Chariots of the Atlantic Warriors - A Comparative Study of Chariot Motifs on Scandinavian and Iberian Rock Art

Abstract

During the last two decades, ideas of long-distance interaction between cultures has gained an increased amount of attention in the field of Bronze Age research. Previous research has shown that such a long-distance interaction, connected to the trade of metal and amber, may have existed between Scandinavia and Iberia, facilitated by a group of seafaring warrior-traders, with a shared identity, set of values and cosmology. These shared ideas would leave traces in the material culture and iconography, which can be seen in rock art in both Scandinavia and Iberia. One of the motifs which has been lifted be previous researchers as an example of this shared warrior symbology, is the chariot, which is prevalent both in Scandinavian and Iberian rock art. By analysing and comparing the iconography and contexts of the chariot motifs, this dissertation gains new insights and interpretations on the nature of the contact and cultural exchange between Scandinavia and Iberia, and the iconographical impact this had on rock art in their respective locations, but also the meaning of the chariot motifs themselves and the relationship between them.