A roadside stop near Oslo led to the discovery of Bronze Age rock carvings estimated to be around 3,000 years old. The site, found by Norwegian rock art enthusiast Tormod Fjeld and his daughter, includes ships, human figures, a footprint, and an unusual handprint carved into soft stone.
The discovery has drawn attention from archaeologists because of both the imagery and the material used for the carvings. While ancient Nordic rock art frequently depicts maritime scenes, the newly documented panel in Bærum was carved into sandstone rather than the granite more commonly used during the Bronze Age.
For Fjeld, the find fits into years of studying ancient coastal landscapes and searching for forgotten carvings along former shorelines. He has already identified around 70 rock art scenes across the country using methods based on terrain interpretation and historical sea-level changes.
Ships And Human Symbols Carved Into The Rock
The carvings were discovered on Kolsatoppen hill near Oslo after Fjeld noticed that the location matched conditions often associated with ancient rock art sites. Bronze Age communities in Scandinavia frequently carved images close to maritime routes, reflecting the importance of seafaring in everyday life and ritual traditions.
According to a report from Science Norway, the newly uncovered scene contains several ship figures, some shown upright and others upside down. Human figures appear onboard some of the vessels, and a number of them seem to wear helmets. Alongside the ships, Fjeld also identified a carved footprint and a handprint with unusually broad fingers. The combination immediately stood out because human imprints are less commonly discussed than ship imagery in Nordic Bronze Age art.
As mentioned in the Ancientistreport, the presence of both a handprint and footprint may suggest a ceremonial or symbolic dimension tied to the landscape itself. The publication described the imagery as adding “a personal, almost intimate dimension” to the site.
A Rare Choice Of Stone Surprised Researchers
One of the most unusual aspects of the discovery involves the type of rock used by the original artists. Bronze Age carvings in Norway were typically engraved into granite surfaces, which are harder and more resistant to erosion over time.
The Bærum carvings, by contrast, were made in sandstone or limestone. Fjeld said the softer material makes individual tool marks easier to distinguish. Reported by the same source, he explained that:
“Something I find especially interesting about the new find in Bærum is that the carvings are made in sandstone,” he said. “You can almost see each strike as a small indentation in the surface. It’s also not as densely carved as in hard granite.”
The difference in texture likely required another carving technique than the one used on granite. Fjeld also noted that the panel is not carved as densely as many granite-based sites elsewhere in Norway. Even small details in the stone remain visible. Some marks appear rougher and less uniform, which gives the carvings a slightly different visual character compared with many previously documented Bronze Age panels.
Archaeologists Say Many Sites Remain Undocumented
The discovery has also renewed attention on how archaeological sites are identified and recorded in Norway. Fjeld’s work focuses heavily on studying ancient shorelines, sun-facing rocks, and old maritime travel corridors in order to predict where carvings may still exist.
“That’s what I spend most time on,” Fjeld told Science Norway. “Interpreting the terrain and trying to figure out the different codes for the placement of rock carvings.”
Professional archaeologists were also impressed by the discovery. Reidun Marie Aasheim, county archaeologist for Akershus, told Norwegian newspaper Budstikka that Fjeld’s findings were “very exciting.” She added that many cultural heritage sites are probably still waiting to be found, noting that:
“We only document sites when roads, housing, or other infrastructure is planned in an area. We don’t have the resources to search the way Fjeld does, so we really appreciate his contributions.”
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