Near the village of Leikong on the eastern coast of Gurskøya lies the Roskarristinga, the only known rock carving in all of Sunnmøre.
The main figure is a boat with split stems, carved into a slab of soft olivine rock. Alongside it are cup marks, a curved line, and the outline of a second boat. The carvings date from the Early Iron Age, roughly around the time of Christ, and belong to a tradition of Scandinavian agricultural rock art where boats, cup marks and circles were common motifs. The site sits along what was once the main travel route across the island from east to west, through the pass called Roskaret.
The olivine weathers easily, which makes it remarkable that anything survives at all. The overhanging rock face has probably sheltered the carvings from the worst of the weather for two thousand years. Be aware that the soft stone has tempted people over the centuries to carve their own names into the rock. It is now illegal to do so. There are good information boards at the site.
To get there, turn off county road 61 near Leikong church towards Voldnes, follow the road about 7 kilometres to the car park near the farm Rødskar.
The main figure is a boat with split stems, carved into a slab of soft olivine rock. Alongside it are cup marks, a curved line, and the outline of a second boat. The carvings date from the Early Iron Age, roughly around the time of Christ, and belong to a tradition of Scandinavian agricultural rock art where boats, cup marks and circles were common motifs. The site sits along what was once the main travel route across the island from east to west, through the pass called Roskaret.
The olivine weathers easily, which makes it remarkable that anything survives at all. The overhanging rock face has probably sheltered the carvings from the worst of the weather for two thousand years. Be aware that the soft stone has tempted people over the centuries to carve their own names into the rock. It is now illegal to do so. There are good information boards at the site.
To get there, turn off county road 61 near Leikong church towards Voldnes, follow the road about 7 kilometres to the car park near the farm Rødskar.