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30th Anniversary: World Heritage Rock Carvings in Tanum
World Heritage rock carvings in Tanum celebrates its 30th anniversary! The 41 square kilometre World Heritage Site in Tanum, was listed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1994. Explore the fascinating history and significance of these ancient rock carvings as we mark three decades of their esteemed global recognition. Discover more through the links below.
The rock-carving area at Tanum was included in the World Heritage List in 1994, as the fifth Swedish contribution. This is the World Heritage Committee’s citation:
"The rock carvings in the Tanum area are a unique example of Bronze Age art of the highest quality. The range of motifs provides rare evidence of many aspects of life in the European Bronze Age. The interplay of continuous settlement and land use, as reflected in the rock carvings, the burial grounds and the landscape, make the Tanum area an outstanding example of uninterrupted settlement for eight thousand years."
In the World Heritage area, there are about 600 rock-carving sites with tens of thousands of images. Four sites—Vitlycke, Aspeberget, Litsleby, and Fossum—have parking, footpaths, and information boards. Litsleby is wheelchair-accessible and includes a tactile information panel.
The rock carvings that are accessible for visitors are accessible 24/7, year-round. There is no fee to visit the rock carvings of the World Heritage site. Read more about practical information for your visit to the World Heritage site.
The most frequently visited of the rock art sites in the Tanum World Heritage area is the Vitlycke panel, which lies 300 m from the museum. Here you will find among other things Bohuslän’s most famous carving – the Bridal Couple also called the Holy wedding.
Fossum is a visitor area located in the northeast corner of Tanum's World Heritage Site, approximately 5.2 kilometers from Vitlycke Museum. This rock carving site is very dense; the small rock surface is packed with images. Here, the Fossum Woman is surrounded by warriors, musicians, dancers, hunters, deers and dogs.
The carving at Litsleby is located 2 kilometers south of Vitlycke Museum. The rock is dominated by a 2.3-meter-long warrior, known as the Spear God. Access to the rock carvings is easy here. It is close between the bus parking and the carvings, and there are ramps for walkers, wheelchairs, prams, as well as information for the visually impaired.
Aspeberget is located 700 meters south of Vitlycke Museum. Here, there is a large rock with, among other things, images of bulls, warriors, and ships. Additionally, there is a walking trail on the mountain leading up to the summit. From the top, you'll have a stunning view of the World Heritage Site.
Visit Skräddö in the Tanum World Heritage site for a unique resting stop experience with the opportunity for picnics, restrooms, an exciting exhibition about the World Heritage site, and a fantastic view of the landscape.
This is a 6 km path that takes you to three different places with exciting rock carvings: Lövåsen with its shaman, the Gerum panel with the flying swing and Sotetorp with ships full of people doing backward somersaults.
