Page 218 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sweden

216  SWEDEN AREA B Y AREA

5 Tanum
Bohuslän. E6. * 12,000. £ @
n Tourist Office, Tanumshede, 0525-
611 88. ∑ tanumturist.se
The municipality of Tanum
has an extraordinary 525 km
(326 miles) of coastline indented
with fjords and bays. It stretches
from Gerlesborg in the south
to Resö in the north, and is
sheltered by a mass of islets and
skerries offshore. Inland, farms
nestle between rocky outcrops.
Above all, Tanum is renowned
for its Bronze Age rock carvings,
with the earliest dating from
around 1000 BC. Indeed, the
concentration of these pictorial
images and their contribution
to the understanding of Bronze
Age culture is such that they Fjällbacka’s painted wooden houses in the shadow of Vetteberget
were designated a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 1994. torch, are especially enthralling 6 Fjällbacka
Subjects include human life, for any age group. Bohuslän. E6/road 163. * 850. £ to
animals, boats and weapons Around the region, carvings Tanum, then bus. @ n Torget, 0525-
carved onto smooth rock. featuring hunting scenes can 321 20. _ Mackerel Fishing World
The largest carving, covering be seen at Fossum, east of Championships (last Sat in Aug).
200 sq m (2,150 sq ft), can be Tanumshede; Tegneby has
seen at Vitlycke. Vitlycke images of ships; and at On the coast between
Museum is well worth a visit for Asberget scenes containing Strömstad and Uddevalla lies
a fascinating insight into this animals, ploughs and axes the picturesque village of
form of rock art. The museum can be found. Fjällbacka. There has been a
contains exhibitions and a settlement here since the 17th
reconstructed Bronze Age farm. E Vitlycke Museum century and like many other
Guided tours by night, when 3 km (2 miles) S of Tanumshede. villages along this coast the
carvings that are not visible by Tel 0525-209 50. Open May–Nov. & community made a living from
day emerge in the light of a 8 by arrangement. 9 - 0 = 7 herring fishing and seafaring.
Today, holidaymakers come for
the swimming and boating.
Bronze Age Rock Carvings Attractive low-rise wooden
The rock carvings at Tanum represent a high point in the artistic houses and shops line the
language of pictures and symbols used by Bronze Age people more narrow streets, but it is the
than 3,000 years ago. Images reflect daily life and hardships, battles harbour which is the heart
won and lost, weapons and hunting scenes. Mating scenes, fertility of the community. Fjällbacka
symbols and the afterlife are also common. The importance of the has a stunning location with
sea is reflected in the proliferation of ships and fishing scenes. It is islands offshore and the 70-m
thought that the rock paintings were primarily of ritual significance, (230-ft) high mountain,
but the depiction of animals
could have acted as a calendar
to show when various
creatures could be hunted.
Hands and feet as motifs are
thought to be associated with
a godly being too holy to have
his whole body depicted.
Rock carvings can be found
all over the world, with the
oldest dating from 20,000 BC.
Those in Sweden are younger,
since it wasn’t completely free
of ice until 6,500 BC. The
Bronze Age warrior in a state of sexual carvings at Tanum date from
arousal, Tanum 1000–500 BC. Bust of actress Ingrid Bergman (1915–82)
in Fjällbacka
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp287–8 and p299

216-217_EW_Sweden.indd 216 11/07/16 11:50 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2)
Date 14th November 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm