GP 546 Väskinde kyrka I

Context and Discovery
The stone slab was incorporated into the church building, with its obverse facing downwards, as the lintel of a hatch, which leads from the tower to the attic above the nave. It was first observed by E. Lundmark in 1914. According to Lindqvist (1941/42 II, p. 141), “[…] the second lintel from the inside in the wall opening from the tower to the southern side gallery appears to be a kerbstone of the same type, albeit with the naturally smooth reverse facing downwards.” However, this assumption cannot be proven.

In the late 13th century, a previous church was rebuilt and a new choir was erected. During the early 14th century, the rebuilding was completed by the erection of the current nave and tower. Thus, the picture stone must have been incorporated during the early 14th century or around 1300.
SO

Measurements, Material and Condition
The limestone slab is 20 cm thick and 48 cm wide. The lower edge of the stone that faces out from the wall is 156 cm long while the section of the broad side that is visible within the hatch is 95 cm across. Lindqvist (1941/42 II, pp. 140–141) states that 20 cm of the width, along the upper section of the broad side, was smoothly hewn. The lower edge is rough and unprocessed, and the reverse of the stone is as well. The upper narrow edge is convex and connected to the broad side by an approximately 1 cm wide worn chamfered edge. The narrow edge is slightly obscured but appears to have some faint horizontal chisel grooves. The broad side is weathered with several abrasions, but two parallel 1 cm wide chiseled grooves that run along the upper convex edge of the stone are still clearly visible. These appear to be the only decoration on the stone. The drawing provided by Lindqvist (ibid. fig. 561), prepared after calculations and measurements by [Fredrik Nordin], reproduces only the part of the obverse that is visible through the hatch.”

There is a long vertical crack in the right half of the slab, which appears to separate the stone into two pieces, and which is also considered in Sörling’s drawing from around 1911. Furthermore, in more recent times, some holes have been drilled into the stone’s surface in order to run electricity. The cable is attached onto the obverse of the slab. The double screw hole wire mount is placed directly on the ornamental grooves.
CJL/SO

Description of Ornament and Images
The two chiseled grooves that run parallel to each other along the upper convex edge of the broad side of the stone appear to be the only ornamentation. The same groove pattern is found on GP 548 Väskinde kyrka IV.
CJL
GP 548 Väskinde kyrka IV

Interpretation of the Imagery
No interpretation

Type and Dating
Lindqvist (1941/42 I, pp. 28, 31–33, 110) categorized Väskinde kyrka I as a kerbstone (Randstein) that he includes within his ʻAbschnittʼ A which dates to circa AD 400–600 (see also Oehrl 2019a, pp. 8–10). According to Lindqvist (1933, pp. 105, 107; 1941/1942 I, pp. 31–33), the kerbstones formed an edge chain which surrounded a grave mound, possibly with an erected Type A picture stone in the center. However, no evidence has been found to confirm that any of the erected Type A picture stones were placed within a grave mound (Larkin 2023a, p. 50). Väskinde kyrka I is assigned by Lindqvist (1941/42 I, pp. 28, 33) to his Väskinde category (Västkindetypus) of kerbstones, which is named after GP 548 Väskinde kyrka IV and characterized by pairs of linear grooves on the broad side of the stone that run parallel to the outer edge and serve as the only decorative elements on the stone.
CJL/SO
GP 548 Väskinde kyrka IV

References
Lundmark 1929, pp. 222–223; Lindqvist 1941/42 II, pp. 140–141, fig. 561; Lamm/Nylén 2003, p. 198.

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