Rock Art of Alta

The Rock Art of Alta is a group of prehistoric petroglyph sites near the town of Alta in northern Norway, containing thousands of carved images created by prehistoric coastal communities and inscribed on the UNESCO list in 1985.

Panels include scenes of hunting, fishing, boats, humans and animals carved into rock surfaces along the fjord and valley slopes. One of the principal concentrations is at Hjemmeluft, where a protected walkway and small visitor centre make the carvings accessible.

The carvings were produced over several millennia by peoples exploiting coastal and inland resources, reflecting social and ritual practices. They were first recorded by archaeologists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and have since been conserved and interpreted for public access.

The panels are distributed along the Altafjord and tributary valleys in Finnmark, immediately adjacent to the town of Alta on Norway’s northern coast.

• Scale and chronology: The rock carvings number in the thousands and were created over a long period by hunter-gatherer and early farming communities; panels span coastal and riverine locations.
• Visitor facilities and timing: A visitor centre and boardwalk at the main site provide protection for the panels and year-round access; summer offers long daylight for extended visits.

What to See #

• Hjemmeluft: Hjemmeluft, the largest concentration of carved panels near Alta, with accessible boardwalks and on-site interpretation at a small visitor centre.
• Other carving sites: Several rock-carving concentrations along the Altafjord and adjacent valley slopes, where panels are carved on horizontal bedrock and sheltered surfaces.