In an open area not far from the city centre of Norrköping you can find the Himmelstalund rock carvings. Ships, swords, animals, people, carved into the flat rocky surface millennia ago. Norrköping sits at Bråviken, a large fjord that cuts into Sweden’s east coast 100 km south of Stockholm. When the glacier that covered Sweden in the Ice Age retreated, people settled here where fresh water meets the Baltic Sea. The oldest item on display in the museum of Norrköping is a 6000 year old skeleton of a seal.
I am here to explore the 1600+ rock carvings uncovered so far at Himmelstalund. The area is easy to get to by car, not far from the E4 freeway passing a little to the north. It is also a short walk from the central station. I’m in Norrköping for a game event and today I’m on foot, enjoying a morning walk before events begin.
I was at Himmelstalund in the spring on my way back from LinCon so I know where to go and what I will find. The leaves have just started to turn orange and the sky is overcast grey. I was hoping to come back on a day with sunshine for better pictures, but the rock carvings don’t care. Since my last visit some of the carvings have gotten a fresh coat of paint but the signposts are still empty, waiting for a grant likely.
The rock carvings here as magnificent as in Tanum and Nämforsen, both of which I visited this summer. My personal favourite is the ship where you can the cargo in the hull. Wool and grain. At least that is what I see — maybe you see something else?
Here is a selection of the carvings I found on this day. If you get the chance, go see for yourself and find your own favourite.
