GP 75 Endre skolan

Context and Discovery
In Per Arvid Säve’s Berättelser (1864, pp. 12–13), there is a drawing of a “[…] limestone slab, 6 ells and 16 inches high, lying north of Endre church, at the road, presumably originally intended to become a picture stone or another form of memorial”. Lindqvist (1941/42, p. 41) concludes: “The same stone probably is referred to in a transcript that Ture Carlsson had delivered to the National Antiquarian in 1930 and that is now in ATA. It covers certain parts of an anonymous collection of notes regarding antiquities in the parish of Endre that are now lost. Prior to the year 1875, when the foundation stone of the primary school was laid, the stone is supposed to have lain in the place now occupied by the school’s eastern gable, according to the transcript. This information triggered further, yet fruitless, investigations on-site. To avoid it being damaged during the construction of the school, the stone is said to have been transferred to the junction between the roads Visby-Dalhem and Visby-Barlingbo, namely to the eastern slope of a gravel pit, which later was refilled with material brought from elsewhere. This hampered the search for the stone to a great extent.”

All available information about the history of the stone (including a map) and the fruitless search for it are gathered and well documented at ATA (dnr 2500/30, 4453/30, 3470/30, 0072/32). In the early 1930s, the National Antiquarian even offered a finder’s reward (50 SEK), without any success. According to locals interviewed in 1929, the stone was still buried in the gravel pit, where it probably remains up to the present day. During planting work conducted sometime shortly before 1929, local inhabitants hit a 0.25 m thick limestone slab of at least 2.00 m length just beneath the surface. Instead of digging out and investigating the slab, the workers just refilled the pit and buried the stone again.

The place described by Säve, where the stone was recorded for the first time in 1864, probably lies about 30 m north of the church. The spot at the school, where the stone is said to have been lying (and used as children’s playground) until 1875, lies roughly 80 m east of the place described by Säve. The gravel pit is situated circa 40 m north of the school and circa 130 m north-east of the church.

Measurements, Material and Condition
According to Säve, the slab was made of limestone and “6 ells and 16 inches high”, which is about 4.00 m. As Säve’s drawing in Berättelser 1864, which has been reproduced in Lindqvist’s book (1941/42 II, fig. 340), only represents a simple sketch, no additional information about the giant picture stone’s condition can be given. Another drawing by Säve kept at Uppsala University Library offers no further details. The picture stone seems to be completely preserved, including the root. The lateral edges of the head and its corners, however, seem to be weathered, worn or broken off; the head appears almost circular.

Description of Ornament and Images
According to Säve’s drawing and description from 1864, there was no decoration or inscription discernable on the large stone slab at all. Therefore, Säve regarded the stone as unfinished.

Interpretation of the Imagery
No interpretation

Type and Dating
According to Säve’s drawing, which is only a simple sketch, the large monument’s typical mushroom shape was more or less preserved, clearly indicating a tall late-type picture stone, probably Type C/D. Those stones date to the 8th century (according to Lindqvist) or between around AD 800 and the 10th century. A tall type E stone is less probable since those stones are usually carved with deep and distinct inscriptions and rune stone ornament which do not disappear completely just by weathering.

References
Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 41, fig. 340.

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Plane	Position	Flip