GP 507 Tingstäde kyrka 21

Context and Discovery
The fragment was discovered in the choir by Beata Böttger-Niedenzu in 1984, together with GP 508 Tingstäde kyrka 22 and GP 509 Tingstäde kyrka 23. She found another fragment, GP 494 Tingstäde kyrka 24, at the churchyard. In 1982, Böttger-Niedenzu submitted her master’s thesis on Gotland’s picture stones to the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, and during the years 1981 to 1985, she visited the Gotlandic rural churches, discovering not fewer than 38 previously unknown picture stones, which she published in a brief catalogue in 1988. Tingstäde kyrka 21 is placed approximately one metre southwest of the altar, in the corner between the wooden choir screen and the southern wall of the choir. Next to the picture stone fragment, between it and the altar, a medieval grave slab with a carved cross is embedded. Another slab with a Latin inscription from 1344 is situated in the floor of the choir as well.

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.

In total, not less than 26 picture stones from Tingstäde church are registered in Lamm/Nylén 2003 – The stones Tingstäde kyrka I–XX were published by Lindqvist; 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).
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 picture stone was trimmed to a rectangular shape, 1.22 m in length and 0.87 m in width. The southwestern corner of the rectangle is broken off. The limestone is dark grey and the surface relatively even. Large parts of the surface appear to have been reworked by the medieval stone mason, to which regular chisel strokes bear witness. Furthermore, it is worn by footsteps.

Description of Ornament and Images
Remains of the carved background plane of a typical bas-relief are discernable at several points, in particular, in the middle of the stone. A band formed by a simple double line runs along the south-facing narrow side of the slab. It is clearly visible in the left (i.e., southeast) corner of the slab, becoming more and more rudimentary towards the right. This band probably indicates an edge border or a horizontal divider.

Interpretation of the Imagery
No interpretation

Type and Dating
The bas-relief and the size of the slab appears to indicate a late picture stone type, Lindqvist’s ʻAbschnittʼ C/D, which means the fragment dates to the 8th century or between around AD 800 and 1000.

References
Böttger-Niedenzu 1988, pp. 13–14.

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