The Lovers tee

Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present our new Tanum-themed tee. With a motif from one of Tanum's most famous rock carvings, the t-shirt features "The Lovers", also known as the Holy Bride and Groom or the Bridal Couple. The motif shows a man and a woman kissing in a loving embrace. The petroglyph is part of the Vitlycke panel, which contains approximately 500 different images dating from all parts of the period when rock carvings were made in Bohuslän, from 1700 B.C. to 300 B.C. 

The Tanum rock carvings, or petroglyphs, consist of around 600 panels and are located in the southwest of Sweden. They depict scenes from daily life, human interaction, hunting, animals, love, magic, travel and power.

Left photo: Horns of Odin's Daniel Farrand on an inspirational trip to Tanum in 2022.

In Tanum, The Lovers are accompanied by another man with a raised axe to the left of the pair. The Vitlycke Museum speculates that perhaps this is a picture of a prehistoric ritual wedding that perhaps took place every year to bring good harvests and healthy livestock. The man with the axe on the left could then be a leader of the ritual who conducts the ceremony and blesses the couple with his axe.

Underneath The Lovers on the tee is the runic inscription Ást min, kyss mik (my darling, kiss me).

These runes are part of the Bryggen inscriptions containing around 670 medieval runic inscriptions. Carved on wood and bone and found around the Bryggen area in Bergen, Norway, they are one of the most important runic finds in the twentieth century, proving that runes were used for everyday scribbles, not just names and solemn phrases. In addition, it showed that runes were used as recently as the 14th century. Previously it was believed that the use of runes in Norway had died out long before. 

Ást min, kyss mik was found carved on a wooden stick.

Our Lover tees are ethically made using 100% organic cotton and have a unisex fit, looking equally awesome on everyone. 

The "The Lovers" motif is also available on our "The Lovers" Drinking Horn!

Sizes (Chest)

• XS - 46 cm - 18"
• Small - 49 cm -19"
• Medium - 52 cm - 20.5"
• Large - 55 cm - 21.5"
• XL - 58cm - 23"
• XXL - 61cm - 24"
• 3XL - 64cm - 25"
• 4XL - 69 - 27"

All measurements are in half chest. 

Any customs fees that may occur with items sent to Europe are payable by the customer.