Carving miniature worlds – landscape, environments, and Nordic Bronze Age rock art carvers

This contribution argues that Nordic Bronze Age rock art carvers selected specific panels and created miniatures of real and imagined worlds by placing images close to water flows and accumulations. This is based on the output of agent-based modelling which was used to calculate water flows and accumulations on rock art panels, as well as specific observations on their surface topography and the surrounding landscape. To understand why such miniature worlds may have been created, we discuss a theoretical model inspired by Steven Millhauser that explores the power of miniatures. Essentially, miniatures allow us to grasp things that would otherwise escape understanding because they are too large, complex, and uncanny. This complements many ideas and potential uses of rock art including teaching social expectations, illustrating narratives, etc. The discussion highlights the important role of carvers in Bronze Age societies as potential holders of esoteric knowledge about geology, carving techniques, and the content of social narratives giving them control over such narratives and how to display them.