I follow archeology closely. I find the common reference to “common sense” interpretations to be pretty off base.
There probably were queer Vikings, borders probably were diffuse, conquest was complicated and probably didn’t affect the lives of most people most of the time. The archeology of that is really clear.
I think academias job is to find accurate answers and that requires challenging “common sense”. If that means asking if there were queer Vikings seems like the type of consensus defying questions worth asking!
This person sounds like a revanchist, looking to go back to a past that no longer exists.
I don’t think so. When you look at the historical record. Work either in the modern or agricultural sense has only existed for at most 5% of human existence.
Sure but rock art is extremely extremely hard to interpret. The foremost world experts in it. Do not make such claims. Unless there was a mushroom literally found at the site how can a serious person make such a bold claim.
(Even if a mushroom or proof of its usage was found nearby. Rock art specialists have found that dating rock art by the surrounding context is not the correct technique. As newer methodology has found that the surrounding context can lead to dating thousands of years off. It’s best to date the art directly)
TL;DR you cannot attribute this rock art to mushrooms.
Rock art specialists will say that interpreting rock art is extremely hard and should be done with caution.
When even the foremost experts have been completely wrong when taking their interpretations of rock art to the indigenous peoples that had their meanings passed down.