Author Archives: Per Storemyr

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About Per Storemyr

I work with the geoarchaeology of old stone: monuments, rock art, quarries. And I try to figure out about their weathering, and conservation using traditional crafts. I also burn lime the traditional way. For the joy of old stone!

A masterpiece of Epipalaeolithic geometric rock art from el-Hosh, Upper Egypt

The rock art at el-Hosh in Upper Egypt is renowned for its fish trap motifs dating to the Epipalaeolithic period (c. 9000-5000 BC). However, during the 2010 field season undertaken by the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels … Continue reading

Posted in Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, Rock art | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Alpine heritage impressions from a summer in Grisons (Graubünden, Switzerland)

Grisons – or in German Graubünden – is the largest canton in Switzerland, in the middle of the Alps, bordering Italy and Austria. It is renowned for its magnificent nature and countless medieval castle ruins. But Grisons has a truly … Continue reading

Posted in Archaeology, Old mines, Old quarries, Rock art, Ruins, Switzerland | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Good stone doesn’t change its location!

There have been few new posts on my blog recently. But there is a very good reason for this apparent laziness, since I’m now writing a book about stone. Or, to be more correct, a book about the cultural history … Continue reading

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Quarrying of soft stone through history

Quarrying of soft stone has been done with remarkably uniform methods over the last 5000 years. From Ancient Egypt to modern Norway – soft stone, like sandstone, limestone and soapstone, was nearly always taken from bedrock using chisels or picks. … Continue reading

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The Palaeolithic rock art in Wadi Abu Subeira, Egypt: Landscape, archaeology, threats and conservation

Since the publication of the threats to the Palaeolithic rock art in Wadi Abu Subeira three weeks ago, there has been much response through e-mail and social media, and the case has been covered by many online magazines and blogs. People in Egypt and elsewhere are concerned, and I wish to thank you all for your interest and for bringing the case along to friends and colleagues, as well as to administrators and politicians. There now seems to be a need for an “unbiased”, comprehensive overview of what is actually known about the landscape, the archaeology, the rock art, the threats, current conservation efforts and options for the future. The overview below is based on published literature, and information that otherwise belongs to the public sphere. It is written in close cooperation with Adel Kelany, and we have benefitted from input by Dirk Huyge. Continue reading

Posted in Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, Heritage destruction, Rock art | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Wadi Abu Subeira, Egypt: Palaeolithic rock art on the verge of destruction

In 2007 one of the most important recent archaeological discoveries in Egypt were made in Wadi (Chor) Abu Subeira near Aswan: A team led by Adel Kelany of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) found a stunning assemblage of petroglyphs dating to the Late Palaeolithic era (c. 15-20.000 years ago). But now this truly unique testimony of mankind’s early art is on the verge of destruction due to modern mining. Continue reading

Posted in Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, Heritage destruction, Rock art | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

For those who didn’t really get the Levallois technique

  I didn’t make this fine animation, it is the work of José-Manuel Benito Álvarez, check at Wikimedia Commons and at Wikipedia. But I did take the photo, before, I have to admit, I really got it. You see, I’m … Continue reading

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Mickey Mouse in rock art at Gharb Aswan (Egypt): Was he fond of sound?

Though Prehistoric rock art certainly had a meaning, its implications usually remain mysterious for us moderns. But sometimes the rock art conveys funny things to speculate on. What about big-eared Mickey Mouse at Gharb Aswan in Upper Egypt: Was he … Continue reading

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Nidarosdomens steinbrudd: Byggingen av Kristkirken (1070-1100)

Denne historien er en liten del av min bok “Nidarosdomens grunnfjell” (2015). Les mer om boken her. Tenk deg at du for nesten 1000 år siden er engelsk byggmester og har fått i oppdrag å reise en av Norges aller … Continue reading

Posted in Archaeology, Norway, Old quarries | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow – on a cold winter day 25 years ago

I’m getting thousands of my old slides scanned at the moment. Since I’m not doing it myself, I reckoned that the “post-production” and archiving would cost me a few hours’, perhaps a day’s work. I was utterly wrong.

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