Rock Carvings in Tanum


World Heritage Identification Number: 557

World Heritage since: 1994

Category: Cultural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇸🇪 Sweden

Continent: Europe

UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America

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Unraveling the Mysteries of the Rock Carvings in Tanum: A Journey into the Past

The Rock Carvings in Tanum, located in the northern region of Bohuslän, Sweden, stand as a testament to the rich artistic achievements of the Bronze Age. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, these petroglyphs offer a captivating glimpse into the lives, beliefs, and culture of ancient European societies.

More to come…

UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The rock carvings in Tanum, in the north of Bohuslän, are a unique artistic achievement not only for their rich and varied motifs (depictions of humans and animals, weapons, boats and other subjects) but also for their cultural and chronological unity. They reveal the life and beliefs of people in Europe during the Bronze Age and are remarkable for their large numbers and outstanding quality.

Encyclopedia Record: Rock Carvings in Tanum

The Rock Carvings in Tanum are a collection of petroglyphs near Tanumshede, Bohuslän, Sweden, which were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994 because of their high concentration.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 4,137.609 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (i) — Masterpiece of human creative genius
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape

Coordinates: 58.70111 , 11.34111

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Image of Rock Carvings in Tanum

Unknown, Public domain

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Nearby World Heritage Sites

Grimeton Radio Station, Varberg
188 km — Sweden
Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site
204 km — Norway
Viking-Age Ring Fortresses
226 km — Denmark
Engelsberg Ironworks
300 km — Sweden
Kronborg Castle
306 km — Denmark

Country Information: Sweden

Flag of Sweden

Official Name: Kingdom of Sweden

Capital: Stockholm

Continent: Europe

Population (2024): 10,569,709

Population (2023): 10,536,632

Population (2022): 10,486,941

Land Area: 407,280 sq km

Currency: Swedish krona (SEK)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Rock Carvings in Tanum are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Rock Carvings in Tanum, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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