Applying cartosemiotics to rock art : An example from Aspeberget, Sweden

• This study aims to shed new light on the petroglyphs found at the site of Aspeberget 12 at the World Heritage site of Tanum, Sweden, from a semiotic perspective. We demonstrate the semiotics of power inherent in the arrangement of the petroglyphs. We start by describing the site in an archaeological way, in order to give an overview of the empirical material used in this case study. Against the backdrop of the overview, we introduce our analytical tools with reference to cartosemiotics, cultural semiotics and, Charles Sanders Peirce’s theory of signs. We suggest, in a tentative conclusion, that Aspeberget 12, as a type of“map”, displays a clear“Ego-culture”and a possible journey. We also suggest that the visual narratives at Aspeberget 12 represent the authority of the Ego-culture and its development. Details of thefigurative images such as ships, axes and spears might have been displayed as markers of the high technological standard of the Ego-culture, and thus of power.

Subject headings

HUMANIORA  -- Historia och arkeologi -- Arkeologi (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- History and Archaeology -- Archaeology (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Språk och litteratur -- Jämförande språkvetenskap och allmän lingvistik (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Languages and Literature -- General Language Studies and Linguistics (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Filosofi, etik och religion (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Philosophy, Ethics and Religion (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Cartosemiotics

cultural semiotics

iconicity

signs

petroglyphs

Swedish rock art

Archaeology

Arkeologi

cartosemiotics

cultural semiotics

Iconicity

signs

petroglyphs

Swedish rock art

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)