GP 483 Tingstäde kyrka X

Context and Discovery
The fragment “[…] is integrated, with its obverse facing upwards, as the second step from the top in the outside staircase formed by stones jutting out of the masonry of the west wall of the tower and located above those parts of the tower stairs that are entirely enclosed in the masonry and contain Nos II–IX” (Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 134). The fragment GP 482 Tingstäde kyrka VIII seems to belong to the same monument. In total, not fewer than 26 picture stones from Tingstäde church are registered in Lamm/Nylén 2003 – The stones Tingstäde kyrka I–XX were published by Lindqvist. In 1984, Beata Böttger-Niedenzu discovered GP 507–509 Tingstäde kyrka 21–23, and GP 494 Tingstäde kyrka 24. Two more stones, which are incorporated into the wall of the tower, were discovered between 1990 and 2002 (GP 497–498 Tingstäde kyrka 25–26). The first Romanesque building with a nave and an apsidal choir was erected during the 12th century. In the beginning of the 13th century, the nave was enlarged, and around the middle of the century the old choir was replaced by the present one. The Romanesque portal which today leads to the sacristy probably represents the choir portal of the 12th century church which was re-used in the new building. The tower was probably built together with the new choir, i.e., around 1250, but was raised by three floors during the 14th century.
GP 482 Tingstäde kyrka VIII
GP 507 Tingstäde kyrka 21
GP 508 Tingstäde kyrka 22
GP 509 Tingstäde kyrka 23
GP 494 Tingstäde kyrka 24
GP 497 Tingstäde kyrka 25
GP 498 Tingstäde kyrka 26

Measurements, Material and Condition
The fragment forms a narrow rectangle which preserves a part of the original (upper?) edge of the monument. “Limestone slab, 16 cm thick. The obverse is dressed and now abraded by footsteps. The longer of the two narrow sides facing outwards [i.e., the original narrow side] is visible for a length of 45 cm and slightly convex longitudinally. It is hewn flat at right angles towards the obverse, with a chamfer in between.” (Lindqvist 1941/42 II, p. 134). Most of the carvings described below (see VI) are discernible while the middle part is almost destroyed by footsteps.

Description of Ornament and Images
The decoration corresponds to GP 482 Tingstäde kyrka VIII – three parallel grooves along the edge and next to them a zigzag band formed of simple wavy lines. A drawing by Sörling reproduced in Lindqvist’s book (II, fig. 540) is the only published illustration of the stone.
GP 482 Tingstäde kyrka VIII

Interpretation of the Imagery
No interpretation

Type and Dating
Most probably, the fragment belongs to an early-type monument, i.e., Type A according to Lindqvist’s typology (“Abschnitt” A), dating to about AD 400 to 600. In Lindqvist’s opinion, it possibly represents a piece of a kerbstone rather than of an erected picture stone (1941/42 II, p. 133). In his tabular compilation, the two fragments GP 482 Tingstäde kyrka VIII and Tingstäde kyrka X appear in the group of recumbent kerbstones ʻwith simple borders filled with zigzag lines and the likeʼ (ibid. I, pp. 28, 33). The zigzag or wavy band pattern is reminiscent of the border decoration of the Type A fragments GP 140 Hall kyrka 1 and GP 141 Hall kyrka 2, which probably also represent kerbstones. Different kinds of zigzag borders can also be seen on the Type A stones GP 132 Hablingbo Havor I and perhaps GP 52 Burs kyrka I. The small slab GP 432 Stenkyrka kyrka VII, which bears a comparable zigzag ornamented border, was also labelled as kerbstone by Sune Lindqvist.
GP 482 Tingstäde kyrka VIII
GP 140 Hall kyrka 1
GP 141 Hall kyrka 2
GP 132 Hablingbo Havor I
GP 52 Bunge kyrka
GP 432 Stenkyrka kyrka VII