GP 236 Linde Duckarve

Context and Discovery
Lindqvist notes: “Three sandstone slabs found in 1902 during the investigation of a stone setting with a diameter of 11–12 m by Oscar Almgren and O. V. Wennersten. Together with several similar pieces, these sandstone slabs formed the kerb at the foot of the stone setting” (1941/42 II, p. 97). Although there is mention of other similar pieces, there are only three documented stones, only two of which are currently accounted for, so it is unclear how many stones were originally found around the grave. During the investigation of the grave mound, many bones of cattle, some dog bones, and traces of charcoal were found. The finds from the grave mound are listed in SHM under the same inventory number (11743B) as the objects from two other graves – a stone cist close to the cairn with the kerbstones containing a human skeleton and some insignificant bronze and pottery fragments, and, also in the immediate vicinity, a small cairn (röse) containing burned and unburned human bones. According to the catalogue, these three graves were examined on the same occasion as the finds from Kälder in Linde parish listed under inventory number 11743A. It is not entirely clear where the three graves are to be located. In addition to the large and well known ʻRojrhagenʼ burial ground (RAÄ Linde 13:1), there are at least three other Iron Age burial sites on the land belonging to Duckarve farm (RAÄ Linde 10:1, 12:1, 8:1).

In a later article, Wennersten (1915, p. 1) states that a grave found in 1902 during an archaeological investigation conducted in Linde parish was closely surrounded by a foot chain of hewn sandstone, the stones of which “laid so close together that they formed a closed ring.” The grave was a presumed cenotaph since it contained only a limestone cist that “was filled with limestone chips” (ibid.). It is unclear if this is the same grave around which the Linde Duckarve stones were found since there seems to have been no previous mention of a stone cist. In any case, there is no dating for the grave around which the Linde Duckarve stones were found.
CJL/SO

Measurements, Material and Condition
The kerbstones were all made of sandstone and have a flat broad side. There are some areas of abrasion visible in the photographs of the stones, but no evidence of any carving or decoration. Lindqvist (1941/42 II, p. 97) describes the three stones as follows: “Piece ‘a’ is up to 16 cm thick. The obverse is smooth by nature, only one of the narrow sides is carefully hewn. The latter forms a slightly convex arc – with a height of 5 cm to a length of 168 cm – and has been levelled by means of an approximately 4 cm wide gouge that was used in the longitudinal direction in a manner that produced four parallel, but not clearly separated grooves. This narrow side is not limited towards the upper side (the maximum width of which is 35 cm) by a distinct chamfer as is usually the case. The stone’s short sides have been levelled at an acute angle towards the hewn side. Piece ‘b’ is a fragment of a stone slab, up to 18 cm thick, that had the same shape and manner of treatment as the one discussed above. The hewn side is preserved for a length of 75 cm and describes a 3.5 cm high arc. The slab’s maximum width is 39 cm. Only one of the original short sides has survived. It is levelled in an acute angle towards the convex side. Piece ‘c’ was not found again”.

It should be noted that the measurements in the handwritten excavation notes are slightly different from Lindqvist’s; a) 1.68 m in length, 40 cm wide, 15 cm thick; b) 77 cm in length, 40 cm wide, and 17 cm thick; c) 41 cm in length, 19 cm wide, the outside preserved to a thickness of 8 cm.

Lindqvist reproduces a photograph from 1937, in which the slabs a and b can be seen (II, fig. 454). These and two other pictures of these two stones dating to 1933, depicting their narrow sides, can be found in ATA (run- och bildstenssamling B3:53, 1714:16a, 1719:15a) as well as a photo from 1933 showing another, rather misshapen elongate slab without visible ornamentation (1719:14a). Apparently, this is the lost stone c.
CJL/SO

Description of Ornament and Images
With the exception of the groove pattern on the narrow side (see V), the slab is undecorated.
SO

Interpretation of the Imagery
No interpretation

Type and Dating
Lindqvist (1941/42 I, pp. 28, 31–33, 110) categorized Linde Duckarve as a kerbstone (Randstein) that is included within his first grouping of picture stones, ʻAbschnittʼ A, which date to circa AD 400–600 (see also Oehrl 2019a, pp. 8–10). The Linde Duckarve stones are included within Lindqvist’s group 8 kerbstones that are described as having no decoration on the broad side and simpler edge trimming. According to Lindqvist (1933, pp. 105, 107; 1941/1942 I, pp. 21, 31–33), the kerbstones and erected Type A picture stones were possibly connected and could have created a singular monument with the erected picture stones placed within the grave mound encircled by an edge chain of carved kerbstones. However, no evidence has been found to confirm that any of the erected Type A picture stones were placed within a grave mound (Larkin 2023a, p. 50).

While the Linde Duckarve stones are clearly kerbstones, their dating within ‘Abschnitt’ A and inclusion as picture stones is less clear. There is no dating for the grave around which the kerbstones were found, and the stones are not hewn to the same finished state as the other kerbstones included within the Gotlandic picture stone tradition. Erik Nylén makes reference to the Linde Duckarve stones in the text of Bildstenar as being from the fourth century AD, however, he does not justify this dating (Lamm/Nylén 2003, p.10). This dating may be related to the article written by O. V. Wennersten (1915, p.1) in which he seems to make a correlation between the Linde Duckarve stones and kerbstones from a Roman Iron Age grave in Vänge, Bjärges (Bjerges). The Vänge Bjärges stones were included within Lindqvist’s (1941/42 II, p. 139) catalogue, however, since their location is unknown, there are no images of these stones, and they were described as “uncut limestone” they are not included in this edition (Wennersten 1915, p.1). Additionally, even though the Linde Duckarve stones are mentioned in Lamm and Nylén’s book, they were not included in Jan Peder Lamm’s list of picture stones in the same edition (Lamm/Nylén 2003, p.10). Considering the lack of dating for the Linde Duckarve stones and the unfinished state of their hewing, it is difficult to consider them part of the picture stone tradition.
CJL/SO

References
Wennersten 1915, p. 1; Lindqvist 1941/42 I, pp. 28, 33; II, p. 97, fig. 454; Lamm/Nylén 2003, p. 10.

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