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A Narrative Turn : Human Agency in Rock Carvings at Nämforsen, Northern Sweden

Skoglund, Peter LU ; Ranta, Michael LU ; Persson, Tomas LU orcid ; Cabak Rédei, Anna LU orcid and Gjerde, Jan Magne (2023) In Oxford Journal of Archaeology 42(4). p.301-321
Abstract
The idea to create pictorial narratives seems to have occurred long after humans learned to produce iconic images, that is, depictions based on visual similarity to external objects. In Scandinavia, e.g., in Gärde, Sweden or Stykket and Bøla, Norway, early Mesolithic images (e.g., rock carvings from before c. 5000 BCE) often feature animals that are solitary or without suggestion of causal or narrative relations to other figures (although they sometimes are grouped by proximity or are superimposed on each other). Notable is also the almost complete absence of human figures. However, in subsequent Neolithic configurations (after c. 5000 BCE), there are renderings of human agents involved in various forms of interaction with each other or... (More)
The idea to create pictorial narratives seems to have occurred long after humans learned to produce iconic images, that is, depictions based on visual similarity to external objects. In Scandinavia, e.g., in Gärde, Sweden or Stykket and Bøla, Norway, early Mesolithic images (e.g., rock carvings from before c. 5000 BCE) often feature animals that are solitary or without suggestion of causal or narrative relations to other figures (although they sometimes are grouped by proximity or are superimposed on each other). Notable is also the almost complete absence of human figures. However, in subsequent Neolithic configurations (after c. 5000 BCE), there are renderings of human agents involved in various forms of interaction with each other or with animals, often within distinguishable “scenes” or compositions.

In this paper we outline the emergence of pictorial narratives in Scandinavian rock carvings. In particular, we focus on some of the first depictions of human agency as displayed in Nämforsen, Sweden (c. 5000-1800 BCE). Further, we present an analysis of occurring human-animal relationships, interpretable as early attempts to create narrativizing images. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Oxford Journal of Archaeology
volume
42
issue
4
pages
21 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85172894581
ISSN
1468-0092
DOI
10.1111/ojoa.12282
project
From Shapes To Action - The narrative turn in prehistoric image-makinging in Northern Europe
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
de0d8f56-8b22-4e04-a4d6-6cbcc5677274
date added to LUP
2023-09-06 12:04:15
date last changed
2023-11-28 04:15:19
@article{de0d8f56-8b22-4e04-a4d6-6cbcc5677274,
  abstract     = {{The idea to create pictorial narratives seems to have occurred long after humans learned to produce iconic images, that is, depictions based on visual similarity to external objects. In Scandinavia, e.g., in Gärde, Sweden or Stykket and Bøla, Norway, early Mesolithic images (e.g., rock carvings from before c. 5000 BCE) often feature animals that are solitary or without suggestion of causal or narrative relations to other figures (although they sometimes are grouped by proximity or are superimposed on each other). Notable is also the almost complete absence of human figures. However, in subsequent Neolithic configurations (after c. 5000 BCE), there are renderings of human agents involved in various forms of interaction with each other or with animals, often within distinguishable “scenes” or compositions.  <br/><br/>In this paper we outline the emergence of pictorial narratives in Scandinavian rock carvings. In particular, we focus on some of the first depictions of human agency as displayed in Nämforsen, Sweden (c. 5000-1800 BCE). Further, we present an analysis of occurring human-animal relationships, interpretable as early attempts to create narrativizing images.}},
  author       = {{Skoglund, Peter and Ranta, Michael and Persson, Tomas and Cabak Rédei, Anna and Gjerde, Jan Magne}},
  issn         = {{1468-0092}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{301--321}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Oxford Journal of Archaeology}},
  title        = {{A Narrative Turn : Human Agency in Rock Carvings at Nämforsen, Northern Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ojoa.12282}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/ojoa.12282}},
  volume       = {{42}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}