The ship's symbolism in the Bronze Age : A study of the shipcarvings in Enköping

Rock carvings are engraved motifs of different kinds that are placed on rock surfaces and were created during the Scandinavian bronze age. There are many different kinds of rock carvings but the most common motif is cup marks, and the second most common is ships. In this essay ship carvings are analyzed to see whether they were used in religious practice. Based on literary studies of earlier reserch done on the subject I have formed my own opinion about the ship's meaning. Different interpretations of how the ship could have been used within religious rituals are discussed by four sites in Uppland which present a variety of rock carving combinations. The sites were picked because the ship carvings are similar and they all have one or more human figures close by. The human presence on the rock faces strengthen the interpretation that the ship were used with religious purpose, and a prime example of this is Brandskogsskeppet, one of Sweden's largest ship carvings. It is more than four meters long, has several human figures on-board the ship and is carried by a person. The results of the study is that the ship carvings can indeed be interpreted as religious symbols but that is also could have served a multifunctional purpose depending on the situation