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The Cross Motif on Late Viking Age Art Picture Runestones in Västergötland

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The Cross Motif on Late Viking Age Art Picture Runestones in Västergötland The Cross Motif on Late Viking Age Art Picture Runestones in Västergötland BY LISE GJEDSSØ BERTELSEN Bertelsen, Lise Gjedssø. 2015. The Cross Motif on Late Viking Age Art Picture Runestones in Abstract Västergötland. Lund Archaeological Review 20 (2014), pp. 55–78. The Christian cross was a favourite high-status motif – that is, the most important motif of a picture field – on a large number of Late Viking Age art objects, and thus appeared on a monumental scale on picture runestones. By a picture runestone is meant a memorial stone or a grave stone equipped with both runic text and image, the latter in the form of either a designed head, legs and tail of rune bands or a free-standing image, or both. Parallel to picture runestones are runestones with only an inscription and picture stones with only an image. The Mammen, Ringerike and Urnes styles constitute Late Viking Age art in the Viking world in the period c. 950–1135 AD. The picture runestones of Västergötland are predominantly executed in the Ringerike style, which flowered especially in the first half of the 11th century, at the time of King Canute the Great, when the earls of Västergötland probably recognized the king’s supremacy. Christian symbolism in images was communi- cated efficiently by Scandinavian designs, often elegantly executed. The widely travelled Vikings were familiar with Christian symbolism, such as the cherished legend about the Golgotha drama, as well as the intimate relationship between three of the most important symbols: the serpent, the Arbor Vitae/tree of life and the cross of Christ. Lise Gjedssø Bertelsen, Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Uppsala University, Box 626, SE-751 26 Uppsala, Sweden. [email protected]. Introduction On 18 April 2013, the Department of Scandi- article and was about the cross motif depicted navian Languages of Uppsala University held in Late Viking Age art on picture runestones a one-day Elisabeth Svärdström Colloquium in Västergötland. arranged by Senior Lector Marco Bianchi and Professor Henrik Williams. The theme of the day focused on one of Sweden’s significant but The cross motif, numeral symbo- perhaps not so well-known runologists: Eli- sabeth Svärdström (1909–2008). Two of the lism, geometrical symbolism and lectures that day dealt with the iconography a meaningful pictorial language of the picture runestones of Västergötland. The first of these lectures, by Anne-Sofie Gräs- According to all four gospels in the New Tes- lund, was about the ornamentation and chro- tament, Jesus Christ was crucified at Golgo- nology of runestones in Västergötland. The tha (“The Place of the Skull”) just outside Je- second lecture, by me, forms the basis for this rusalem on Good Friday; he was positioned THE CROSS MOTIF ON LATE VIKING AGE ART PICTURE RUNESTONES IN VÄSTERGÖTLAND 55 between two thieves, with one on either side 1999, 48 f., figs. 1–2). Runestone numbers of him (Matthew 27:32–50; John 19:17–30; beginning with the signature DR refer to the Luke 23:26–46; Mark 15:21–37). This is the corpus Danmarks Runeindskrifter (Jacobsen most famous crucifixion in world history, and & Moltke 1941–1942) and to Samnordisk the cross motif became the symbol of Christ runtextdatabas 2008, http://www.nordiska. and the resurrection; over time it came to be uu.se/forskn/samnord.htm. This unique and the most iconic and widespread symbol of elegant piece of art is the beating heart of the Christianity – as it is in Late Viking Age art. Jelling monuments, standing at its original The cross of Christ – in different types and place exactly in the middle between the north elaborations – became the favourite high-sta- mound and the south mound (for a schematic tus motif on a large number of Late Viking drawing of the Jelling monuments, see Roes- Age art picture runestones in Scandinavia ge- dahl 2011, 355, fig. 3). It has been written nerally, also in Västergötland. The vast majo- that the image on the C side/Christ side of the rity of the crosses are outline drawings (Figs. large Jelling stone did not influence the subse- 3a, 4–16a and 17), a technique which makes quent picture runestones’ iconography (Fug- the motif grander, but crosses drawn in simple lesang 2005, 89), but this is incorrect. Both lines also appear as on Vg 186 Timmele kyr- the image on this picture runestone’s B side/ kogård (kyrkogård = churchyard), Timmele animal side and to an even greater extent its C sn. (sn./socken = parish). Runestone numbers side/Christ side had an immense influence on beginning with the signature Vg refer to the the iconography of later picture runestones. corpus Västergötlands runinskrifter (Jungner & The Ringerike style was the great fashion Svärdström 1940–1970) and to Samnordisk in the first half of the 11th century, that is, for runtextdatabas 2008, http://www.nordiska. instance, during the reign of King Haraldr’s uu.se/forskn/samnord.htm. grandchild King Canute the Great (Bertelsen Late Viking Age art consists of three sty- 2002, 24 ff. & 62 ff.). The Ringerike style is les: the Mammen style, the Ringerike style dominant in images on the picture runestones and the Urnes style, all prevalent in the Vi- of Västergötland. king world and used on a large number of The youngest of the three styles, the Ur- different materials (wood, stone, bone, tooth, nes style, was the great fashion in the second antler, amber, metal, textiles, etc.). All three half of the 11th century and ran into the sec- appear on a monumental scale (for instance, ond quarter of the 12th century. This style is on picture runestones), as well as on a minia- dominant on a very large numbers of picture ture scale (for instance, on pendant necklaces, runestones in Uppland (Bertelsen 2002, 27 ff. bracelets, brooches, weapons, trial pieces). & 65 ff.). The Mammen style was the great fashion However, it must be remembered that the in the second half of the 10th century AD, three styles did not only develop from each and picture runestones designed in the Mam- other; they also overlapped and competed men style were dominant in the Danish areas against each other, and sometimes – when (Bertelsen 2002, 19 ff. & 61 f.). The finest we are far enough into the future, of course – representative of the Mammen style is the they even occur on the same object. An excel- large Jelling stone DR 42, King Haraldr’s lent example of the latter is the walking-stick three-sided pyramidal picture runestone in handle of antler, likely a trial piece and design Jelling, Southern Jutland, Denmark (Ber- catalogue, from about AD 1100, found at telsen 2010, 140, fig. 2a; Matthiesenet al. Klim, close to Fjerritslev, Northern Jutland, 2009, http://vimeo.com/36756973; Wamers Denmark (National Museum of Denmark 56 LISE GJEDSSØ BERTELSEN inv.no. D 604/1978) (Liebgott 1978, 10 ff.; – is one, which is the holy number symbo- Bertelsen 2002, 69). The north-west coast of lizing God the Father. And the geometrical fi- Denmark was part of the sea route to a place gure corresponding to this is the circle, which like Dublin, known for its many trial pieces. has no beginning or end, and in which God The Mammen, Ringerike and Urnes styles occupies the centre. The circle fences, protects were refined, Scandinavian designs in conti- and sanctifies that which is inside its circum- nued development with a large European, ference. The unending circle is a static figure Christian symbolic content (Bertelsen & Got- of cosmic dimensions; it symbolizes eternity, fredsen 1998, 14). The three styles drew from eternal life and perfection. That is why we have the same groups of motifs, of which the cross engagement and wedding rings, and why we of Christ and the Golgotha drama are among send a wreath to a funeral as a symbol of eter- the most prominent. The Christian doctrine nity. The spiral, on the contrary, is a dynam- of salvation is rooted in Christ’s death and ic figure, which symbolizes movement, life resurrection. The pictorial structure of Late and growth. So, for instance, when we notice Viking Age art is in accordance with the one or more spirals at the foot of the cross of Christian pictorial structure, which is based Christ, it is an elegant allusion to the tree of on centring around the middle axis, which life inside the cross of Christ, as will be discus- echoes the structure of Christianity, placing sed later in the article. the one and only (= God) in the middle axis. The number three is the heavenly number, The cross as the high-status motif normally which symbolizes the Holy Trinity – the be- takes the most prominent place in the picture lief that God the Father, God the Son/Jesus field, which means that it is located topmost, Christ and God the Holy Spirit are of one be- centrally and on the middle axis, and it is al- ing. This definition was stated at the synod in ways reproduced in the grandest way: en face, Constantinople in the year AD 381 (Gotfred- which means facing forwards, whereby it com- sen & Frederiksen 1988, 55). The number three municates with and addresses itself directly to is visualized in the equilateral triangle, the the viewer (Bertelsen 2003a, 27; 2006, 47 triquetra, the three-lobed acanthus leaf, etc. ff.). Furthermore, numeral and geometrical The number four is the earthly number, the symbolism and a meaning-bearing pictorial number representing the world. There are four language with specific messages played a ma- corners of the world, four gospels, etc., and the jor role, as was also the case in Romanesque union of three and four makes seven, a num- art.
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