Swedish Rock Art Research Archives
Swedish Bronze Age rock art constitutes one of the world’s most interesting and best preserved prehistoric legacies. Rock art has been a major research focus in Sweden for almost 200 years. Recently, research and public interest in rock art has increased considerably.
Through efforts led by Swedish Rock Art Research Archives (SHFA) great strides have been made towards achieving these goals. Digital copies of original documents (regardless of size) are now available to scholars and to the public at large. SHFA’s database is already available to the research community via their user-friendly web portal, www.shfa.se. Since the launch of this site in 2010, this portal has had more than 1 million visitors. The latest effort is the broadcasting of 3D documentation from laser scanning via sketchfab and SHFA is currently one of leading institution in Sweden in communicating 3D material.
Over the years, SHFA has expanded its research scope and has gained international recognition as indicated below:
- SHFA has provided a number of national and international researchers with images and data for doctoral theses, scientific articles, papers and presentations.
- SHFA put forth a scientific monographic series titled Swedish Rock Art Series published by Oxbow Books, Oxford. UK (guaranteed funding of seven monographs by RJ). Five different monographs have been published at this forum.
- SHFA established collaboration with national and international organizations such as The Archaeological Sites and Monuments database, Swedish Open Cultural Heritage (SOCH), World Rock Art Archives WHC/UNESCO, Centro Camuno di Studi Preistorici Italy, Galician Rock Art Centre Spain, RARI South Africa, and The Danish National Museum.
- UNESCO recognized SHFA as being a model for how to properly construct a World Rock Art Archive (WRAA).
- SHFA has developed and applied non tactile digital documentation techniques on rock art as for Structure from Motion (SfM) and Laser Scanning.
- SHFA has developed three different courses at the University of Gothenburg on the documentation and interpretation of rock art.
