Frequency, Phases and Chronology of Rock Art: Spatiotemporal Studies of the Alta Rock Carvings, Northernmost Europe

The rock art of Alta, Norway, spans approximately 5500 years and includes over 7000 carvings, making it the longest continuous record of rock art production in Europe. This study reveals that the carvings were created between c. 5300 BC and AD 100, with a significant finding that the material can be divided into four distinct chronological phases of activity. Notably, around 60% of the rock art was produced during the earliest phase (c. 5300–4000 BC), suggesting periods of intense activity rather than a gradual accumulation over millennia. The research utilized detailed elevation measurements from 92 panels and 442 individual figures to analyze the spatio-temporal distribution, providing new insights into the patterns of rock art production in northern Europe.

Gjerde, J. M. (2024). FREQUENCY, PHASES AND CHRONOLOGY OF ROCK ART: SPATIOTEMPORAL STUDIES OF THE ALTA ROCK CARVINGS, NORTHERNMOST EUROPE. Oxford Journal of Archaeology, 43(2), 108–134. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ojoa.12293