The Fossum Panel – a Calendar?
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Torbjörn Skånberg The Fossum panel – a Calendar? Interpretation background Myths A review of how different authors have pre- The definition of a myth is usually defined sented religious interpretations of Rock Art as “a socially powerful traditional story” (RA) was partly presented in Kristian Kris- and is by its nature something similar to tiansens article (Adoranten 2012). To this a very loosely story that has been retold group of more culture-historical oriented through the generations. This means that authors were Oscar Almgren who during the myth can be varied and details added so the late 1920:s presented, to some extent, if there once was a kernel of truth, this part a revolutionary interpretation where he is now difficult to extract. Also the myth can saw direct links between Babylonian and be completely false from the beginning, as Egyptian traditions with Nordic RA, which is often the case with the myths of origin, he explained as a result of the expansion of which usually is created by political or eco- agriculture and its cultural impact that was nomical reasons. A more stringent variant connected to this activity. Almgren claimed might the myths that belong to a group that people used different myths, which of Aetiological Myths be, which once were involved certain gods, in their daily life and told in order to explain natural phenom- the rituals, many of which were connected ena in the world, especially the weather to fertility, were depicted on the rock pan- or seasonal changes. Here, in this category, els. Another aspect of interpretation that the myth in itself is completely fictional, has been focused during more modern so we do not need to bother about any times is that the panels are connected to true kernel. But the interesting concepts of some sort of belief that was based upon these myths, for this study, are the myths travels to the world of death. Based upon themselves and how people tried to explain the actual rock carvings that have been what happened in the world. The focus in found inside graves as in Sagaholm, in- this article is to investigate whether an Ae- vestigated by Joakim Goldhahn, it is not tiological / Explanation myth can be used to farfetched to connect these panels, where interpret a certain panel, the Fossum panel, ships are presented, with the imagined situated 5 km east of Tanum, Sweden. The travels of the soul from the dead person to myth that will be used is a combination of an imagined place for dead. Linked to this myths, similar but not equal to myths that theory of soul travels is also Fleming Kauls were told in the Mediterranean region. revolutionary scheme of the suns motion In ancient Greece, an Aetiological myth over the sky, based upon interpretations of explained the seasonal variations with the motives made on Bronze Age razors, that help of a vegetation goddess, Demeter who links ships directions with pictures of ani- went into the Temple to mourn her daugh- mals to the position of the sun (Kaul 2004). ter Persefone’s forced life in the underworld These ideas were supported by the find of during 4 months of the year. Persefone the Trundholm horse and wagon set, which had been kidnapped and forced into mar- symbolically, indicated some sort of sun riage by the underworld god Hades. During worship in the Nordic countries during BA. this time of the year the vegetation died So the rock art can to some extent be linked through draught and nothing was growing. to fertility, to death and to sun worship as After the 4 months, Persefone was allowed indicated above, but probably also to other to leave the underworld and the vegetation aspects of religious, not ordinary life. could start to grow. A similar myth was told Adoranten 2014 103 The Fossum Panel. Photo G. Milstreu/Tanums HälleristningsMuseum. in ancient Egypt, where the vegetation god Baal’s sister Anat looked for Baal in the Osisris was killed by his brother Seth, mak- underworld with the help of the sun god ing the vegetation stop to grow. Osiris was Shapash. Finally they found him, but Anat later helped by his sister Isis to life, but he was forced to kill Mot in order to free Baal. was not able to leave the underworld to- As soon as Baal re-entered the upper world, tally, he was forced to come back, why the nature started to grow again (Sowing pe- vegetation cycle continued. riod). Baal was again strong and reigned, A more specific myth that will be used and the seasonal cycle was complete. The here to explain part of the panel in Fossum Baal myth has been used in earlier investi- is the myth of Baal from Canaan, found in gations with the aim to interpret RA, espe- Ugarit, today part of Syria, in the 1920:s and cially the panel at Vitlycke (Jørgensen 1987). written down on clay tablets from the Late A full translation of the myth is made by Mediterranean Bronze Age, about 1600 – Wikander (2003). 1200 BC (Wikander 2003). The myth can of Another myth that will be used here is course be much older and is probably based the myth about the heavenly Twins, Castor upon similar thoughts from the Mesopota- and Pollux that probably originates from mian culture. The myth goes roughly like Mesopotamia where the two twins Lahmu this: Baal, the vegetation god was in full and Lahamu which had the not very nice power during the vegetation period. The task of cutting the dead person into pieces water god Yamm complained to the highest before he could enter the world of Dead god El that Baal was too powerful, why El (Forsell 2009:87). Beside this characteristic gave the power to reign to Yamm. Baal did of being connected to the underworld, the not give up easily so he fought back, but he Twins are said to be the saviour of the sun, was finally threatened by Mot, the god of when threatened by dark monsters (Kris- Death. Baal was forced to enter the under- tiansen 2012:72). That a divine Twin couple world making the vegetation to stop grow- eventually was worshipped in Scandinavia ing and nature died (The summer draught). is indicted by the finds of the twin figures 104 Adoranten 2014 from Stockhult and Grevensvaege. A more sen has described many possible contacts thorough overview of the beliefs during between the regions as a result of aristo- Bronze Age, see Melheim (2006). cratic peoples travelling around in Europe As said above, the myths are not con- (Kristiansen & Larsson, 2005:186). Trade sistent to one variant, as written sources which mainly was based upon Baltic amber, seldom exist (here however there exist exchanged to metals and weapons from clay tablets) and as the myths are kept Central Europe, since at least the beginning orally during long periods and over long of the Nordic Bronze Age, during the 18th distances, the myths can be changed un- century BC. It is quite clear that the local intentionally. For this type of myths, the Nordic metal craftsmanship was to a great Aetiological ones, the myth can vary in deal depending on import of raw material details, but the basic message must be kept, from Europe, made along different trade as it is a description of the nature itself, routes, one Atlantic and one along rivers of seasons change in a certain way, nature dies Central Europe. Also according to Kristian- in winter and lives fully during summer. sen the habit of using panels for figurative In the Nordic countries there is no known RA started in Kivik, Bredarör during the Seasonal Myth, if not the Saga of the death 18th Century and was spread from there to of Balder is a special version of this or the other parts of Scandinavia (ibid:198). It is fragmental story of the goddess Nerthus, however quite clear that figurative paint- who by her journey over the rural country ings and carvings were made much earlier made nature fertile is one part of a sea- in the Northern part of Scandinavia, from sonal myth. Also it is worth noticing that at least the 3rd Millennia BC. So in a way the the climate changes are not the same in the RA we see today can be regarded as a result Nordic countries compared to the Mediter- from influence from both, a Northern and a ranean region, where winter rain and sum- Southern tradition. Much can be said about mer draught is dominant. So, when using this, but the essential part for this study, is a myth like the one about Baal, it is not that it is possible that parts of a Myth from equivalent to claim that this myth existed eastern Mediterranean, from Canaanites or in the Scandinavia, neither that a variant of from Phoenicians, via trading people from this myth was known by everybody, maybe Greece or Metal traders of Central Europe only a small group of people. But according might have been brought up to Scandi- to logic, there should have been a need also navia. It is enough that only a few people in Scandinavia to describe why the weather were told about this myth, people that changed and who made it to change. lived in the region close to Tanum, who had The aim with this article is to give indica- a need for knowing the reasons why the tions for; 1) that a similar myth can be used weather changed as it did.