GP 232 Levide Backänget

Context and Discovery
The fragment was discovered during an archaeological investigation in the wooded meadow ʻBackängetʼ in Levide parish, which took place in April/June 1986 (Gerdin 1986). The two adjacent wooded meadows ʻBackängetʼ and ʻSolsängetʼ (the latter situated in Sproge parish), both belonging to the farm ʻPejnarve gårdʼ, feature numerous archaeological remains. Most notable is a group of house foundations, stone enclosures (vaster or stensträngar), mounds of burnt stones (skärvstenshögar), burials, and an earth wall. The 210 m long and very low wall (RAÄ Levide 151), which was partly excavated in 1986, runs from the eastern edge of Solsänget through the meadow Backänget until it reaches the grave field in the most western part of the meadow. Sample material from the wall was dated by the 14C method to BC 1370±70 and 1305±110 (uncalibrated). A 200 m long stone enclosure runs parallel to the earth wall. Immediately next to this enclosure (RAÄ Levide 48:1), the excavators noticed the small picture stone fragment. It had possibly been re-used as filling material in the enclosure. As there is a grave field in the most western area of the meadow (RAÄ Levide 2:1), which is directly connected with the stone enclosure, the fragment could have been taken from a sepulchral context. However, the dating of the burials (some of them seem to be Pre-Roman Iron Age) and also the chronology of the entire complex is unclear (Gerdin 1986, p. 234).

Measurements, Material and Condition
The small sandstone fragment is only 0.12 m high and 0.15 m wide. It represents the uppermost left part of a pre-Viking Age picture stone and preserves the monument’s typical (left) top corner as well as a small part of its slightly convex top edge. The right side and the bottom side of the more-or-less rectangular fragment are broken. The sandy surface bears some scratches and thin cracks.

Description of Ornament and Images
A single groove is running along the slightly convex top edge of the stone, representing a coarse border decoration and the only remaining carving on the monument.

Interpretation of the Imagery
No interpretation

Type and Dating
The monument must have been very small, with a maximum width at the top of approx. 0.35 m and a height of significantly less than 1.00 m. Thus, it can clearly be labelled as dwarf stone. Basically, the fragment could represent a small Type A stone or a Type B stone. The material is remarkable. There are only slightly more than 20 picture stones known so far which are made of sandstone, most of them Type E stones and only a few Type C stones. At least two Type A stones (GP 115 Grötlingbo Barshaldershed 1 and GP 324 Unknown Find Spot, perhaps also GP 116 Grötlingbo Barshaldershed 2) and some kerbstones (GP 236 Linde Duckarve) are made of sandstone as well. Type B stones made of sandstone are not registered so far. However, the corner of the Backänget stone is more pronounced than usual in Lindqvist’s ʻAbschnitt Aʼ. Furthermore, the convexity of the stone’s top seems a bit too strong for a Type A stone. Therefore, the fragment probably represents a Type B stone with convex head and corners protruding at right angles to the stone’s body, dating to between AD 500 and 700.

The most primitive border decoration at the top is without comparison in ʻAbschnitt Bʼ and may prompt the idea that the fragment represents a semi-finished product.
GP 115 Grötlingbo Barshaldershed 1
GP0324
GP 116 Grötlingbo Uddvide
GP 236 Linde Duckarve

References
Gerdin 1986b, p. 234, bild 3–4.

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