Type: Limited edition prints
Size: 48cm x 33cm
Tirage: 50 copies
A pencil drawing of the Sverd i fjell (English: Swords in Rock) a commemorative monument located in the Hafrsfjord neighborhood of Madla, a borough of the city of Stavanger, Norway.
The monument was created by sculptor Fritz Røed from Bryne and was unveiled by King Olav V of Norway in 1983.
The monument is, of course, a monument to the unification of Norway which commemorates the historic Battle of Hafrsfjord which by tradition took place there in the year 872, when King Harald I Hårfarge gathered all of Norway under one crown.
The three huge 10-meter-high bronze swords represent the three areas of Norway that Hårfarge unified under a single crown. They also represent the three Kings that, according to legend, took part in the battle: Hårfarge, Kjøtve the Rich (King of Agder), and Sulke (King of Rogaland).
The three swords are all slightly different in width, with the two slightly smaller ones symbolizing the defeated kings whilst the larger one represents both Norway (as a kingdom) and Hårfarge as the sole victor. The larger sword also has a Royal insignia on its handle, symbolizing the rule of Harald Hårfarge. The hilts of the Viking swords are taken from swords found in different parts of the country.
Aside from the historical commemoration, the monument also has a deeper underlying symbolism. The three swords are very much planted firmly in the ground as Røed intended the monument to also be a monument to peace. The swords, quite literally, can never be used again in war or battle.
