The rock carvings at Lille Strandbygård on southern Bornholm are a significant Bronze Age monument discovered in 1878. The site consists of 11 wheel crosses and approximately 50 cup marks engraved on a rock outcrop and a nearby stone, reflecting a rich settlement during the Bronze Age (1700–500 BCE). The area is complemented by Bronze Age burial mounds and Iron Age house foundations nearby. It is the largest rock carving site in the area and is believed to have held great religious significance.

Site Details
Location: Near the southern coast, between Rønne and Snogebæk on Bornholm.
Iron Age settlements: Small excavations have revealed house structures from the Iron Age close to the rock carving site.
Burial mounds: The area contains numerous Bronze Age burial mounds, though many were removed during the 1800s.
Motifs: The rock displays 11 large wheel crosses, including one with a double ring and horn-like projections. There are also about 50 cup marks, four of which form a cross-like pattern.
Discovery & Protection: Discovered in 1878 and protected in 1891. The carvings, together with the high concentration of mounds and rock outcrops, indicate a densely populated and culturally rich area during the Bronze Age. Other carvings and burial mounds in the area have since been removed.
Significance: The carvings are associated with Bronze Age cult practices and the sun’s role in religion, suggesting the area had dense settlement during this period.
Cup Stone: A separate sandstone block near the main site, discovered in 1997, is covered with up to 90 cup marks.

Historical Context
At Lille Strandbygård, a large stone emerges from the ground. During the Bronze Age, people carved 13 circular symbols and numerous small depressions, known as cup marks. Cup marks are found at hundreds of sites on Bornholm and are believed to have magical or ritual significance, though their exact meaning remains unknown. The circular symbols often take the form of wheel crosses, known from rock carvings across Denmark and southern Sweden. Similar motifs are also found on Bronze Age artifacts. The wheels on the famous sun chariot are shaped like wheel crosses.

 
The Sun in Bronze Age Belief
The sun chariot provides insight into Bronze Age religious beliefs. The sun played a central role, and rock carvings were another expression of this devotion. While the carvings themselves can be difficult to interpret, comparisons with Bronze Age artifacts suggest certain mythological themes. During its daily journey across the sky, the sun was assisted by various figures. Only at midday was it drawn by a horse; for the rest of the time, it traveled by boat, accompanied by a fish, a bird, and a serpent. The wheel crosses may symbolize the sun itself or the sun’s movement through the day and the year.

You can read more about the history of investigations on this website:

https://trap.lex.dk/Helleristning/billedsten,_Lille_Strandbygaard

Directions: (Parking available on site)

https://maps.app.goo.gl/MRU4P4WoAMreckS98

Source:

https://historiskatlas.dk/@55.0685194,14.8364053,14z?th!1001