The rock carvings are part of our prehistoric rock art. Together with rock paintings they make some of our most distinctive culture souvenirs.
The rock carvings at Evenhus consist of 6 separate locations with together 8 fields and approximately 100 figures. A couple of the smallest fields are now covered by soil. Most of the figures are at the main field, which is dominant by boat figures.
The figures are carved in the rock by simple stone tools. They were made in early Stone Age, presumably 4500 years ago. At the time people in Trøndelag still lived by fishing in addition to shell plant and root collecting.
The carving often represent animals, especially big animals: elk, reindeer, bear and whale – which demanded great competence and strength to catch. These carving therefore are called “veideristninger” or “hunter carvings”.
It is uncertain why the carvings were made. They may have been made as magic help for a successful catching, or they were indicators of great hunting places and residences. Maybe they were carved in the rock for later generations to find the places.
They also probably played a great part in the hunter’s social life. They may have described myths about the people who settle here first, and they may indicate holy places where special rituals took place, for example the change from childhood to adulthood. The rock carvings at Evenhus therefore may have been a meeting place for the hunters in the villages around the Trondheimsfjord.
In the Stone and the Bronze Age the rock carvings were situated at the edge of the land – just on the beach. The sea level at that time was about 25 meters higher than today.
The rock carvings are protected. It is forbidden to draw, scratch, carve or paint at the rock. Help us to take care of the carvings for the future!
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