Arctic Rock Art
About the course
This is a thematic introductory course in archaeology and may be taken as a single course.
Rock art images provide a fascinating glimpse into past societies. The Nordic countries have a wealth of sites and a wide variety of different motifs, ranging from life-sized animals and detailed hunting scenes, to images of shamans and warriors, to prehistoric ritual scenes.
This course will provide an overview of Nordic rock art with an emphasis on the northernmost sites associated with hunter-fisher-gatherers. It will briefly outline the history of research on rock art, before moving to the modern methods for analysis and interpretation of rock art. Examples from areas beyond Scandinavia (eg. Paleolithic Europe, Australia) will be included, to present an understanding of the diversity of rock art.
Admission requirements
Higher Education Entrance Qualification (generell studiekompetanse) or prior learning and work experience (realkompetanse). Application code: 9199 (Nordic applicants).
No background knowledge of archaeology is required.
Objectives of the course
The students will have the following learning outcomes:
Knowledge
The student will have:
- Fundamental knowledge of rock art in northern Fennoscandia and beyond
- Fundamental knowledge of the history of research as well as recent theories and interpretations on rock art
- Fundamental knowledge and understanding of recent methodological developments in documentation and analysis of rock art
Skills
The student is able to:
- Identify different categories of Nordic rock art
- Discuss different interpretations
Teaching methods
Language of instruction and examination
The course is taught in English, but the written exam can be in English or Scandinavian languages.Recommended reading/syllabus
Du kan se og få tilgang til deler av pensum via Leganto.
Pensumliste for ARK-1035 Arctic Rock Art - HØST 2025Information to incoming exchange students
The course is open for inbound exchange students.
Do you have questions about this module? Please check the following website to contact the course coordinator for exchange students at the faculty: INBOUND STUDENT MOBILITY: COURSE COORDINATORS AT THE FACULTIES | UiT
Examination
| Off campus exam | Hand in: 05.12.2025 14:00 Hand out: 01.12.2025 09:00 Duration: 7 Days |
Grade: A–E, fail F |
To take an examination, the student must have passed the following coursework requirements
| Presentation | Grade: Approved – not approved |
Everything you need to know about before, during, and after the exam; registration, absence, appeals, and diplomas: UiT Exams homepage