Hunting and fishing scenes Rock carvings at Alta

a man using sort of tool on elk. scene has alternatively been interpreted hunter fighting elk or shaman communicating in way animal.

many scenes depicting humans show hunters stalking prey; these scenes have traditionally been explained being connected hunting rituals, although current researchers seem favor more complicated explanations see depictions of different hunting , fishing actions symbols individual tribes , interrelations of different hunting , fishing carvings symbolic representations of existing or wished-for intertribal relations. use of throwing spears , of bows , arrows evident earliest period, indicating use of these tools known carvers culture time. similarly, fishermen exclusively shown using fishing-lines, indicating method of creating hooks , using bait known carvers.

of special interest depiction of boats: while small fishing boats appear earliest drawings onward, later drawings show larger , larger boats, carrying 30 people , being equipped elaborate, animal-shaped decorations on bow , stern reminiscent of found on viking longboats. this, along fact similar carvings of large boats have been found in coastal regions in southern norway, seems indicate long distance voyages along coast either direction.