Myths and rock-carvings. An iconographical investigation

Abstract

Myths and Rock-carvings: Preliminary to an iconographical investigation of some Scandinavian petroglyphs with a view to discovering whether these reflect certain Mediterranean myths or their derivatives

The author mentions from the earlier research on the background of the Nordic petroglyphs in particular Oscar Almgren's (6) and P. V. Glob's (3) works. He had seen illustrations of petroglyphs which reminded him of the main theme of the Ugaritic myths which became known in 1929 when they were found on tablets at Ras Shamra in northern Syria (4). The texts were written down between 1400 and 1350 B.C. in Ugaritic, north Canaanite sister-dialect of classical Hebraic.

The part of the Ba'al myths which is relevant to the interpretation of the rock carvings treated in the following is in brief as follows: The fertility god BA'AL has vanquished the god of chaos Y AM and obtained a temple for himself after a struggle with the almighty EL. The god of death MOT thereafter demands that BA'AL visit the realm of death. BA'AL meekly obeys. Before this he copulates with a heifer. BA'AL's sister and beloved ANAT, daughter of EL, entreats the gods GUPN and UGAR to find the dead BA'AL. They find him on the "strand of death". ANAT arrives and grieves over him. The sun god SHAPASH helps her with the burial on Mount SAPON. EL asks his wife ATHIRAT for one of her sons as king instead of BA'AL. ATHTAR mounts BA'AL's throne in vain. ANAT avenges BA'AL by killing and dismembering MOT. BA'AL rises again, fights an equal battle with MOT, and ANAT and BA'AL are reunited on SAPON.

The method in this investigation is based on Sophus Müller's and A. Furumark's requirement (7) that before an interpretation of a picture is attempted, a formal, detailed description should be given; cf. K. Friis Johansen's iconographical investigation of the Greek vase paintings and their congruence with events in the Iliad (8). The following work consists of a description of individual motifs and thereafter an interpretation in relation to the mythical material with all the individual features contained in the motif. Where this motif is associated with others, which accord with a situation from the myth, this will further support the interpretation. Motifs and motif combination can form a course of events which in the artist testifies to a knowledge of the myth or of strong derivatives of this. The Ugaritic text has been taken by the present author from G. R. Driver: Canaanite Myths and Legends. Edinburgh 1956 (1971). On p. 103 the other text basis is given. Text references follow Driver.

First example (Fig. 1-9):

Bohuslän, Sweden, Tanum parish no. 1. Vitlycke 1,4

Motif no. 1 (fig. 1). Description: A phallic figure with extremely long arms, and a boat under each. Interpretation: A fertility god; the long arms signify great power. The literal translation from SHAGAR and SHALIM E.1, L. 33b - R ii, L.1 (9) is "EL's hand grows long as the sea", with parallel reference to the Old Testament's Psalm 72,8: "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea", which can refer to Babylonic belief that the earth is everywhere surrounded by water, as a Babylonic picture of the world from 600 B.C. shows (12). The god 's power extends from sea to sea, which is also marked in the miniature landscape of the rocks, where as elsewhere the figures are carved in relation to still or running water, in a miniature landscape fitting the landscape of the myth.

Motif no. 2 (fig. 2). Description: A tall phallic figure with a sword approaches from the left followed by seven smaller figures. The presence of a seventh figure is open to discussion. Interpretation: Ba'al myth I* v., L. 1-25 (14), where the god of death MOT invites BA'AL to visit him in the realm of death with his seven servants, his dew daughter and his shower daughter. The tall figure (with bound feet?) is thought to be BA'AL (L. 1-11).

Motif no. 3 (fig. 3). Description: At the far right above the other of the god's long arms a sword-bearing phallic figure in close contact with the rump of an animal. Interpretation: Copulation scene between BA'AL and a heifer, who is his female counterpart ANAT, on the "strand of death", L. 18-21. Parallel rock sites: Tanum parish no. 160 and Skee parish no. 22. Cf. also Theocrates' description of Adonis's bridal bed, which is his funeral boat (17) and to the Egyptian scenes, in which Isis is impregnated by Osiris in the embalming house (18, 19). The scene shows Middle Eastern fertility cult, as the Jews experienced it (Lev. 18, 23-24). The concept "strand of death" is discussed in note 22, the author being in agreement with Driver and Dussand on this translation, since the Ugaritic word mmt means the frightful, painful death.

Motif no. 4 (fig. 4). Description: To the left of the copulation scene a dotted circle, to the left of this a horned animal head, a weakly pricked body above the circle and over this a figure with both legs in front of the circle. Interpretationz. A woman giving birth to a bull. Text basis: BA'AL IV iii, L. 19: "She (ANAT in L. 9 and 17) gives birth to a bull, a bull to BA'AL" (25), and L. 35-37 (26) where ANAT rejoices that an ox has been born to BA'AL.

Motif no. 5 (fig. 5). Description: A sword-bearing phallic figure lies with his legs towards a boat; behind this a figure with pony-tail coiffure is squatting with arms outstretched towards the head of the prostrate figure. In front of the body two vertical strokes. Interpretation: cf. BA'AL I* vi, L. 28-31 (28) where ANAT finds BA'AL on the "strand of death" and rends her clothes. Motif no. 5 is found with motifs no. 1-4 to be the best indication that the BA'AL myth is represented or present in a strong, almost correct derivative form. Cf. Plutarch's description where the dead Osiris is washed ashore at Byblos (30). The vertical strokes in front of the woman are interpreted as a symbolic vulva, with parallel to the Sumerian goddess Inana, who sings the praises of her vulva (32).

Motif no. 6 (fig. 6). Description: Obliquely to the right under the female figure a small phallic figure with a sword. Interpretation: The figure is BA'AL's usurper A THT AR who in BA 'AL III i, L. 16-18 (34) is made king by EL, but is tao smal! for his throne. ATHTAR's role as god of irrigation is treated. ATHTAR is also found in several duel motifs.

Motif no. 7 (fig. 7). Description: Above the bull and the circle a poorly preserved figure, possibly with three arms. In extension of the bent right arm is a weapon, on which hangs a small armless figure. Interpretation: ANAT avenges BA'AL's death on the god of death MOT. Cf. BA'AL III ii, L. 30-37 (34). BA'AL rises again but MOT must die first. His cremation and sowing in the field reminds one of same of the Bronze Age barrows and the events around these: one wonders whether plough marks (Aggersund Kalkværk and Hjerpsted) and cremation finds with coffin burials of unburnt corpses are manifestations of burial rituals in connection with mythical beliefs of the kind dealt with here. ANAT's treatment of MOT is the prerequisite of BA'AL's resurrection.

Motif no. 8 (fig. 8). Description: A large, phallic, sword-bearing, two-armed figure, which in one bent arm holds an axe obliquely towards a couple, one of whom has a pony-tail coiffure and the other a sword. They are bound at head, hips, and knees.

Interpretation: This is hieros gamos, sacred marriage, the marriage which perpetuated life after the death of nature, and the real subject of the whole myth. This is suggested in a damaged "Fragment III" (39). It is this motif which is the climax of the cult and which in other petroglyphs sets us on the track of a congruence with the myth, especially where it is combined with the man-animal motif.

Second example (Fig. 10):

Tanum parish no. 302, Tuvene 1, 3, a smaller concentrated version of the same myth. The figure to the right is MOT who has just killed the fallen BA'AL. BA'AL is found on the strand of death by squatting ANAT, while ATHTAR stands behind her to the left. The couple above the rock cleft represent the mythical hieros gamos.

Third example (Fig. 11):

Tanum parish no. 422, Kalleby 1, 5 (Vastergård). Here the miniature landscape is distinct and tested by the author's experiment. The hieros gamos couple stand with their feet in water, which runs in a cleft of the rock when it rains. With their keels towards the strip of water are ships. Behind the couple is the usurper ATHTAR and above them the scene where BA'AL falls before MOT.

The Engelstrup stone (44) (Fig. 12):

Here the figures are seen in another characteristic manner, arranged as actors on a stage in a pregnant expression of the whole story. Above is the usurper, below a man and woman around the "earth gods' hole" where BA 'AL is to be placed after his death. To the left of the group is MOT, sheathing his sword after the death of BA 'AL. The female figure has pony-tail coiffure like many of the female figures in Bohuslän.

How the myth or its derivatives reached the Kattegat coast from the Mediterranean is not discussed, but it is suggested that it may have been carried north with the craft of bronze-casting.

Ove Bruun Jørgensen