Tolvkjørkhellar

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• Tollkohedlar, Tolvkjørhellar, Tollkohedler, Tolvkjørkshellar

Etymology

The last part is heller (“cave”). According to a local legend, the cave was used as a church or chapel in Medieval times, although it is not confirmed by archeologists. According to Faye’s version, the first part is from tolv +‎ kyr, because the price paid to a priest for the official consecration of the cave was 12 cows. According to Dietrichson’s version, the first part is from Tollev +‎ kyrkje, named after a local saint, Tollev (Tollef Salemann of Tessungdal), from Old Norse Þorleifr.

In Riksmål and Bokmål texts known as Tolvkohellen, Tollkohelleren, Tolffkiørs-Heller, Tolvkuhelleren and Tolvkjørhellen.

Proper noun

Tolvkjørkhellar m (definite Tolvkjørkhellaren)

1. A cave in Sirdal, Agder, Norway, used as a resting place by local shepherds. Since 1970 covered by waters of a reservoir

Related terms

• Tolvkjørktjødn or Tolvkotjørn (a small lake south of the cave)
• Tollkoskartjødne (a small lake east of the cave)
• Tolvkjørkskaret

References

• Tolvkohellen on the Norwegian Wikisource.Wikisource ^no
• Torfinn Normann Hageland (1998). Murar og hellerar i heiane. Drifteheiane i Rogaland og på Agder. Kristiansand: Fylkeskonservatoren i Vest-Agder.
• Kulturminnesøk
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