TY - JOUR

T1 - Neolithic Cupmarks from Vasagård on Bornholm, Denmark

T2 - Dating the Rock Art Tradition in Southern Scandinavia

AU - Iversen, Rune

AU - Thorsen, Michael S.

AU - Andresen, Jens-Bjørn Riis

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - This article presents the first evidence for cupmarks in the southern Scandinavian Middle Neolithic, in the form of two cupmarked stones recovered during excavations at the Neolithic enclosures of Vasagård on the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. Until now, cupmarks, which are frequently found on dolmen capstones, have been associated with the rich and figurative rock art known from the Bronze Age (c. 1700–500 bc). The evidence from Vasagård opens up the possibility that more cupmarks could be Neolithic. The association of the cupmarked stones from Vasagård with ritual gatherings suggests an affinity with contemporary sites, including Orkney, where cupmarks have been linked to architectural transformations.

AB - This article presents the first evidence for cupmarks in the southern Scandinavian Middle Neolithic, in the form of two cupmarked stones recovered during excavations at the Neolithic enclosures of Vasagård on the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. Until now, cupmarks, which are frequently found on dolmen capstones, have been associated with the rich and figurative rock art known from the Bronze Age (c. 1700–500 bc). The evidence from Vasagård opens up the possibility that more cupmarks could be Neolithic. The association of the cupmarked stones from Vasagård with ritual gatherings suggests an affinity with contemporary sites, including Orkney, where cupmarks have been linked to architectural transformations.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - Neolithic

KW - Vasagård

KW - Bornholm

KW - Rock art

KW - cupmarks

KW - Neolithic enclosures

U2 - 10.1017/eaa.2021.49

DO - 10.1017/eaa.2021.49

M3 - Journal article

VL - 25

SP - 155

EP - 175

JO - European Journal of Archaeology

JF - European Journal of Archaeology

SN - 1461-9571

IS - 2

ER -