Parish Find Location 
Träkumla

Find Location 
Träkumla church

Find Context Classification 
Church

Coordinate Find Location (lat) 
6384600

Coordinate Find Location (long) 
698184

Parish Present Location 
Träkumla

Present Location 
In situ, in the floor of the choir.

Present Location Classification 
Church
In-Loco

Coordinate Present Location (lat) 
6384600

Coordinate Present Location (long) 
698184

Material 
Limestone

Height 
74/65

Width 
67/52

Lindqvist Type 
C/D (ca. 700-1000)
E (ca. 1000-1150)

Lindqvist Shape 
Tall stone

Iconographic Keywords 
ship 
mast 
sail 

Runic Inscription or not 
No

Context and Discovery 
The fragment was discovered in the floor of the choir by Beata Böttger-Niedenzu in 1983, together with GP 532 Träkumla kyrka 1 and GP 533 Träkumla kyrka 2. 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 no fewer than 38 previously unknown picture stones, which she published in a brief catalogue in 1988. The slab Träkumla kyrka 3 is incorporated into the floor of the choir, a few steps southeast of the altar, just in the southeast corner of the rectangular choir. Its south and east sides are directly bordering the wall. The two other fragments are placed just north of the altar (i.e., directly left of it). The rectangular choir represents the oldest part of the present church, dating to about 1220 (Roosval 1942, pp. 31, 49) or the middle of the 13th century (Lagerlöf/Svahnström 1991, p. 250). The church has been a ruin since 1861 but was restored and re-inaugurated in 1917. A further restoration took place in 1951.
GP 532 Träkumla kyrka 1
GP 533 Träkumla kyrka 2

Measurements, Material and Condition 
The fragment has the shape of an irregular rectangle of approximately 0.74 x 0.67 m (measuring the longest distances). The surface of the limestone slab is homogeneously grey with some dark and reddish spots as well as fossil inclusions. It is relatively even, weathered and worn by footsteps. A crack disturbs the surface.

Description of Ornament and Images 
Böttger-Niedenzu notes that although many traces of carvings are discernable, no specific elements of the decoration can be defined (1988, p. 16). However, based on RTI technology, Sigmund Oehrl (2019a, p. 176, pl. 177a–b) was able to document two raised bands forming a T-shape, which probably represent parts of an edge border decoration and a horizontal divider. Alternatively, the bands could be regarded as part of a ship’s mast and the lower frame of its sail.

Interpretation of the Imagery 
No interpretation

Type and Dating 
As the T-shaped band probably represent parts of an edge border and a horizontal divider (or of a sailing ship), the fragment represents a Typ C–E picture stone, which means that it dates to the 8th century or between around AD 800 and circa 1100. The fragment probably originates from the same monument as GP 533 Träkumla kyrka 2 and GP 532 Träkumla kyrka 1. Their size and motifs indicate a Type C stone, dating between the 8th and the 10th century. The motifs on Träkumla kyrka 1 are closely related to GP 252 Lärbro Tängelgårda IV [C] and Lindqvist’s ʻLärbro groupʼ.
GP 533 Träkumla kyrka 2
GP 532 Träkumla kyrka 1
GP0252

References 
Böttger-Niedenzu 1988, p. 16; Oehrl 2019a, pp. 175–176, pl. 177a–b.

 
Fyndplats
Bildstenen påträffades 1983, som en del av golvet i kyrkan kor.

Nuvarande lokalisering
Samma plats som 1983.

Beskrivning
Tillhugget fragment av en svampformig bildsten (typ C), 74 x 67 cm. Stenen hänger förmodligen samman med Träkumla kyrka 1-2. Kantdekor bevarad samt ett band som har avdelat olika bildfält

Datering
Dateringen kan inte anges närmare, men den tillhör perioden 700-900-talen.

Tolkning
Ingen tolkning.

AA
GP 532 Träkumla kyrka 1
GP 533 Träkumla kyrka 2

Title
GP 534 Träkumla kyrka 3

Fornsök ID 
L1976:7950

RAÄ ID 
Träkumla 56:1

Jan Peder Lamm ID 
434

ATA
K-Samsök