GP 98 Garda kyrka II

Context and Discovery
The two picture stone fragments GP 97 Garda kyrka I and Garda kyrka II, which appear to originate from one and the same monument, are incorporated into the wall of Garda (today also ʻGardeʼ) church’s bell tower (Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 46; Svahnström 1972, p. 332). The stones form the lintels for the lowest sound hatches on the south and west sides of the tower, respectively. Both stones are integrated in the wall at equal height, with their decorated sides facing downwards. The fragments were first recognised in the church and reported to Gotlands Museum by E. Lundmark in 1914 (ATA Go Garde sn: Kyrkan –1949). The only available photos of the stones and their difficult location were taken by E. Edle in 1919 (ATA Run- och bildstenssamling).

Four more picture stone fragments, GP 99–102 Garda kyrka 3–6, were discovered under the floor of the nave by Gustav Trotzig during archaeological excavations in 1968 (Trotzig 1970). A further picture stone, GP 95 Garda kyrka 7, was found by B. Böttger-Niedenzu in 1984, incorporated into the 14th century lychgate. Garda church is regarded as one of the oldest churches of Gotland (Lagerlöf 1972; Lagerlöf/Svahnström 1991, pp. 142–144; Andrén 2011, pp. 199–201). As early as around AD 1100, there was a wooden church at the same place. This Viking Age church has been replaced by an early Romanesque building by the middle of the 12th century, the nave and the lower part of the tower of which are still preserved. In the middle of the 13th century, the tower was built up to its present height; in the first half of the 14th century, the Romanesque choir and apse were demolished and replaced by the current large Gothic choir. Among the church’s most remarkable features are the Russo-Byzantine wall paintings on the tower arch and in the nave.
GP 97 Garda kyrka I
GP 99 Garda kyrka 3
GP0100
GP0101
GP0102
GP 95 Garda kyrka 7

Measurements, Material and Condition
The limestone slab is 14 cm thick; its obverse is relatively flat. As the stone is incorporated into the masonry, no observations can be made regarding the narrow sides and the reverse. The currently visible part of the fragment is circa 1.30 x 0.70 m. The well-preserved decoration is executed by the chiseling of the background fields, which are about 1–2 mm deep (Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 46). The relief is remarkably sharp and clear. The deeper parts of the carvings, in particular the contour lines of the depicted animals, are dark, almost black, which appears to indicate secondary paint or bacterial impact. As both fragments, GP 97 Garda kyrka I and Garda kyrka II, are quite similar regarding the nature of the material, colour, and preservation, Lindqvist (ibid.) regards them as originating from one and the same picture stone.
GP 97 Garda kyrka I

Description of Ornament and Images
Lindqvist reproduces a drawing made by Olof Sörling (1941/42 II, fig. 352); photos taken by E. Edle in 1919 with the carvings traced with white chalk by F. Nordin are kept in ATA. The visible part of the slab shows, according to Sörling’s drawing, two antithetic elks, which have a figure-eight-shaped loop – maybe a snake? (Nordland 1949, p. 120; Hartner 1969, p. 66–67; Heizmann/Steuer 1999, p. 601) – between their mouths, presumably eating it (see VI). Of the left animal only the forepart is visible, the figure on the right-hand side is completely preserved. Both elks are facing each other and crossing their forelegs. The animals are identifiable as elks (Alces alces) due to the clearly depicted dewlap (also called ʻbellʼ). Garda kyrka II is the only Gotlandic picture stone that features this specific characteristic and thus clearly depicts elks and not red deer. In the lower right corner of the fragment, a strange spiked, almost comb-like but undefinable object can be seen.

On a few Type B ʻdwarf stonesʼ representations of deer (less probable, elks) connected with serpents can be seen – GP 74 Endre skog depicts a red deer over which an intertwined snake is positioned. GP 551 Väskinde Butter depicts a red deer stag eating a serpent. Probably a further deer, but without snakes, is shown on the Type B picture stone GP 215 Kräklingbo Smiss IV. There are, however, at least two more late-type picture stones with deer depictions to be mentioned as well – the ʻcist stonesʼ GP 28 Bara Nederbjärs II and GP 195 Hellvi Ire 6. The latter depicts two hunters with lance and sword who are fighting a big red deer stag.
GP 74 Endre skog
GP 551 Väskinde Butter
GP 215 Kräklingbo Smiss IV
GP 28 Bara Nederbjärs II
GP0195

Interpretation of the Imagery
The deer that is fighting and even eating a serpent represents a widespread motif in ancient and medieval Christian literary tradition and iconography. For the interpretation of the deer-and-serpent motif in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, in particular on Type B picture stones but also in Viking Period iconography, see GP 551 Väskinde Butter. For a hunting-related context see GP 195 Hellvi Ire 6.
GP 551 Väskinde Butter
GP0195

Type and Dating
Tall mushroom-shaped late-type picture stone, Type C/D according to Lindqvist’s typology. Lindqvist (1941/42 I, p. 50) himself assigns it to his ʻAbschnittʼ D, without giving any reasons. The monuments of ʻAbschnittʼ C are dated by Lindqvist to the time around AD 700, the small group of Type D stones, which, however, must be regarded as a subgroup of C rather than a separate Type, he dates to the middle or the second half of the 8th century. According to recent research, however, those Type C/D picture stones can only be roughly dated to between the 8th and the 10th centuries.

References
Lindqvist 1941/42 I, pp. 50, 89; II, p. 46, fig. 352; Nordland 1949, p. 120; Oxenstierna 1954, p. 330, fig. 6; Hartner 1969, p. 66–67; Svahnström 1972, p. 332, fig. 393; Heizmann/Steuer 1999, p. 601; Lamm/Nylén 2003, p. 44; Oehrl 2019, pp. 166–168, pl. 167e.

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