyphs), created c. 5000–first century BC, many of them showing figurative and seemingly narrative representations. In this paper, we will discuss possible narratological approaches applied to these images. We might reasonably distinguish between three levels of pictorial narrativity: representations of (i) single events, understood as the transition from one state of affairs to another, usually involving (groups of) agents interacting; (ii) stories, e.g. particular sequences of related events that are situated in the past and retold for e.g. ideological or religious purposes; and (iii) by implication, master-narratives deeply embedded in a culture, which provide and consolidate cosmological explanations and social structures. Some concrete examples of petroglyphs will be presented and analysed from narratological and iconographical perspectives. We will as a point of departure focus on (i), i.e. single events, though we shall also further consider the possibility of narrative interpretations according to (ii) and (iii). (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Narrativitet, petroglyphs, Bronze Age, Semiotics
in
Cambridge Archaeological Journal
volume
29
issue
3
pages
20 pages
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85063988642
ISSN
1474-0540
DOI
10.1017/S0959774319000118
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5f377fc8-bcd1-4668-b384-1747c76a4dc1
date added to LUP
2019-01-10 10:50:47
date last changed
2023-11-18 09:37:17
@article{5f377fc8-bcd1-4668-b384-1747c76a4dc1,
  abstract     = {{In Europe, Scandinavia holds the largest concentration of rock art (i.e. petroglyphs), created c. 5000–first century bc, many of them showing figurative and seemingly narrative representations. In this paper, we will discuss possible narratological approaches applied to these images. We might reasonably distinguish between three levels of pictorial narrativity: representations of (i) single events, understood as the transition from one state of affairs to another, usually involving (groups of) agents interacting; (ii) stories, e.g. particular sequences of related events that are situated in the past and retold for e.g. ideological or religious purposes; and (iii) by implication, master-narratives deeply embedded in a culture, which provide and consolidate cosmological explanations and social structures. Some concrete examples of petroglyphs will be presented and analysed from narratological and iconographical perspectives. We will as a point of departure focus on (i), i.e. single events, though we shall also further consider the possibility of narrative interpretations according to (ii) and (iii).}},
  author       = {{Ranta, Michael and Skoglund, Peter and Cabak Rédei, Anna and Persson, Tomas}},
  issn         = {{1474-0540}},
  keywords     = {{Narrativitet; petroglyphs; Bronze Age; Semiotics}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{497--516}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Cambridge Archaeological Journal}},
  title        = {{Levels of Narrativity in Scandinavian Bronze Age Petroglyphs}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0959774319000118}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/S0959774319000118}},
  volume       = {{29}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}