Traces of pagan heritage in Swedish churches

The project is exploring the question of why medieval builders, especially those on the Baltic island of Gotland, incorporated pre-Christian monuments such as picture stones and rune stones in Christian buildings. What was the intention behind the use of “spolia” – reused ancient building stone?

Were picture stones regarded as readily available building materials and incorporated in churches without any deeper underlying meaning? Or does the partly exposed, and in a few cases concealed, placing of picture stones in sacred buildings indicate that they were reused for a purpose beyond the merely profane? Were picture stones used as building materials with the intention of communicating specific messages? At present, there is little research literature addressing these issues.

The incorporation of picture stones and other pre-Christian monuments in churches may, for instance, symbolise a dismissive victory over pagan beliefs, or can be understood as a translation of pre-Christian traditions into a Christian context, with the emphasis on cult continuity.

As a basis, the project analyses all picture stones found in churches, with the aim of documenting in which parts of the building they were incorporated and at what time. This work includes both picture stones that still are in place in the walls of church buildings, and information on stones that were removed and are stored now in the archives in Visby and Stockholm.

With its interdisciplinary approach, the research project involves archaeology, art history, and Old Norse literature. Relevant discussions in archaeology are addressed by examining the historical treatment of an earlier pagan age (“the past in the past”).

The project aims to place the reuse of picture stones in Gotland churches in a wider cultural context. To do so, the researchers will examine both Scandinavian and continental parallels. This involves comparisons with the reuse of cup marked stones and rune stones in the Nordic region as well as the extensive use of spolia in churches across Europe, where Roman votive stones, for example, are found in churches and in a few cases even have been used as altars.

Old Norse literature – especially sources describing mythology, such as the works of Snorri Sturluson and the Poetic Edda – form a key element in the study. These may yield insights into the medieval Christian treatment of Old Norse religion, thereby providing an entry point to gain an understanding of the historical perceptions of the Gotland picture stones.

By focussing on the Gotlanders’ perception and treatment of their pagan heritage and traditions founded in pre-Christian society, the project will provide deeper knowledge  of the history of both the picture stones and medieval mentality. Publication will be in the form of articles in high-ranked Swedish and international archaeological journals.