Lovers of art, painting and sculpture die to look and touch the primitive paintings of nomadic human beings. Since only a few excavated and preserved paintings exist in the world, so all these art pieces are invaluable for art lovers and historians alike. They not only reveal the unknown facts related to the culture and lifestyle of primitive human beings, but they are also a living document of their social behaviour and common activities like what they wore, what they ate and how they saved themselves from the odds of nature. Most importantly for an art lover, the skill of painting and sculpture among these primitive men are enough to generate awe and surprise! The choice of colours and the fact that they are still not perished is an amazing thing by itself! The oldest of the excavated sites is in Alta.
Alta Rock paintings
Where are the Rock Drawings of Alta situated?
Rock Drawings of Alta are situated in the municipality of Alta in Finnmark county of Norway. In and around Alta, there are about 6000 rock art carvings. The largest collection of rock art carvings is around Jiepmaluokta, about 4 kilometres away from Alta. It has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is the only pre-historic one of Norway.
Why are they special?
Discovered in 1972, the oldest carvings are estimated to date back to 4200 B.C., while the youngest is about 500 B.C. old. The images mostly depict the lifestyle of nomadic human society that thrived on hunting. There are varieties like herds of reindeer, worshipping of animal deities as ritual, and other characteristics of jungle life. The most dominant images are about hunting and fishing. Besides hunting, fishing and nomadic lifestyle description, some of the rock arts also have geometric symbols and motifs, showcasing the growth of human mind over the period of 3500 years that it is a witness of.
A lot of restoration work followed its discovery and a system of wooden gangways 3 kilometres long were constructed for protection of the site. Many rock carvings are also not opened to outside visitors for safeguarding the vegetable colors in the rock paintings. The Alta museum bears record of those rock carvings that remain closed normally.
How to reach?
Alta is well connected via road to most parts of Norway. From Hjemmeluft on the E6 highway, turn to the west, and about two and a half kilometres after crossing Bossekop, you reach Alta. Alta also has a domestic airport well connected to Oslo and Trondheim airports. The site is about 8 kilometres from the Alta airport.
Where to stay?
There are a few very pretty accommodation facilities at Alta, viz., Best Western Nordlys Hotel, Rica Hotel, Thon Hotel, only to name a few.
Best time of visit
Alta is not that severely cold as the rest of Norway, so it can be visited in winters also. A few lakes adjoining the Alta Rock Art Carvings keep the temperature warmer. Summers are the best time to visit, as you can witness the Rock Arts amidst the northern lights and the Aurora Borealis, which makes the environment even more special.