Dodd, J. (2018a) Art, Artists, Rock Art and Underslös, in Meijer, E. & Dodd, J. (eds.) Giving the Past a Future. Essays in Archaeology and Rock Art Studies in Honour of Dr. Phil. h.c. Gerhard Milstreu. Oxford: Archaeopress: 4-27.
*See Archaeopress website for download. This is due to copyright restrictions on one of the illus... more *See Archaeopress website for download. This is due to copyright restrictions on one of the illustrations. Errata sheet uploaded on Academia for consultation with volume (updated on an ongoing basis). *
In this article, we explore the role that art and artists have had in the history in the discipline, in particular, the history of Underlsös Museum and The Scandinavian Society for Prehistoric Art. In particular, we focus on the links of Gudnitz with the artistic world; in both ne art and academia; as well as how those viewing prehistoric images from the perspective of, or interest in, art, are a signi cant research group. Art seems to have the quality of bringing people together around the art, irrespective of the fact that the detail of their views may di er very widely. Whilst it would be easy to pigeon-hole the trend as part of the wider phenomena of art versus religion, this is not su cient to explain the phenomenon. The artistic perspective on art can, and does, cut across both elds. Those with an artistic perspective are not art historians, moreover, they are better characterised a group that share a common interest and appreciation for the art, that forms a common start and entry point to the material.
The relationships between art, artists and Underslös Museum are a case in point. This article explores some of these relationships. Here, in new research specifically undertaken for this volume, we explore the links with, and in between, in particular, Fred Gudnitz, P.V. Glob, Asger Jorn and Gutorm Gjessing – all prominent figures in their respective fields.
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URL: http://www.rockartscandinavia.com/the-application-of-high-performance-computing-in-rock-art-documentation-and-research-by-james-dodd-aa138.php
In this article, we explore the role that art and artists have had in the history in the discipline, in particular, the history of Underlsös Museum and The Scandinavian Society for Prehistoric Art. In particular, we focus on the links of Gudnitz with the artistic world; in both ne art and academia; as well as how those viewing prehistoric images from the perspective of, or interest in, art, are a signi cant research group. Art seems to have the quality of bringing people together around the art, irrespective of the fact that the detail of their views may di er very widely. Whilst it would be easy to pigeon-hole the trend as part of the wider phenomena of art versus religion, this is not su cient to explain the phenomenon. The artistic perspective on art can, and does, cut across both elds. Those with an artistic perspective are not art historians, moreover, they are better characterised a group that share a common interest and appreciation for the art, that forms a common start and entry point to the material.
The relationships between art, artists and Underslös Museum are a case in point. This article explores some of these relationships. Here, in new research specifically undertaken for this volume, we explore the links with, and in between, in particular, Fred Gudnitz, P.V. Glob, Asger Jorn and Gutorm Gjessing – all prominent figures in their respective fields.
A higher resolution copy of this report (with correct formatting) has now been published and is now downloadable from the South Downs National Park Authority website via the link provided.
The article also includes a separate sub-section authored by Manuel Dueñas García that discusses the application of Structure from Motion to the study of rock carvings in Northern Bornholm.
This volume celebrates the work of Dr. Phil. h.c. Gerhard Milstreu in his 40th year as director of Tanum Museum of Rock Carving and Rock Art Research Centre, Underslös, Sweden. Here, a feast of scholarly contributions from across Europe, at all levels of study have been collected. Each and every one of the chapters addresses aspects connected to the work Gerhard has done over the last 40 years. Through their words and images, these pay respect to and acknowledge Gerhard’s achievements in the elds of rock art documentation, research, international collaboration and outreach.
Gerhard has striven from the outset to: promote the importance of the image within archaeology, increase public interest and involvement with prehistoric art, and to encourage the next generation to continue the work. Thus, many authors think very deeply about the images, how we interpret them and how we record them, particularly in light of recent advances in technology. Others explore how Gerhard has fostered dissemination and public involvement. The range of countries and subjects represented; France, Italy, Holland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the UK; re ects the success of Gerhard’s focus on international collaboration and dialogue. Given Gerhard’s emphasis on giving the past a future, it is appropriate that leading up and coming scholars, from all levels of higher education, are also present and have the opportunity to present their latest research.
James Dodd is currently a PhD scholar at the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Aarhus University, Denmark. Originally educated at Durham University, James is a specialist in the study, analysis and documentation of the prehistoric rock art of Scandinavia. During the past few years, he has worked extensively in the eld, becoming versed in the archaeology of the areas with various museums and institutions in the Scandinavian countries, in particular Bornholms Museum, Denmark. His current PhD project investigates the extent of homogeneity or diversity within Southern Tradition rock art. In addition to high-level statistical analyses and GIS, James is undertaking the largest programme of surface-based rock art documentation ever conducted in Denmark, on the island of Bornholm. Advances in technology are brought into the eld with processing of image-based models occurring on site using remote access to cluster processing on the Danish e-Infrastructure Collaboration’s High Performance Computer: Abacus 2.0.
Ellen Meijer has been working with the documentation of rock carvings for the past 22 years. She has learned the ins and outs of documentation at Tanums Hällristningsmuseum Underslös. Since 2011, she has worked for projects on rock art documentation at the Swedish Rock Art Research Archives and the University of Gothenburg, as a research assistant, as well as a eld supervisor teaching courses in rock art documentation organized by University of Gothenburg in collaboration with Swedish Rock Art Research Archives and The Scandinavian Society for Prehistoric Art. She has been jointly responsible for the development and implementation of digital documentation of rock art through Structure from Motion and optical laser scanning within the Tanum World Heritage Area and published in Adoranten, the peer reviewed Rock Art Magazine of The Scandinavian Society for Prehistoric Art.
Both James and Ellen are members of the Board of The Scandinavian Society for Prehistoric Art.
More rock carvings are found on Bornholm than in any other place in Denmark. The island’s ice scoured rocks have formed a perfect surface for these 3000 year old images from the Bronze Age. In recent years, many new discoveries have been made, and both the new and the old finds have been the focus of fresh study.
Cultural objects and images represented on bronze, in conjunction with the rock carvings, offer an insight into a strange, ritual world. It is possible that the rock carvings are found in sacred places that were also the focus of many other activities. Over recent years, archaeologists have been at the forefront of investigations to gain insights into these, as well as other research questions, including excavations conducted at the largest rock art panel in Denmark: Madsebakke, on Bornholm.
This revised and updated English edition, based upon the original Danish language volume published in 2005, enhances and expands the archaeological understanding and interpretation of the Prehistoric Art of Bornholm. Special attention is given, within two new chapters and revised sections of the text, to the discovery of new panels and figures, archaeological excavations in the vicinity of rock art, as well as the insights offered by the most recent scientific analyses.
This dissertation investigates relationships between water and the landscape location of Scandinavian rock art. The impact of geographical features of the landscape characterized by their water content on the location of rock art is contrasted with other major influences, specifically, proximity to agricultural land, intervisibility between panels, visibility of features within the surrounding archaeological context, visibility of distinctive geology, and features of the rock surface. As a foundation, the history of research concerning these aspects has been addressed within a literature review. On this established basis, all the factors listed above have been addressed during independent, detailed, investigative fieldwork conducted for this dissertation in the Summer of 2010, at forty-seven sites contained within five case study areas, selected within the regions of Rogaland, Hordaland, Sogn and Fjordane, and Møre and Romsdal. Site Survey Forms were devised, and were utilized in the recording of responses to twenty-seven separate questions, each of which examined a different aspect relating to one or more of the factors, historically identified as possible significant influences on landscape location.
Evidence collected at the case study sites suggests that the importance of water in relation to the location of rock art in Western Norway can be advanced in a number of new directions. All sites examined within the case studies are situated near at least one geographical feature characterized by water content. A preference is demonstrated for locations in proximity to lakes and the sea, in combination with the sight and or sound of running water. Such locations may have been perceived as special, liminal areas of the landscape, associated with prehistoric religion, cosmology, spiritual powers, the ancestors, death, life and rebirth. Streams in particular may have connected different levels of the cosmos, perhaps reflecting a tripartite cosmology similar to aspects of Sämi ethnography. This original meaning may have been subjected to a number of reinterpretations and transformations within the social memories of society, during subsequent periods of prehistory.
Analysis and evaluation of individual questions within the Site Survey Forms suggests that many features of the natural and archaeological surroundings of panels have determined the location of rock art. Water is the most widely evidenced attribute connecting all the major features, and in particular, there is a very strong correlation between quartz veins running through panels, crevices in the rock surface, sight and or sound of water, and the location of rock art.
Opportunities for further investigative studies into the relationship between water and rock art are suggested, as evidenced by the discovery of a new panel by the author during fieldwork undertaken for this dissertation.
The age of Scandinavian rock carvings is a topic with a long history of research from Early Modern Period to present. This study discusses the dating of ship representation in rock carvings at the Flote 1 and Bakke 1 rock art sites, Hordaland, Western Norway. Studies by Mandt (1972; 1991) have been influential in the dating of both ship and other renderings within the region. Mandt’s studies have in turn drawn upon work by Marstrander (1963; 1964) and Glob (1969) among others.
Increasingly, recent PhD studies by Gjerde (1998) and Wold (2002) have drawn upon research into typology by Kaul (1998). Kaul (1998: 2006) in turn builds on the work of Glob and suggests Late Bronze Age styles of representation from the corpus of ship renderings found on Danish and Southern Swedish bronze razors. Shore displacement has been applied to the Alta and Vingen Mesolithic rock art sites (Sognnes 2003). The study by Ling (2008) in Sweden has suggested significant altitudinal variations in ship representations in Bohuslän, Sweden. The tentative chronology that has been constructed from the altitudinal distribution of ships in the landscape has broadly confirmed the seriation by Kaul. The chronologies of Kaul and Ling are used in combination in the study of Bakke 1 and Flote 1 to suggest dates for ship styles that are similar to those in Sweden. The terrestrial research by Mandt (1991), Østmo (1991) and Sognnes (2001; 2006) are used to suggest the placement of ship representations, arguably, which cannot be classified with the same certainty within the chronologies of Kaul and Ling.
This study, incorporating detailed individual investigative fieldwork in Scandinavia, suggests a more nuanced approach to the ship chronology of Hordaland. Dating discussions conclusively suggest a trend which is also indicated by excavation at other sites within Hordaland of a significant number of carvings dated to the Late Bronze Age, Late Bronze Age/Pre Roman Iron Age transition and Pre-Roman Iron Age. This is particularly intriguing within the context of excavated evidence from the Berge site by Lødøen and further stylistic analysis of other ship carvings in Hordaland, hinting at similar conclusions. Nevertheless, at the Bakke 1 site, the chronology of Kaul and Ling suggests an Early Bronze Age carving tradition. The probability of this extending back into the Late Neolithic is uncertain, but also possible and presents opportunities for further investigation."
The first major section presents work undertaken under each Bornholms Museum journal number. The localities are grouped first by parish and secondly by BMR J#. The aim of the work undertaken has been to increase archaeological knowledge of the rock art of Bornholm through documentation, registration and archival work. Documentation techniques employed include frottage, day and night photography, Structure from Motion 3D image based modelling, and painted illustrations made with chalk powder suspended in water. The author is grateful to SHFA (Swedish Rock Art Research Archives) for making possible the opportunity to process and save 3D models created using the Structure from Motion method.
The last major section discusses island wide projects. These include investigations of rock surfaces for the presence of carvings and registration of results arising; follow up work for the report to the Queen Margrete II Archaeological Fund following the award made in 2010 to Bornholms Museum; archival work; and creation of a GIS of all rock carvings on Bornholm.
A web version of this report with certain sensitive information redacted, may be uploaded to Academia in the future, subject to permissions. In the meantime, please email, using the contact details provided, if you wish to receive a fully copy PDF of this report.
This unpublished source is provided as supplementary information to accompany Dodd, J. and Milstreu, G. (2019) Find of the (last) decade! The first ships discovered on vertical surfaces on Bornholm., Adoranten: 45-53. Available at: www.rockartscandinavia.com
URL: http://www.rockartscandinavia.com/the-application-of-high-performance-computing-in-rock-art-documentation-and-research-by-james-dodd-aa138.php
In this article, we explore the role that art and artists have had in the history in the discipline, in particular, the history of Underlsös Museum and The Scandinavian Society for Prehistoric Art. In particular, we focus on the links of Gudnitz with the artistic world; in both ne art and academia; as well as how those viewing prehistoric images from the perspective of, or interest in, art, are a signi cant research group. Art seems to have the quality of bringing people together around the art, irrespective of the fact that the detail of their views may di er very widely. Whilst it would be easy to pigeon-hole the trend as part of the wider phenomena of art versus religion, this is not su cient to explain the phenomenon. The artistic perspective on art can, and does, cut across both elds. Those with an artistic perspective are not art historians, moreover, they are better characterised a group that share a common interest and appreciation for the art, that forms a common start and entry point to the material.
The relationships between art, artists and Underslös Museum are a case in point. This article explores some of these relationships. Here, in new research specifically undertaken for this volume, we explore the links with, and in between, in particular, Fred Gudnitz, P.V. Glob, Asger Jorn and Gutorm Gjessing – all prominent figures in their respective fields.
A higher resolution copy of this report (with correct formatting) has now been published and is now downloadable from the South Downs National Park Authority website via the link provided.
The article also includes a separate sub-section authored by Manuel Dueñas García that discusses the application of Structure from Motion to the study of rock carvings in Northern Bornholm.
This volume celebrates the work of Dr. Phil. h.c. Gerhard Milstreu in his 40th year as director of Tanum Museum of Rock Carving and Rock Art Research Centre, Underslös, Sweden. Here, a feast of scholarly contributions from across Europe, at all levels of study have been collected. Each and every one of the chapters addresses aspects connected to the work Gerhard has done over the last 40 years. Through their words and images, these pay respect to and acknowledge Gerhard’s achievements in the elds of rock art documentation, research, international collaboration and outreach.
Gerhard has striven from the outset to: promote the importance of the image within archaeology, increase public interest and involvement with prehistoric art, and to encourage the next generation to continue the work. Thus, many authors think very deeply about the images, how we interpret them and how we record them, particularly in light of recent advances in technology. Others explore how Gerhard has fostered dissemination and public involvement. The range of countries and subjects represented; France, Italy, Holland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the UK; re ects the success of Gerhard’s focus on international collaboration and dialogue. Given Gerhard’s emphasis on giving the past a future, it is appropriate that leading up and coming scholars, from all levels of higher education, are also present and have the opportunity to present their latest research.
James Dodd is currently a PhD scholar at the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Aarhus University, Denmark. Originally educated at Durham University, James is a specialist in the study, analysis and documentation of the prehistoric rock art of Scandinavia. During the past few years, he has worked extensively in the eld, becoming versed in the archaeology of the areas with various museums and institutions in the Scandinavian countries, in particular Bornholms Museum, Denmark. His current PhD project investigates the extent of homogeneity or diversity within Southern Tradition rock art. In addition to high-level statistical analyses and GIS, James is undertaking the largest programme of surface-based rock art documentation ever conducted in Denmark, on the island of Bornholm. Advances in technology are brought into the eld with processing of image-based models occurring on site using remote access to cluster processing on the Danish e-Infrastructure Collaboration’s High Performance Computer: Abacus 2.0.
Ellen Meijer has been working with the documentation of rock carvings for the past 22 years. She has learned the ins and outs of documentation at Tanums Hällristningsmuseum Underslös. Since 2011, she has worked for projects on rock art documentation at the Swedish Rock Art Research Archives and the University of Gothenburg, as a research assistant, as well as a eld supervisor teaching courses in rock art documentation organized by University of Gothenburg in collaboration with Swedish Rock Art Research Archives and The Scandinavian Society for Prehistoric Art. She has been jointly responsible for the development and implementation of digital documentation of rock art through Structure from Motion and optical laser scanning within the Tanum World Heritage Area and published in Adoranten, the peer reviewed Rock Art Magazine of The Scandinavian Society for Prehistoric Art.
Both James and Ellen are members of the Board of The Scandinavian Society for Prehistoric Art.
More rock carvings are found on Bornholm than in any other place in Denmark. The island’s ice scoured rocks have formed a perfect surface for these 3000 year old images from the Bronze Age. In recent years, many new discoveries have been made, and both the new and the old finds have been the focus of fresh study.
Cultural objects and images represented on bronze, in conjunction with the rock carvings, offer an insight into a strange, ritual world. It is possible that the rock carvings are found in sacred places that were also the focus of many other activities. Over recent years, archaeologists have been at the forefront of investigations to gain insights into these, as well as other research questions, including excavations conducted at the largest rock art panel in Denmark: Madsebakke, on Bornholm.
This revised and updated English edition, based upon the original Danish language volume published in 2005, enhances and expands the archaeological understanding and interpretation of the Prehistoric Art of Bornholm. Special attention is given, within two new chapters and revised sections of the text, to the discovery of new panels and figures, archaeological excavations in the vicinity of rock art, as well as the insights offered by the most recent scientific analyses.
This dissertation investigates relationships between water and the landscape location of Scandinavian rock art. The impact of geographical features of the landscape characterized by their water content on the location of rock art is contrasted with other major influences, specifically, proximity to agricultural land, intervisibility between panels, visibility of features within the surrounding archaeological context, visibility of distinctive geology, and features of the rock surface. As a foundation, the history of research concerning these aspects has been addressed within a literature review. On this established basis, all the factors listed above have been addressed during independent, detailed, investigative fieldwork conducted for this dissertation in the Summer of 2010, at forty-seven sites contained within five case study areas, selected within the regions of Rogaland, Hordaland, Sogn and Fjordane, and Møre and Romsdal. Site Survey Forms were devised, and were utilized in the recording of responses to twenty-seven separate questions, each of which examined a different aspect relating to one or more of the factors, historically identified as possible significant influences on landscape location.
Evidence collected at the case study sites suggests that the importance of water in relation to the location of rock art in Western Norway can be advanced in a number of new directions. All sites examined within the case studies are situated near at least one geographical feature characterized by water content. A preference is demonstrated for locations in proximity to lakes and the sea, in combination with the sight and or sound of running water. Such locations may have been perceived as special, liminal areas of the landscape, associated with prehistoric religion, cosmology, spiritual powers, the ancestors, death, life and rebirth. Streams in particular may have connected different levels of the cosmos, perhaps reflecting a tripartite cosmology similar to aspects of Sämi ethnography. This original meaning may have been subjected to a number of reinterpretations and transformations within the social memories of society, during subsequent periods of prehistory.
Analysis and evaluation of individual questions within the Site Survey Forms suggests that many features of the natural and archaeological surroundings of panels have determined the location of rock art. Water is the most widely evidenced attribute connecting all the major features, and in particular, there is a very strong correlation between quartz veins running through panels, crevices in the rock surface, sight and or sound of water, and the location of rock art.
Opportunities for further investigative studies into the relationship between water and rock art are suggested, as evidenced by the discovery of a new panel by the author during fieldwork undertaken for this dissertation.
The age of Scandinavian rock carvings is a topic with a long history of research from Early Modern Period to present. This study discusses the dating of ship representation in rock carvings at the Flote 1 and Bakke 1 rock art sites, Hordaland, Western Norway. Studies by Mandt (1972; 1991) have been influential in the dating of both ship and other renderings within the region. Mandt’s studies have in turn drawn upon work by Marstrander (1963; 1964) and Glob (1969) among others.
Increasingly, recent PhD studies by Gjerde (1998) and Wold (2002) have drawn upon research into typology by Kaul (1998). Kaul (1998: 2006) in turn builds on the work of Glob and suggests Late Bronze Age styles of representation from the corpus of ship renderings found on Danish and Southern Swedish bronze razors. Shore displacement has been applied to the Alta and Vingen Mesolithic rock art sites (Sognnes 2003). The study by Ling (2008) in Sweden has suggested significant altitudinal variations in ship representations in Bohuslän, Sweden. The tentative chronology that has been constructed from the altitudinal distribution of ships in the landscape has broadly confirmed the seriation by Kaul. The chronologies of Kaul and Ling are used in combination in the study of Bakke 1 and Flote 1 to suggest dates for ship styles that are similar to those in Sweden. The terrestrial research by Mandt (1991), Østmo (1991) and Sognnes (2001; 2006) are used to suggest the placement of ship representations, arguably, which cannot be classified with the same certainty within the chronologies of Kaul and Ling.
This study, incorporating detailed individual investigative fieldwork in Scandinavia, suggests a more nuanced approach to the ship chronology of Hordaland. Dating discussions conclusively suggest a trend which is also indicated by excavation at other sites within Hordaland of a significant number of carvings dated to the Late Bronze Age, Late Bronze Age/Pre Roman Iron Age transition and Pre-Roman Iron Age. This is particularly intriguing within the context of excavated evidence from the Berge site by Lødøen and further stylistic analysis of other ship carvings in Hordaland, hinting at similar conclusions. Nevertheless, at the Bakke 1 site, the chronology of Kaul and Ling suggests an Early Bronze Age carving tradition. The probability of this extending back into the Late Neolithic is uncertain, but also possible and presents opportunities for further investigation."
The first major section presents work undertaken under each Bornholms Museum journal number. The localities are grouped first by parish and secondly by BMR J#. The aim of the work undertaken has been to increase archaeological knowledge of the rock art of Bornholm through documentation, registration and archival work. Documentation techniques employed include frottage, day and night photography, Structure from Motion 3D image based modelling, and painted illustrations made with chalk powder suspended in water. The author is grateful to SHFA (Swedish Rock Art Research Archives) for making possible the opportunity to process and save 3D models created using the Structure from Motion method.
The last major section discusses island wide projects. These include investigations of rock surfaces for the presence of carvings and registration of results arising; follow up work for the report to the Queen Margrete II Archaeological Fund following the award made in 2010 to Bornholms Museum; archival work; and creation of a GIS of all rock carvings on Bornholm.
A web version of this report with certain sensitive information redacted, may be uploaded to Academia in the future, subject to permissions. In the meantime, please email, using the contact details provided, if you wish to receive a fully copy PDF of this report.
This unpublished source is provided as supplementary information to accompany Dodd, J. and Milstreu, G. (2019) Find of the (last) decade! The first ships discovered on vertical surfaces on Bornholm., Adoranten: 45-53. Available at: www.rockartscandinavia.com