I realize most people would not consider this photo (taken on the island of Svinøya) “artistic.” It’s not pretty, and in fact, some may find it a bit disturbing. But I think it’s cool and effective, and so here it is. Besides, these fish heads are an important part of Lofoten’s—and Norway’s—economy. Throughout the islands of Lofoten, one finds enormous “A-framed” outdoor wooden drying racks, on which hundreds of headless “stockfish” (usually cod) are hung to dry. One also finds hanging racks for the heads, which I can only guess are used for bait.

In many southern European countries, such Italy, Portugal and Spain, stockfish has long been a popular food item (in these places, it is known as “Bacalao”). And for centuries, Norwegian merchants have been exporting dried fish to these countries in trade for items such as wheat and wine. Stockfish also is used to make the peculiar Scandinavian dish, lutefisk, which I find about as appetizing as the fish in this photo. In any case, the drying and exporting of stockfish—which results in lots of hanging fish heads—has been a cornerstone of Norway’s economy for ages.