GP 395 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XVII

Context and Discovery
The cemetery of Lillbjärs (or Lilla Bjärs, sometimes just Bjärs, also as Bjers), in Stenkyrka parish is one of the largest and most important grave fields on Gotland (RAÄ Stenkyrka 26:1; Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 118; Thunmark-Nylén 1995–2006 III:2, p. 627). It includes more than 1000 visible stone settings (rösen and other circular or almost circular stone mounds), as well as a ship-shaped stone setting from the Bronze Age (5 x 2.25 m), and a monumental (17 m in diameter) grave mound called ʻÄuglehaugʼ (or ʻUgglehaugʼ), which probably dates to the Migration Period. An old path of about 550 m leads through the entire area in an east-west direction. Many of the graves were robbed; only a small number have been excavated, including about a dozen dating to the Viking Period. Remarkable features of the stone mounds are a surrounding dry-stone wall consisting of several layers of limestone slabs, as well as the frequent occurrence of grave orbs (large spherical stones) (gravklot), erected stone slabs, and picture stones in the immediate context of the (Vendel or Viking Period) graves (ibid. pp. 582–583). Lindqvist published nineteen picture stones from this grave field – GP 369–373, 377–381, 388–396, 429–431, 440 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs I–XIX.

“In November 1908, O. V. Wennersten reported in a letter to the National Antiquarian that a local, Emil Svensson in Tune, had discovered three picture stones on the ground belonging to Lillbjärs and taken custody of them. […] On this occasion, the antiquarian Emil Eckhoff visited the find place during the following summer and sent the stones to SHM [Stenkyrka Lillbjärs I–VI] as well as three fragments of another slab, which, however, did not clearly represent a picture stone. He also collected numerous grave orbs (gravklot) […]. In 1911, [Fredrik Nordin] visited the site and was given more information by Svensson about the find place and the circumstances of the discovery of the stones […]. When [Fredrik Nordin] returned in 1913 to conduct excavations, Svensson in the meantime had moved away, and unfortunately, it turned out to be impossible to locate all the find places described by him” (ibid.). Nordin excavated a number of stone settings in 1913 as well as during the following summer and discovered eight more picture stones in situ (Stenkyrka Lillbjärs VII–XIV). Between 1910 and 1912, three more picture stones were reported to Gotlands Museum (Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XV–XVIII). Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XIX was found later, in 1927.

Most of the picture stones from Stenkyrka church presumably came from the Lillbjärs necropolis as well. Nevertheless, the stock of picture stones from this site can by no means have been recorded completely, and there is good reason to believe that this grave field in the future will provide even more discoveries (cf. Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 118).

The stones XV–XVIII were discovered by the worker Emil Svensson and delivered to Gotlands Museum by Fredrik Nordin in 1911 or 1913 respectively. About these stones, according to Lindqvist (1941/42 II, p. 121), “[...] only little of importance could be found out”.
GP 369 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs IV
GP 370 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs VII
GP 371 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs IX
GP 372 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XIII
GP 373 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XIX
GP 377 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs VIa
GP 378 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs VIb
GP 379 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs VIc
GP 380 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs VId
GP 381 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs VIe
GP 388 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs I
GP 389 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs II
GP 390 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs III
GP 391 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs V
GP 392 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs VIII
GP 393 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XIV
GP 394 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XV
GP 396 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XVIII
GP 429 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XVI
GP 430 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XI
GP 431 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XII
GP 440 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs X

Measurements, Material and Condition
The fragment represents a piece of the lower part of a late-type picture stone, including its lower right corner and the lower part of the right edge. The root is broken off. “Limestone slab, up to 7 cm thick. The obverse is unworked, but at least reasonably even. The preserved piece of the lower part of the right narrow side is hewn at right angles towards the obverse. The reverse is rough and unworked. The surviving fragment is up to 56 cm wide and 58 cm high” (Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 127). The surface is weathered but the carvings are still relatively easily discernible.

There are some similarities between Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XVII and GP 371 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs IX, in particular, regarding the border pattern (see VI), wherefore Lindqvist considered (1941/42 II, p. 125) “[…] that both stones were executed by the same person. Considering the circumstances of the discoveries, the possibility may even be considered that the two stones originally were part of the same monument.” According to Lindqvist, it turned out, however, that a cast made of Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XVII in Gotlands Fornsal did not match the fragment GP 371 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs IX which is kept in SHM. “Therefore, I rather tend towards the opinion that No. IX never had a decorated field that was larger than that preserved today and therefore cannot have constituted the upper part of No. XVII. "
GP 371 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs IX

Description of Ornament and Images
Lindqvist provides only one picture of the fragment, a photo of the painted stone, which was taken by H. Faith-Ell in 1937 (1941/42 I, fig. 107; ATA B3:91a). He describes the traced depictions briefly as follows (ibid. II, p. 127): “The stone is decorated partly with finely carved lines, partly with slightly chiseled background fields. Despite considerable weathering that damaged the stone, chisel marks still are particularly clear between the waves and in the framing border. In the latter, [an interlace pattern which forms a row of s-shaped elements] can be seen; in the field there is a watercraft with four identifiable crewmen. As usual, a row of waves, breaking to the right, was depicted below the vessel. The row of waves in the lower edge of the ship’s hull […] probably also was carved and hardly can be interpreted as the result of natural irregularities.” The ship’s rectangular sail features a rhombic pattern with alternately raised and sunken fields, and crewmen are depicted with round shields and detailed faces. One of them seems to wear a spear or sword on his shoulder. The stem is slightly upward-curling. Above the sail, the bottom part of the upper image panel appears to be preserved.

Two more interpretations of the carvings are kept in ATA’s Run- och bildstenssamling, a photo taken by Faith-Ell in 1933 showing a differing paint version (1751:18a), and a drawing by Olof Sörling. On the 1933 photo the entire crew and also the additional row of waves on the ship’s hull are missing. These details have also not been considered by Sörling. Furthermore, the drawing does only depict a few remains of the sail’s pattern, while the stem appears to end in an animal head.

Interpretation of the Imagery
No interpretation

Type and Dating
Originally mushroom-shaped late-type ʻdwarf stoneʼ, obviously Type C/D according to Lindqvist’s typology. Lindqvist (1941/42 I, p. 44) assigns Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XVII to his ʻAbschnittʼ C which he dates to around AD 700. Current research, however, tends to date the Type C/D monuments roughly to between the 8th century (or rather around AD 800) and the 10th century. According to Vareniusʼ (1992, appendix 2) typology, the ship, which features a simple rectangular sail without depicted rigging, belongs to group II (Skepp med enkel rigg), dating to the 7th to 9th century. Lisbeth Imer (2004, p. 104) dates the stone after AD 750.

References
Lindqvist 1941/42 I, fig. 107; II, pp. 121, 125, 127; Helmbrecht 2011, p. 485 cat. no. 836.

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