GP 109 Gothem kyrka II

Context and Discovery
“Fragment, installed as bottom slab in a niche on the east side of the wall opening between choir and sacristy. The obverse is facing upwards and is partially hidden by the masonry. The hewn, whitewashed stone forming the lintel of the same niche possibly is another piece of the same picture stone. The stone was first observed by E. Lundmark” (Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 48). According to the 1977 inventory, a glass case was placed over the stone. In “Sveriges Kyrkor” (Roosval 1947, p. 101) it is said that faint remains of carvings are discernible on the plastered lintel stone as well; however, they have not been checked yet. More picture stones have been found in the ceiling of the stairway in the northern wall of the choir (GP 108 Gothem kyrka I [A]), in the floor of the sacristy (GP 110 Gothem kyrka III), and in the floor of the choir, just in front of the altar (GP 111 Gothem kyrka 4).

The choir and the sacristy are the oldest parts of the current building, erected in the early 13th century (Lagerlöf/Svahnström 1991, pp. 146–147; cf. Andrén 2011, pp. 184–186). They replaced an earlier Romanesque choir from the 12th century, parts of which have been found under the floor during a restoration in 1949/50 (Lagerlöf 1964).
GP 108 Gothem kyrka I
GP0110
GP0111

Measurements, Material and Condition
The limestone slab is 11 cm thick, its visible part measures about 60 x 70 cm. The obverse is relatively even but slightly pitted. The decoration is well preserved, executed in “finely carved lines and slightly chiseled grooves in the rhombic pattern of the sail” (Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 48).

Description of Ornament and Images
The only available documentation of the carvings so far was a drawing by Olof Sörling from about 1910 (Lindqvist 1941/42 II, fig. 357). “The imagery includes a sail with rhombic pattern on a mast that has stays on both sides, indistinct remains of sheet ropes and probably of one crewmember as well as inner parts of the left border” (ibid. p. 48).

The outlines of the rhombi are chiseled into the stone. The intersections of these grooves are marked with tiny, raised rhombi. This elaborate design can also be seen on, for instance, GP 5 Alskog Tjängvide I; GP 21 Ardre kyrka VIII; GP 162 Halla Broa IV. Two ropes are running obliquely across the sail, towards the upper part of the mast (stays). Another two sheets are running from both sides of the mast to the lower framing of the sail (middle sheet, cf. GP 90 Fröjel kyrka, GP 209 Klinte Hunninge I and others). Further sheets are discernable below the sail, probably held by a crewman who is not preserved. Only remains of one crew member could be detected in the lower left corner. The inner frame of the left border is preserved as well. Above the sail, there might have been a horizontal divider.
GP 5 Alskog Tjängvide I
GP 21 Ardre kyrka VIII
GP 162 Halla Broa IV
GP 90 Fröjel kyrka
GP0209

Interpretation of the Imagery
No interpretation

Type and Dating
Even though a mushroom-shape of the monument is not preserved, its carving technique and image motif clearly indicate a late-type picture stone, which means ʻAbschnittʼ C–E. Those monuments can be roughly dated to the period between the 8th century and around AD 1100. Lindqvist (1941/42 I, p. 44) assigns the stone from Gothem to ʻAbschnittʼ C, which he dates to around AD 700. Recent research, however, tends to date the Type C/D picture stones to between the 8th century (or rather around AD 800) and AD 1000. According to Varenius’ ship typology (1992, pp. 69–74 and appendix 2), the rigging of the ship depiction on the Gothem stone belongs to his group III (segelskepp med skot i hanfot), which he dates to the 9th or 10th centuries.

References
Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 48, fig. 357; Roosval 1947, p. 101.

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