description Bardal Petroglyphs Overview
The Bardal Petroglyphs are a prehistoric rock-art site in Norway associated with both the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. The carvings overlap on the same rock surfaces, and the site includes a prominent image of a large whale. Bardal is relevant to the study of Scandinavian prehistory because the superimposed motifs show that the location was used for rock carving across more than one cultural period.
help Bardal Petroglyphs FAQ
Where are the Bardal Petroglyphs?
The Bardal Petroglyphs are in Norway and form part of the country's prehistoric rock-carving heritage. They are known for carvings made across both the Stone Age and Bronze Age.
What is unusual about the whale at Bardal?
A prominent large-whale figure stands out among the overlapping carvings at Bardal. It is especially useful for understanding how different generations added images to the same rock surface.
Why do archaeologists describe the Bardal carvings as overlapping?
Later Stone Age and Bronze Age images were carved over or beside earlier marks, creating a layered surface rather than a single artwork made at one time. That overlap is evidence of repeated use of the site across prehistoric periods.
How does Bardal compare with the rock art at Alta?
Both sites preserve prehistoric carvings in Norway, but Bardal is particularly noted for its overlapping Stone and Bronze Age phases and large whale figure. Alta is the larger and more famous UNESCO-listed rock-art landscape in northern Norway.
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