GP 280 När Smiss I
mer grejer
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Parish Find Location ⓘNär
Find Location ⓘSouth-east of the farm, on a small hill. The find spot on the topographical map 1:100.000 is at the M in “Smitts”.
Find Context Classification ⓘOther
Coordinate Find Location (lat) ⓘ6350973
Coordinate Find Location (long) ⓘ720695
Present Location Classification ⓘHistoriska Museet
Coordinate Present Location (lat) ⓘ6581391
Coordinate Present Location (long) ⓘ675775
MaterialLimestone
Limestone Type ⓘcoarse reef debris limestone
Geological Group ⓘHemse Group (100%)
Height ⓘ125
Width ⓘ61
Thickness ⓘ15
Lindqvist Type C/D (ca. 700-1000)
Lindqvist Shape Tall stone
Runic Inscription or not ⓘNo
Context and Discovery ⓘAccording to a letter from Professor Gert Holm to Oscar Almgren on April 1, 1903, the stone lying flat was observed by a farmer while he was quarrying stone for a new building. Holm had been informed that a stone with peculiar carvings had been found and he arranged for the stone to be handed over to SHM in 1902.
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Measurements, Material and Condition ⓘHeight 1.25 m, width 0.61 m, thickness c. 0.15 m. Limestone. Preservation 100 %. The stone is mushroom-shaped with only slightly marked shoulders.
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Description of Ornament and Images ⓘThe upper register features a combatant scene with two warriors with shields and lifted swords. They seem to be dressed in wide trousers and garments with wide sleeves. Between them is an ornament that in shape is vaguely reminiscent of the triquetra symbol, although it cannot be made out in detail. To the right, behind the right warrior, there is a smaller human figure, with arms invisible. The upper register is separated from the lower register by a twisted cord.
Below, there is a ship with five helmeted figures and five shields on the gunwale. There is a rudder to the left, indicating that the ship moves to the right. The ship is riding on waves depicted as triangles. The border ornament is made up of figures of eights.
The stone offers an interesting case for the planning of layout of the motifs. The border ornament is created by repeating the figures of eight with the assistance of a template, but at the same time it is a blatant example of miscalculation. Half a knot was covered by another knot with no attempt at all to adapt the size or placement of the knots in the border ornament. A template has also been used to mirror the warrior figure to create his opponent (Kitzler Åhfeldt 2015a, pp. 415, 449–450 Fig. 35–37). The outlines of the shields on the ship-side cross each other without consideration of what is hidden from the view. The chequered sail is rendered by horizontal, perpendicular squares where quadratic fields are created by using thin lines (Kitzler Åhfeldt 2012, pp. 186–187; 2015, p. 419, p. 460 Fig. 51).
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Interpretation of the Imagery ⓘIt has been suggested that the battle shows one of the heavenly pleasures to be expected in Valhalla (Nylén/Lamm 2003, p. 56). An alternative interpretation is that the scene depicts an earthly battle, perhaps a one in which the deceased has partaken. There may possibly be a parallel to this duel between two warriors (Sw. tvekamp) on a fragment of unknown provenience in the Gotland Museum store (Oehrl 2017, p. 289, Taf. 341a). As for the small figure behind the back of the combatant, by comparing the image with pressbleck from the boatgraves Valsgärde 7 and 8, Oehrl suggests that this is a spiritual helper supporting the one warrior in the battle (Oehrl 2017, p. 6).
The Viking period stones are often believed to feature the dead warrior’s journey to Valhalla and his reception there (Lindqvist 1941/42, p. I:102; Näsman 1972, p. 100; Böttger-Niedenzu 1982, p. 102; Nylén / Lamm 2003, p. 70; Sundquist 2007, p. 98; Oehrl 2020c). In line with this overarching interpretation, the ship has been interpreted as a death-ship, constituting a part of the journey to the afterlife (Ebert 1919, p. 189; Nylén / Lamm 2003, p. 70; Ellmers 1986, pp. 352ff; but see Lindqvist 1962, p. 21 for a contrary view; Böttger-Niedenzu, 1982, pp. 99–102; Näsman, 1972, p. 100). In this view, it has been suggested that the dwarf stones display the essence of the concept, i.e., the beginning and the end of the journey (Böttger-Niedenzu 1982, p. 99). The ship thus represents the beginning of the journey, the scene with the rider the arrival and the scenes in between adventures of the deceased person.
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Type and Dating ⓘD-stone. När Smiss I is dated to c. 750–900 AD (Imer 2004, pp. 104–105, Table 17–18).
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References ⓘLindqvist 1941/42 I, Fig. 142, Fig. 143; II, p. 104, Fig. 478.
På en höjd sydväst om gården.
Nuvarande förvaringsplats
Visby flygplats, i entréhallen.
Datering
Kan inte anges med säkerhet; förmodligen 700- till 1000-talet (vikingatid).
Beskrivning
Svampformad bildsten ca 1,25 m hög, varav ca 84 cm ovanför roten. Merparten av bilderna är bevarade. Stenen påträffades vid brytning av sten till en byggnad.
Bilderna visar två människor med lyfta svärd, synbarligen i en stridsscen. I nedre delen syns ett skepp med sköldar på relingen och med fem eller sex besättningsmedlemmar, troligen med hjälmar. Skeppet, som har har roder och stävprydnader, rider på vågor som utformats som trianglar. Kantbården består av åttor lagda intill varandra.
Tolkning
Bilden med krigarna kan tolkas som en stridsscen, i vilket sammanhang är okänt. Skeppet tolkas ofta som ett dödsskepp som för de avlidna till livet efter detta. Eftersom det här är en liten bildsten med plats för endast få bilder, kan den tänkas visa ett koncentrat av föreställningen om resan till det hinsides, nämligen början och slutet på resan: först en resa med ett dödsskepp och sedan en Valhallscen.
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TitleGP 280 När Smiss I
Fornsök ID ⓘL1976:5423
RAÄ ID ⓘNär 135:1
Jan Peder Lamm ID203
Statens Historiska Museer ID ⓘ11521
Lindqvist Title ⓘNär, Smiss I
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