GP 372 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XIII

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 (gravklot), erected stone slabs, and picture stones in the immediate context of the (Vendel or Viking Period) graves (ibid. pp. 582–583). Lindqvist published 19 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 in the following summer and sent to SHM the stones [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 […]. 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 in 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 by Svensson and moved to Visby where they are still kept today (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 cemetery 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 X–XIV were discovered by Fredrik Nordin during investigations conducted in 1913 and 1914 and delivered to Statens Historiska Museum in 1916 (Fornvännen 1917, p. 15; Lindqvist 1941/42 II, pp. 118–121). The picture stone slab Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XIII was found in 1914 during Nordin’s excavation of grave mound no. 23, next to its walled edge (ibid. II, pp. 121, 126, figs. 509; see also Nordin’s report in ATA dnr 599/16). The surrounding wall of the mound, which contained a cremation burial, consisted of 5 to 7 layers of limestone slabs. Lindqvist notes (1941/42 II, p. 121): “Close to grave 23, the wall of which had a diameter of 4 m, sat the grave orb [gravklot] that was decorated with a cross on its top [ibid. I, fig. 212], in an inclined position, leaning against the north-east edge of the wall at the same level as the wall’s base. There also was, on the south side, the picture stone No. XIII, the obverse facing upwards. The objects found in the grave indicated a date in the later part of the 8th century.” Among the Vendel Period grave goods found in or in the context of the mound (SHM 15645:11a–b) are an animal head brooch and a key (Nerman 1969/75, Grf. 367; Thunmark-Nylén 1995–2006 IV:2, p. 662).
GP 369 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs IV
GP 370 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs VII
GP 371 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs IX
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 395 Stenkyrka Lillbjärs XVII
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 limestone slab is 9 cm thick, its obverse relatively even, and the narrow sides are rounded towards both broad sides. The reverse is rough and unworked. The stone’s total height is now 91 cm. Above the pointed and almost triangular root, the stone is about 50 cm high. At the neck, it is 34 cm wide, and 42 cm at the base (Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 126). The monument is completely preserved but the head is severely damaged. The convex upper edge and both protruding corners are much abraded but still more or less discernible. The surface is much weathered and features many fossil inclusions.

Description of Ornament and Images
There are almost no remains of carvings preserved. Faint remains of broad, extremely shallow grooves and chiseled background fields indicate a 6 to 7 cm-wide framing border, probably with an interlace pattern, which is most noticeable at the left edge of the monument. These remains are hard to identify on Lindqvist’s photo of the (unpainted) stone (1941/42 II, fig. 520; cf. ATA 105:42; 1718:1b; 594:9b [photos taken in 1918, 1925, and 1933) but clearly depicted in an unpublished drawing by Olof Sörling (ATA Run- och bildstenssamlingen).

Interpretation of the Imagery
No interpretation

Type and Dating
Mushroom-shaped late-type ʻdwarf stoneʼ, which means ʻAbschnittʼ C/D or E according to Lindqvist. Those stones, if almost no decoration is left, can only be roughly dated to the period between the 8th century and around AD 1100. Apparently, the stone mound next to the stone (no. 23) dates to the late Vendel Period, i.e., the 8th century (see IV).

References
Fornvännen 1917, p. 15; Lindqvist 1941/42 II, pp. 121, 126, figs. 509, 520.

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