Bronze Age Scandinavian Rock Carvings in the Light of the Ritual Associated with the Passage from Winter to Summer

Abstract

The article attempts the interpretation of one of the image types of the Scandinavian rock carvings of the Bronze Age, namely, a Φ-like anthropomorphic figure on a ship. Based on the consideration of the images themselves, as well as their comparison with the ritual aspects of traditional European, in particular Swedish, seasonal festivals, on the one hand, and with Greek materials close in time, on the other hand, one can reliably conclude that the Φ-like figures of the Scandinavian rock carvings refer to a deity that ensures the arrival of the best half of the year.