GP 354 Sjonhem Lilla Sojvide

Context and Discovery
The picture stone was found while ploughing, in an agricultural field east of the farmstead, just east of the north-south road next to the farm. The stone was reported to Gotlands Museum in 1927 by Ture Carlson (ATA dnr 4757/27). In those days, it was still at the farmstead. However, since it had been in danger of destruction there, in 1934, Provinsialläkare Dr. med. Kurt Bergström transferred the monument, which was already broken into two pieces, to the Museum in Visby (dnr 3111/34; 2970/34). A grave field with an extension of 750 x 300 m (N–S) is situated just south-east of the farmstead, mainly west of the road (RAÄ Sjonhem 1:1; Nylén 1955, 220–225). It is likely that the picture stone originates from this cemetery. According to RAÄ, the grave field, which has partly been investigated, consists of a stone cist, 10 mounds, 7 stone mounds (rösen), and 182 circular or almost circular stone settings, which are up to 29 m in diameter. Nylén (ibid. p. 220) notes, however, that more than 300 graves are visible. Many of the graves have been robbed and parts of the area destroyed by gravel mining. The grave field mainly dates to the Early Iron Age; however, Viking Age finds are recorded as well (Thunmark-Nylén 1995–2006 IV:2, pp. 630–631). One of the mounds, which contained 7 or 8 Early Iron Age burials, was excavated in 1937 by Mårten Stenberger and published in Fornvännen (Bertel 1939).

Measurements, Material and Condition
“Limestone slab, about 6 cm thick. The obverse is even; the narrow sides most likely are rounded towards the back; in places, they look as if they were hewn at right angles towards the obverse, and chamfered towards both broad sides. The reverse is quite – but not entirely – even (hewn?). The height is 90 cm, of which 62 cm are accounted for by the part above the lower edge of the decoration. Between the upper corners, the width is 59 cm, just above the base, it is 38 cm” (Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 112). The stone is completely preserved (including the root) but broken into an upper and a lower half. It has not been repaired and is still in two pieces.

Description of Ornament and Images
“The decoration, which is limited to the even broad side, is executed with rather wide, shallow lines. They form a framing border with a simplified ‘twisted cord’, a double inner framing line, and a rhombic grid pattern in the lower half of the field. In the upper half, a ship can be seen with towering stems, but without a mast. The background field surrounding the ship is slightly chiselled” (Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 112). A group of middle type picture stones depict a similar rhombic-pattern (see IX), which has been considered to represent (symbolise) a ship’s sail, which is not entirely convincing (Guber 2011, p. 67).

Interpretation of the Imagery
No interpretation

Type and Dating
Middle-type picture stone, which means a Type B ʻdwarf stoneʼ, dating between AD 500 and 700. The stone provides the name for Lindqvist’s Sojvidegruppe, which is characterized by a flat, arched upper edge with pronounced corners, which protrude horizontally, and “simple decoration” (1941/42 I, pp. 36–37). The rhombic pattern in the lower field is similar to GP 193 Hellvi Ire III; GP 340 Sanda Sandegårda I; GP 273 Norrlanda Bjärs; and GP 92 Gammelgarn Rommunds. In Martin Rundkvist’s (2012, p. 157) typology, Sjonhem Lilla Sojvide represents an outlier and is therefore disregarded. Varenius (1992, appendix 2) assigns the primitive ship depiction without mast or sail to his group 1 (rigglösa skepp), which he dates to the period between the 5th and the 6th century.
GP 193 Hellvi Ire III
GP 340 Sanda Sandegårda I
GP 273 Norrlanda Bjärs
GP 92 Gammelgarn Rommunds

References
Lindqvist 1941/42 I, fig. 41; II, p. 112; Varenius 1992, p. 58, fig. 13; Guber 2011, p. 142 cat. no. 65; Runkvist 2012, p. 157.

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