GP 547 Väskinde kyrka II

Context and Discovery
The stone serves as the outside threshold of the small gate to the penitent’s cell in the southern wall of the tower. 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, including the penitent’s cell or inclusorium. Thus, the picture stone could have been placed at its current position during the early 14th century or around 1300 – or in the following centuries. In Lindqvist’s time it lay in this position and was already much abraded by footsteps (see V).
SO

Measurements, Material and Condition
The limestone slab has been reworked into a rectangular shape. It is 11 cm thick, 66 cm long, and 34 cm wide. The stone’s obverse is severely weathered and worn by footsteps, particularly in the middle. There are still faint traces of carving on the obverse of the stone. The observable outer narrow side is straight and flat but was cut secondarily to facilitate the stones inclusion in the doorway.
CJL

Description of Ornament and Images
Lindqvist (1941/42 II, p. 141) describes the carvings as follows: “The obverse features […] two parallel lines, which are slightly curved lengthwise (corresponding to a radius of slightly more than 5 m) and running along one of the fragment’s long edges, which unfortunately has been reworked into a rectilinear shape. Within these lines, a carved spiral line can be seen on the right that probably represents the remains of a continuous border, as faint remains of another spiral are discernable in an identical position [at] the fragment’s other short edge.” The photo of the (unpainted) stone provided by Lindqvist (ibid. fig. 561) scarcely shows the spiral decoration. An unpublished drawing by Olof Sörling, which was revised in 1918 and is kept in ATA’s Run- und bildstenssamling, however, depicts one of the spirals clearly.
SO

Interpretation of the Imagery
No interpretation

Type and Dating
According to Lindqvist (1941/42 I, pp. 28, 31–33, 110; II, p. 141), in all likelihood the fragment represents an Early-type monument of the kerbstone type (ʻRandsteinʼ in German or ʻkantstenʼ in Swedish) 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. 21, 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 II is assigned by Lindqvist (1941/42 I, pp. 28, 33) to his group 5 kerbstones which have rows of spirals (Spiralreihen). GP 136 Hablingbo Havor V and GP 138 Hablingbo Havor VII are also included within this group. However, given the fragmentary nature of the stone, the fact that it has been reshaped, and the severe damage to the decoration it cannot be clearly determined what type of picture stone it represents.
CJL/SO
GP 136 Hablingbo Havor V
GP 138 Hablingbo Havor VII

References
Lundmark 1929, pp. 222–223; Lindqvist 1941/42 I, p. 28; II, pp. 140–141, fig. 561; Lamm/Nylén 2003, p. 198.

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