GP 549 Väskinde kyrka 6

Context and Discovery
Three parts of a tall Type C picture stone are built into the floor and steps of the choir, which was constructed after the middle of the 13th century. These fragments are mentioned only briefly by Lindqvist (1956, pp. 29–30) as well as in Lamm and Nylénʼs handbook (2003, p. 48), where it is noted that the slab must have been more than 3.55 m tall. Lindqvist calls it the largest picture stone known so far (1956, p. 30). More information can be found in the relevant archives (ATA Go, V 198, Väskinde, Visby Stift Gotlands Län, Kungl. Byggnadsstyrelsen, Kulturhistoriska Byrån; ATA Go, Väskinde sn, Kyrkan, Dnr. 2029; GF Foto 978.46-48; GF rapport 114/53). Furthermore, the stone was mentioned in several newspaper articles in 1953 and 1963. The available information and pictures were published by Oehrl (2019, pp. 295–296, figs. 344c, 345a–c; see also Oehrl 2020b).

During a restoration of the church in 1953, the wooden floor of the choir was removed and three picture stone pieces were uncovered in the medieval stone floor. They represent the two trapezoidal edge pieces and a roughly rectangular middle part of a tall Type C stone, which was split lengthwise twice. The two edge pieces indicate the monument’s characteristic mushroom shape. They were lying foot to foot, the convex head parts turned towards the altar, the broken edge facing the nave, forming the last step leading up to the floor level of the altar. The third fragment, the picture stone’s middle piece, is part of the first step up to the choir. Approximately half of it is covered by the picture stone pieces forming the last step. Remains of the figurative decoration of the stone as well as a runic inscription which will be described below (see VIII), are preserved only on this hidden part.

According to the letters kept in the archives, the persons in charge in 1953 discussed the idea of moving the pieces into Gotland’s Museum. Eventually, however, the estimated costs for the removal of the fragments and the installation of new stone slabs were regarded as too high and as a disproportionate effort, as the stone hardly preserved any imagery. As a result, the monument was built in again and still lies in the church floor, where the carvings remain invisible.

The current choir was erected in the late 13th century when a previous church was rebuilt. During the early 14th century, the rebuilding was completed by the erection of the current nave and tower. Thus, the picture stone could have been incorporated into the floor during the late 13th century.

The other stones found during the church restoration in 1953 are GP 554 Väskinde kyrka 5 and GP 555 Väskinde kyrka 7, mentioned by Lindqvist in his article published in 1956 (Lindqvist 1956, pp. 27–30). The picture stones GP 546–548 and GP 557 (Väskinde kyrka I–IV) were published in “Gotlands Bildsteine”.
GP0554
GP 555 Väskinde kyrka 7
GP 546 Väskinde kyrka I
GP 547 Väskinde kyrka II
GP 548 Väskinde kyrka IV
GP 557 Väskinde kyrka III

Measurements, Material and Condition
The picture stone, made of limestone, was split at least twice and reworked, polished and hewn. The decoration was deleted, with the exception of the small hidden area at the edge of the middle part, which is hidden by the stone on top of it (see VI). Traces of the medieval stonemason’s wedges used for the splitting and typical medieval surface treatment can be observed, confirming that the picture stone was built into the church during the Middle Ages, probably in the second half of the 13th century, when the altar room was erected. Nevertheless, the typical shape of the head section – the only visible element indicating a Gotlandic picture stone – was maintained by the stonecutter.

The stone fragments forming the steps to the altar room, preserving the head and upper body of the monument, indicate a stone slab that originally was c. 3.55 m in height. All pieces are about 0.40 m wide and 0.20 m thick. However, the original width of the monument remains unclear, as the middle part is incomplete; furthermore, even the width of the edge pieces could have been greater than are seen today. In any case, the lower part of this magnificient monument was cut off, which would have made the original even taller than 3.55 m. According to Faith-Ells’s photos (GF Foto 978.46-48), the remains of a chequered sail are clearly visible on the lower part of the decorated area. The sail and the ship must have been particularly large, but only a small section of the sail’s upper part is preserved. Thus, a significant part of the monument’s lower field is missing, as well as its root, which must have been extraordinarily large in order to give this giant stone slab sufficient stability. The entire stone must have been at least (!) two metres taller than the three remaining fragments suggest. As a result, this unique monument seems to have had a height of considerably more than 5.55 m, which would make it by far the largest Gotlandic picture stone currently known. This was already suggested by Greta Arwidsson in her unpublished report in 1953 (GF Koncnr 114/53). Lindqvist (1956, p. 30) also calls the stone the largest known picture stone, however, without stating any measures. It is tempting to suggest that two trapezoidal stone slabs of approximately 2 m length each, which are built into the floor of the altar room, also belong to the missing lower part of the picture stone. They lie between the last step and the altar, next two the south and north walls (part 4 and 5 according to Oehrl 2019). Even if this interpretation is correct, however, the main part of the root would probably still be missing.

Description of Ornament and Images
On the outer edge of both side parts (parts 1 and 2 according to Oehrl 2019), which still indicate the typical mushroom shape of the monument, a carved contour line and some further unclear decorative elements can be observed, apparently the faint remains of an ornamented border, presumably an interlace pattern.

On the huge stone’s middle part (part 3 according to Oehrl 2019), re-used as the first step to the altar, traces of figurative carvings and a runic inscription are preserved. The piece is roughly rectangular, with an irregular edge at its right long side, where it was broken off. It is only a narrow, vertical area along this edge, narrowing toward the top that is still ornamented, while the part left to it (i.e., the surface of the first step) was completely smoothed by the stonemason. However, the decorated part is covered by the upper step on top of it and thus invisible today. During the church restoration in 1953, the upper steps were lifted, which allowed the decoration on the step stone beneath to be examined, traced with charcoal, and photographed. According to these photos made by H. Faith-Ell (GF Foto 978.46-48), a small part of an originally very large, chequered ship sail is preserved at the bottom of the decorated area.

The surviving section of the picture field above the sail seems to be polished or damaged; only small parts of it were traced with colour. At the bottom of this field, just above the sail, remains of a runic inscription can be seen (see VIII). At the upper edge of the picture field, two angled oblong elements can be isolated, reminiscent of the rows of sword-swinging warriors on GP 253 Lärbro St. Hammars I. Considering this resemblance, it seems plausible that the picture field above shows the remains of a depiction similar to the possible human sacrifice motif on the head part of the St. Hammars I monument. The Väskinde slab seems to depict a human figure wearing a long garment at the right edge of the field, which stretches its arm to the left. The figure’s hand appears to merge into an irregular and strange-looking object, which, compared to the depiction in a corresponding position on the Lärbro slab, could well be regarded as a bird (of prey) with its wings shown at the sides and close to the body. The three-pronged element above the possible bird is bent towards the human figure’s head and can easily be compared to the apparently vegetal element which on the Lärbro stone extends into the picture field from above.

From here, the decorated section tapers, and the traced elements cannot be identified with any known motif or figure depiction. In the picture field just above the presumed person with the bird, another angled sword-like element is emphasised – possibly indicating further warrior figures wielding their weapons. Remains of at least one more picture field can be assumed. Lindqvist mentioned the stone only briefly in his 1956 (p. 30) article, mentioning the ship and the runic inscription, however, without describing them further.
GP 253 Lärbro Stora Hammars I

Interpretation of the Imagery
Concerning the possible interpretation of the supposed sacrifice scene and the warriors in the field below see GP 253 Lärbro St. Hammars I.
GP 253 Lärbro Stora Hammars I

Runic Context and Comments
The basis for a runological consideration is the photo documentation from 1953, showing the carvings traced with black colour. Above the ship’s sail remains of a horizontal runic inscription can be seen. A small part of an upper framing line is visible as well. According to the report written by Greta Arwidsson in 1953 (GF Koncnr 114/53), remains of 10–12 runes can be observed. The only clear runic character is a long-twig h-rune h.

Type and Dating
The shape of the side pieces clearly indicates a Type C stone. If the assumption is correct that the middle part of the giant stone preserves remains of a sacrifice scene similar to GP 253 Lärbro St. Hammars I and GP 175 Hangvar kyrka II, the Väskinde monument belongs to Lindqvist’s ʻLärbro groupʼ, which he dated to around AD 700 or the early 8th century. According to Lori Eshleman (1983), the Lärbro group was strongly influenced by the art of the Carolingian Renaissance and thus instead should be dated to the period between AD 790 and 840. The results of archaeological excavations at Type C picture stone sites also point to around AD 800 (Andreeff 2012). The inscription contains a clue for the stone’s date as well; long-twig runes were used from the early 8th century onwards. Short-twig runes do not emerge before AD 800.
GP 253 Lärbro Stora Hammars I
GP0175

References
Oehrl 2020b; Oehrl 2019a, pp. 295–296, pls. 344c, 345a–c; Oehrl 2017b, p. 107, fig. 11; Lamm/Nylén 2003, p. 48; Lagerlöff/Svahnström 1991, p. 265; Lindqvist 1956, pp. 29–30.

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