Saraakallio Rock Art Paintings

Google Maps:
62.417554, 25.996854

Type of site:
Outdoor rocky outcrop

Place of location: Sites of Saraakallio I and II at the Saraavesi Lake.
Village/Town: Laukaa
Municipality: Laukaa (Central Finland)
Region: Central Finland
State: Finland
Telephone: (+358) 14 569 0113
Website: https://visitlaukaa.fi/palvelu/saraakallion-kalliomaalaukset/
E-mail: travel@jyvaskyla.fi

Natural Environment:

Saraakallio belongs to the boreal coniferous forest zone. Geologically Saraakallio solid rock break line is one of the oldest rock formations of the northern Europe which is typical to the Finnish bedrock. Saraakallio is a landscape dominant of the area. There is also a nature reserve area directly at the rock art area.

Archaeological evidences in the site:

The protected Saraakallio rock art site is part of Central Finlands stone age culture. There are numbers of stone age dwelling sites around the Saraakallio. It is believed (according to the latest archaeological evidence) that in prehistoric cultures the cultural utilisation areas were large, usually more than 100 km2. When considering archaeological context in Saraakallio rock painting area, one must keep that aspect in mind. The Saraakallio is one part of the larger prehistoric culture area.

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Opening Times:

The site is open all year. both free and guided visits are possible. For guided visits contact with Tourism of Laukaa (https://visitlaukaa.fi/ )

Booking and access:

Apart of the visit by car, it is possible to visiti the site by boat. Laukaa municipality and harbour is easy to access from Jyväskylä. From harbour you have to take a boat to access Saraakallio. You can also take a canoe or kayak to access the rock painting location ( https://visitlaukaa.fi/ ). Workshop and courses are offered by Rockart Kivikäs Ltd. (https://www.rockartkivikas.fi/)

Nearby cultural destinations:

135.3km SE 143° Astuvansalmi rock paintings Rock Art
177.8km SSW 208° Kauriala Uhrikivi Rock Art

Nearby natural destinations:

111.6km S 179° Liikkuva kivi Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature
159.7km W 271° The Devil’s Nest (Pirunpesä) Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature

Accommodations (Tourism Website):
https://visitlaukaa.fi/palvelut/majoitu/
Restaurants (Tourism Website):
https://visitlaukaa.fi/palvelut/syo-ja-juo/

Age of the artistic representations:

From 5000 BC to the ~1500 BC

General description of the destination:

Saraakallio is probably the largest rock painting in Fennoscandia and about 200 patterns or fragments have been identified. The number of patterns is likely to be even larger. The main attraction to the site is the stone age mental landscape, which the prehistoric painted motifs and shapes will manifestate. The rock paintings of Saraakallio are direct link to the thoughs and intangible cultures of the prehistoric people. They manifest religion, myths, habits, manners, and practice of the stone age cultures. One can easily see animals (mostly elks), humans and even handprints. There is even a scene of worship among the painted images. When these painted images are combined to the natural landscape, one can experience the touch of prehistory.

History of the site:

The amount of pictures is between 50–200, and therefore it is the biggest rock art area in Finland. The main examinations of Saraakallio are made by amateur archaeologist Pekka Kivikäs. Oldest paintings are circa 6600 years old. The most common themes in Saraakallio paintings are deer, human, and boat figures.

Museographic resources description:

The Museum of Central Finland is a regional museum of Central Finland together with the Jyväskylä Art Museum. The Museum of Central Finland is responsible for research, protection and management of the cultural environment in Central Finland. Most of the authority’s matters related to the province’s cultural environment are handled by the Museum of Central Finland. (https://www.jyvaskyla.fi/en/museum-central-finland )