GP 85 Fole Vatlings

Context and Discovery ⓘ
The picture stone was mentioned by P. A. Säve in his Berättelser (1863 p. 213; 1864 p. 33). In 1941, Sune Lindqvist (1941/42 II, p. 44) described the situation as follows: “Still standing as during Säve’s days, strongly inclined backwards, at the eastern edge of Vatlings Storäng, about 300 m east of the medieval stone building [which dates to around 1250, see Andrén 2011, pp. 47–48] on this plot of land. The obverse is facing northeast.” The stone stands still in situ, about 400 m east of the farmstead, on a cultivated height in the middle of an agricultural field. The spot is called ʻVatlings Storängʼ. Until 1932 the whole field had been a meadow, which was cultivated and became farmland, except for the (100 x 10–30 m) part of it which contained the picture stone (RAÄ Fole 3:1) as well as remains of an old road (RAÄ Fole 3:2), since it was regarded too difficult to remove.

In 1929, the stone was recorded in an inventory of ancient monuments in Fole parish (ATA fornlämningar inventering 1927) and described by Ture Carlsson as strongly inclined backwards – about 45º as can be seen on an attached photo (ATA dnr 2348-1929). According to Carlsson, the picture stone threatened to fall. Carlsson also mentioned that the stone was erected next to an old road, standing just south of it, its obverse facing the road. Remains of the road, which apparently led from Vatlings to Lillfole in the south-east, were visible over a distance of 50 m, circa 3 m wide and paved with stones.

In 1989, the road, which can also be seen on maps from 1698 and 1823, has been partly excavated by Karl-Gustav Måhl (ATA dnr 01438-1991; Måhl 1989). After clearing the vegetation, Måhl investigated the whole construction of the road (road surface of gravel, stone foundation of bigger stones, and the kerb of the road consisting of big granite boulders) and its relation and connection to the picture stone by digging two trenches. The excavation revealed that the picture stone stood directly next to the road and that the stones of the road construction formed the northern part of the slab’s foundation, which indicates that the stone must have been erected at a time when the road already existed. After the excavation, the picture stone was set upright again.

More late-type picture stones are situated next or near to a road, standing on their original location: GP 89 Fröjel Stenstu, GP 8–9 Alskog Visnar Ängar 1–2, GP 61–62 Buttle Änge I–II. Two (initially three) picture stones are standing 1.5 km northeast of Bro church on a field,about 200 m south of the road between Visby and Tingstäde, widely visible (GP 38–40 Bro Stenstu I–III). The actual age of those roads, however, remains uncertain in most cases.
GP0089
GP0008
GP0009
GP0061
GP0062
GP0038
GP0039
GP0040

Measurements, Material and Condition ⓘ
Lindqvist’s (1941/42 II, p. 44) brief description reads as follows: “Limestone slab, 30 cm thick, with hewn narrow sides. The obverse is reasonably even, the reverse unworked. The stone stands to a height of 1.7 m above ground. Width of the head 95 cm, of the neck 85 cm, of the base 102 cm.” During the excavation in 1989, the entire monument could be measured, including the root. The picture stone’s total height is 2.62 m, of which circa 100 cm belong to the root. The maximum width at the base is 1.19 m, and the average thickness 25 cm, however, rapidly thinning towards the end of the root.

In 2009, the picture stone at Vatlings Storänge was inspected by a team of stone conservators and conservation measures were taken (GF, Buttle sn Allmänt, ʻKonserveringsrapport avseende fem bildstenar, Gotland 2009ʼ). The height was densely vegetated and the stone badly accessible. Bushes and shrubs right next to the picture stone were cut in order to reach the monument. At the narrow sides, deep cracks and loss of material due to spalling was observed. The stone’s backside had been damaged by spalling as well. The conservator warned that winter frost threatened to cause even more spalling. Damaged areas on all sides of the monument were fixed with calcareous mortar, and the entire stone was cleaned.

Description of Ornament and Images ⓘ
No traces of carvings visible.

Interpretation of the Imagery ⓘ
No interpretation.

Type and Dating ⓘ
Mushroom-shaped late-type picture stone, belonging to ʻAbschnittʼ C–E according to Lindqvist. Those monuments can be roughly dated to the period between the 8th century and around AD 1100. The stone’s outline is not easy to determine; as a result, it remains impossible to compare with other types and sub-groups. Initially, the picture stone’s head had certainly been semi-circular with pronounced corners; however, it appears a bit shapeless today. The neck is not clearly separated, and the body widens only slightly towards the base.

References ⓘ
Lindqvist 1941/42 II, pp. 44, fig. 347; Måhl 1989; Oehrl 2019a, pp. 35, 391.

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