Rock Art Bridge (КА430)
Funded by Karelia ENPI 2007-2013

Objective of the project

The objective of the project was the development of the Rock Art Ring as the common cultural platform of stone annals heritage for promoting and strengthening cultural connections between northern people, and creating synergic ethnic-cultural resource.

Main activities

• Site improvements in Zalavruga petroglyphs area. • Creating design specifications and estimates for the major repairs of the “Besovy Sledky” pavilion. • Development of a virtual rock art museum. • Arrangement of two rock art travelling displays and a permanent rock art display. • Archeological excavations in Zalavruga area and carrying-out of some additional research on Finnish neolithic rupestrian drawings. • Photofixation of the monuments and aerial photography of the petroglyphs. • Development of study school programs on the rock art.

Achievements

The action raised interest among experts and scientists from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. Local people, tourists and officials expressed their interest and positive attitude to the action. The improved infrastructure secured the growth of visitor count even during the second summer season of the project from 12 000 up to 14 000 visitors. A tour package was developed and a private entrepreneur made a pilot tour. The Rock Art Festival was arranged also after the project ended, in summer 2015, by a group of volunteers from Moscow. Thus the main events developed and arranged by the project were placed in the Event Calendar and arranged in the rock art site. The data about rock art in Karelia and Finland were updated. Hossa paintings were pictured and the pictures have been processed with the special software enabling scientific research. Promotion of rock art, education and conservation through mass media, internet social networks, study tours, project events etc. influenced positively the rock art site.