Deep in the forest of Tanum, Sweden, the Litsleby Rock Carvings – part of the Tanum World Heritage Site – hold stories from the enigmatic past. These archaeological sites, dated to the Scandinavian Bronze Age, approximately 1800 to 1000 BC, include a large stone slab known as Ristingshällen. The stone features approximately 120 figures, more than 80 of which are boat shapes, primarily paddle canoes. However, the stone’s most intriguing feature is a large figure of a man with a spear, standing 2.25 meters tall.
This man figure is common in Scandinavian Bronze Age rock carvings, with a small head, a prominent penis, and broad shoulders. According to a theory, this man figure could be a god, possibly an early version of the Asgardian god Odin. The carvings were created at different times, but possibly all at the same event.
A smaller stone with several horse-riding warriors, dating back to the Early Iron Age, is located about 100 meters east of the main stone slab.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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