Just over three years ago I was hiking in the hilliest areas of Solleröskogen.
An acquaintance would like to show me a “sovol.” It is located on the mountainside with a view of the miles of forests. The attraction in the “Sovolet” is a wood carving in an old tree trunk. (see picture) Here the herders rested with the animals. During the rest period (hence the name “Sovol”) the trees were marked with personal inscriptions.
Yesterday (25/7) I sat in the audience when the Society of Karl Lärka's Friends arranged a lecture on "Fäbodristningar i Dalarna." Professor Stig Welinder, Department of Humanities at Mid Sweden University, lectured on the phenomenon of carvings found in: blocks and slabs trees log house walls objects from fäbodristningar
Dalarna has the most carvings in the kingdom. Most wood carvings are found in Ore parish, while Transtrand parish is at the top for stone carvings. Grangärde also has many.
The map of Sollerö parish is empty!
It is pointed out that there are mountain hut carvings in Solleröskogen, why aren't they included?
The answer is that we Sollerö residents simply have not reported/registered mountain hut carvings with the County Administrative Board and Dalarnas Museum.
The carvings show men, women, animals, as well as names, years, and certain words. Often associated with a relationship between a man and a woman. It is also possible to interpret which names appear most often.
Some signs resemble old home marks, which are older than the mountain hut carvings.
Feel free to call the carvings - from the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century - the graffiti of the time. Finally: there are probably many carvings waiting to be discovered in Solleröskogen.
Thank you Karl Lärka's Friends for a different and interesting evening.
The Dalarnas Museum in Falun has everything worth knowing about mountain hut carvings.
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