Protection of Rock Art - Riksantikvaren

2000). In order to avoid unnecessary repetition concerning the Rock Art Project’s premises
and first four years, we refer in general to this publication. For a more detailed presentation of
results and guidelines for measures taken, see Bjelland & Helberg (eds.) 2006. Results from
the Vingen Project, which was a part of the Rock Art Project, will be published as a joint
report in 2007 (Lødøen et al. (eds.) 2007, in prep.).
2. An Awakening Consciousness 1
Throughout the 1900s, attention was from time to time drawn to the poor preservation
condition of rock art in Norway. There were no reports from systematic investigations prior to
the 1970s, and no thorough assessment of status undertaken by professionals before this time.
However, on the basis of observations, one had reason to assume that rock art in a number of
locations was in the process of being inflicted significant damage, and there are statements of
concern to be found in the archives; without any noticeable consequences in the direction of
concrete actions.
An initial systemtic assessment of conditions, supported by the Arts Council Norway, was
conducted in western, central and southeastern Norway respectively, by the University of
Bergen with the participation of the Museum of Archaeology, Stavanger, the Museum of
Natural History and Archaeology in Trondheim in cooperation with The Norwegian Institute
of Technology (NTH), Tromsø Museum and the University Museum of Antiquities in Oslo.
The investigation led to production of the report The Rock Art Project 1976-1980 (Mandt &
Michelsen 1980). At this point, the University of Bergen was already involved in what was to
be a long-standing and intensive interdisciplinary effort for the preservation of the rock art
locality Ausevik in Flora municipality, Sogn og Fjordane county, and of the large rock
carving area Vingen in Bremanger municipality in the same county. The poor condition of the
rock art was disheartening and the preservation problems were perceived as nearly
unmanageable. Without a focused effort, it was assessed that a significant amount of the rock
art would be irretrievably lost.
At this juncture, especially within the interdisciplinary research community at the Bergen
Historical Museum with professor Gro Mandt as the driving force then and all through The
Rock Art Project, additional systematic investigations were conducted during the 1980s and
1990s. Continued surveys of conditions at Ausevik and Vingen in particular made up a
majority of these investigations (Michelsen 1978; Mandt 1991). Important baseline material
was produced by Anders Hagen’s comparisons of early tracings and casts with the current
situation. Hagen’s observations were later confirmed through laser scanning of portions of the
same material (Bjelland & Sæbø 2004:4; 2005:5. Also see Chapter 5.1.1 ).
There was broad agreement that the reasons for the deterioration were numerous and
complex, and that progress was contingent on an interdisciplinary effort. It also became clear
that there were problems with the disintigration of rock art over the entire country. Similar
reports of concern were received from each of the five regional archaeological museums, and
a nationwide professional rock art community was being developed. During the first years,
the community was hindered by limited professional contact and a lack of venues for the
exchange of knowledge and experience, so that work at the national level progressed slowly
during the 1980s.
1 For a systematic review of rock art preservation history up to the end of the 1990s, see Mandt 1997.
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