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Cited by 23Archaeology and Rock Art StudiesViking Age and Medieval ScandinaviaArchaeological and Geological Studies

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Rock Art as Secondary Agent? Society and Agency in Bronze Age Bohuslän

Ling, Johan, Cornell, Per·2010·Norwegian Archaeological Review
DOI 10.1080/00293652.2010.489800
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Abstract

During the major part of the 20th century the rock art in Bohuslän has been seen as a manifestation of an agrarian ‘cultic’ ideology in the landscape. In this context the dominant ship image and the armed humans have been perceived as abstract religious icons, not as active symbols related to real praxis in the landscape. Moreover, some scholars claim that the rock-art medium was utilized primarily by society's elites. In this paper we intend to challenge some of these ideas and try to show that they do not correspond to the key notions about Bronze Age society that most scholars today seem to support. Thus, rock art cannot be explained and understood solely by broad ideas about how cosmology, mythology and/or religion were constituted during the Bronze Age. We will instead argue for a more active function for rock art, and the fact that some of the depictions may have worked as ‘secondary agents’ in the landscape. For this argument, the general maritime location, content and the dominant masculine representation of armed humans related to the ship images are important elements.

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Metadata

Authors
Ling, J., & Cornell, P.
Affiliations
University of Gothenburg (SE)
Corresponding author
  • Ling, Johan
  • Cornell, Per
ORCID
Ling, Johan
Venue
Norwegian Archaeological Review
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2010-09-10
Volume
43
Issue
1
Pages
26-43
ISSN
  • 0029-3652 (ISSN-L)
  • 1502-7678
DOI
10.1080/00293652.2010.489800
OpenAlex
W2080438890
Cited by
23
References
38
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
FWCI
6.61
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Norwegian Archaeological Review (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Archeology › Archaeology and Rock Art Studies
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History › Viking Age and Medieval Scandinavia
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology (arts and humanities) › Archaeological and Geological Studies
Keywords
rock art, Bronze Age, Bohuslän, landscape archaeology, agency, maritime societies, masculinity, religious ideology, elites

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Rock Art as Secondary Agent? Society and Agency in Bronze Age Bohuslän. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1080/00293652.2010.489800
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Ling, J., & Cornell, P. (2010). Rock Art as Secondary Agent? Society and Agency in Bronze Age Bohuslän. Norwegian Archaeological Review. https://doi.org/10.1080/00293652.2010.489800