Rock paintings made with red ochre on a smooth,slightly oblique surface of the rock on an area 15,5 metres wide and 4 metres high,comprising about 70 different figures of moose, people, boats, etc.
The Astuvansalmi rock paintings(Unesco heritage) are located on a steeply rising face of bedrock on the shore of Lake Yovesi.An island called Astuva is located opposite the painted rock face on the other side of a strait at a distance of approximately 150 metres. The rock paintings are in lake setting of barren beauty with wooded outcrops of bedrock along the shores that have preserved their wilderness character almost intact.The paintings were made on a special outcrop of bedrock resembling a human head. At present, the rock face is roughly 30 metres above the surface of the lake.
At present, over 90 rock painting sites are known from Finland.Of these, the Astuvansalmi paintings are the largest and most diverse entity. They are also the largest ensemble of painted rock.art in Scandinavia.
