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57°51′10.7″N 19°01′43.2″E / 57.852972°N 19.028667°E / 57.852972; 19.028667

The Stora Hammars image stones are four Viking Age image stones located in Stora Hammars, Lärbro parish, Gotland, Sweden dating from around the 7th century CE.^{[citation needed]}

Description

The four Stora Hammars image stones are phallic shaped. Similar combinations of death with this erotic symbology occur on other Gotland rune and image stones.^[1] The images on the Stora Hammars II and IV stones are very worn and not currently decipherable.

Stora Hammars I

Depicted on the Stora Hammars I stone are six panels with mythological, religious and martial background, including panels depicting a woman between two men, a sacrifice scene with a Valknut over an altar, a woman standing between a longship manned with armed warriors and another group of armed men, and a battle scene.^[2] It is interpreted as illustrating the legend of Hildr and its never-ending battle.^[2] The stone includes an image of a warrior about to be hanged from a tree, possibly as a blood eagle sacrifice,^[3] with a nearby Valknut (considered to be Odin's cult symbol) giving validity to reports regarding human sacrifice in Norse paganism.^[4] Near the altar is a shaped stone, which one scholar has been suggested may be a cult stone similar to the Elgesem runestone.^[5]

Stora Hammars III

The Stora Hammars III image stone has four panels, the lower of which shows a ship with warriors. One of the panels has been interpreted as depicting Odin in the form of an eagle taking the mead of poetry,^[6] a legend described in section 6 of the Skáldskaparmál.^[7] Gunnlöð and Suttungr are shown to the right of the eagle. Another panel depicts a rider on a horse being greeted by a woman who has been interpreted as being a Valkyrie.^[8] The woman appears to be wearing a long serk or underdress, which may be pleated, and a short overdress.^[9]

References

^ Sundqvist, Olof (2005). "Aspects of Rulership Ideology in Early Scandinavia - With Particular References to the Skaldic Poem Ynglingatal". In Erkens, Franz-Reiner (ed.). Das Frühmittelalterliche Königtum: Ideelle und Religiöse Grundlagen. Walter de Gruyter. pp. 111–112. ISBN 3-11-018886-4.
^ ^a ^b Jesch, Judith (1991). Women in the Viking Age. Boydell & Brewer. pp. 128–130. ISBN 978-0-85115-360-5.
^ Murphy, Luke John; Fuller, Heidi; Gates, Mont (17 December 2021). "Brutal Viking 'blood eagle' ritual execution was anatomically possible – new research". The Conversation. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
^ Patton, Kimberley Christine (2009). Religion of the Gods: Ritual, Paradox, and Reflexivity. Oxford University Press. pp. 224–225, 430 note 70. ISBN 978-0-19-509106-9.
^ Antonsen, Elmer H. (1988). "On the Mythological Interpretation of the Oldest Runic Inscriptions". In Jazayery, Mohammad Ali; Winter, Werner (eds.). Languages and Cultures: Studies in Honor of Edgar C. Polomé. Mouton de Gruyter. pp. 43–54. ISBN 3-11-010204-8.
^ Davidson, Hilda Roderick Ellis (1993). The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe. Routledge. pp. 72–73. ISBN 0-415-04936-9.
^ CyberSamurai Encyclopedia of Norse Mythology: Prose Edda - Skáldskaparmál Archived 2008-02-19 at the Wayback Machine (English).
^ Lundin, Andreas (2006). "The Advent of the Esteemed Horseman-Sovereign". In Andrén, Anders; Jennbert, Kristina; et al. (eds.). Old Norse Religion in Long-Term Perspectives: Origins, Changes, and Interactions. Nordic Academic Press. pp. 369–376. ISBN 91-89116-81-X. pp. 370-371.
^ Thunem, Hilde. "Viking Women: Underdress". Retrieved 21 August 2010.

External links

Photograph of Stora Hammars I - Swedish National Heritage Board
Photograph of Stora Hammars II - Swedish National Heritage Board
Photograph of Stora Hammars III - Swedish National Heritage Board
Photograph of Stora Hammars IV - Swedish National Heritage Board
Photograph showing 4 stones - Swedish National Heritage Board

[1] Sundqvist, Olof (2005). "Aspects of Rulership Ideology in Early Scandinavia - With Particular References to the Skaldic Poem Ynglingatal". In Erkens, Franz-Reiner (ed.). Das Frühmittelalterliche Königtum: Ideelle und Religiöse Grundlagen. Walter de Gruyter. pp. 111–112. ISBN 3-11-018886-4.

[Jesch-2] Jesch, Judith (1991). Women in the Viking Age. Boydell & Brewer. pp. 128–130. ISBN 978-0-85115-360-5.

[3] Murphy, Luke John; Fuller, Heidi; Gates, Mont (17 December 2021). "Brutal Viking 'blood eagle' ritual execution was anatomically possible – new research". The Conversation. Retrieved 18 December 2021.

[4] Patton, Kimberley Christine (2009). Religion of the Gods: Ritual, Paradox, and Reflexivity. Oxford University Press. pp. 224–225, 430 note 70. ISBN 978-0-19-509106-9.

[5] Antonsen, Elmer H. (1988). "On the Mythological Interpretation of the Oldest Runic Inscriptions". In Jazayery, Mohammad Ali; Winter, Werner (eds.). Languages and Cultures: Studies in Honor of Edgar C. Polomé. Mouton de Gruyter. pp. 43–54. ISBN 3-11-010204-8.

[6] Davidson, Hilda Roderick Ellis (1993). The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe. Routledge. pp. 72–73. ISBN 0-415-04936-9.

[7] CyberSamurai Encyclopedia of Norse Mythology: Prose Edda - Skáldskaparmál Archived 2008-02-19 at the Wayback Machine (English).

[8] Lundin, Andreas (2006). "The Advent of the Esteemed Horseman-Sovereign". In Andrén, Anders; Jennbert, Kristina; et al. (eds.). Old Norse Religion in Long-Term Perspectives: Origins, Changes, and Interactions. Nordic Academic Press. pp. 369–376. ISBN 91-89116-81-X. pp. 370-371.

[9] Thunem, Hilde. "Viking Women: Underdress". Retrieved 21 August 2010.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|Four Viking Age image stones located in Gotland, Sweden}}
+{{Coord|57|51|10.7|N|19|01|43.2|E|display=title}}
 [[Image:Hammars (I).JPG|right|thumb|200px|The Stora Hammars I image stone.]]
-[[File:Sacrificial scene on Hammars (II).png|thumbnail|200px|Detail from Stora Hammars I shows a man lying on his belly with another man using a weapon on his back, a Valknut, and two eagles, one of which is held by a man to the right.]]
+[[File:Sacrificial scene on Hammars (II).png|thumbnail|200px|Detail from Stora Hammars I shows a man lying on his belly with another man using a weapon on his back, a [[Valknut]], and two birds, one of which is held by a man to the right.]]
-The '''Stora Hammars image stones''' are four [[Viking Age]] [[image stone]]s located in Stora Hammars, [[Lärbro]] parish, [[Gotland]], [[Sweden]] ({{coord|57|44|N|18|50|E|}}).
+The '''Stora Hammars image stones''' are four [[Viking Age]] [[image stone]]s located in Stora Hammars, [[Lärbro]] parish, [[Gotland]], [[Sweden]] dating from around the 7th century CE.{{cn|date=December 2020}}
 ==Description==
+The four Stora Hammars image stones are [[Phallus|phallic]] shaped. Similar combinations of death with this erotic symbology occur on other Gotland rune and image stones.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Sundqvist |first=Olof |editor-last=Erkens |editor-first=Franz-Reiner |contribution=Aspects of Rulership Ideology in Early Scandinavia - With Particular References to the Skaldic Poem Ynglingatal |title=Das Frühmittelalterliche Königtum: Ideelle und Religiöse Grundlagen |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |year=2005 |pages=111–112 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EQPE3Yd2B80C |isbn=3-11-018886-4}}</ref> The images on the Stora Hammars II and IV stones are very worn and not currently decipherable.
-The four Stora Hammars image stones are [[Phallus|phallic]] shaped, with the images on the II and IV stones very worn.
 ===Stora Hammars I===
-Depicted on the Stora Hammars I stone are six panels with mythological, religious and martial background, including panels depicting a woman between two men, a sacrifice scene with a [[Valknut]] over the altar, a woman standing between a [[longship]] manned with armed warriors and another group of armed men, and a battle scene.<ref name="Jesch">{{Cite book |last=Jesch |first=Judith |authorlink= |title=Women in the Viking Age |publisher=Boydell & Brewer |date=1991 |pages=128-130 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=9xpNRpI9zFoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false |isbn=978-0-85115-360-5}}</ref> Because of the position of the woman in two of the panels, it has been interpreted as illustrating the [[Hjaðningavíg|legend of Hildr]].<ref name="Jesch"/> The stone includes an image of a warrior about to be hung from a tree with a [[Valknut]] nearby, considered to be [[Odin]]'s cult symbol, giving validity to reports regarding [[human sacrifice]] in [[Norse paganism]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Patton |first=Kimberley Christine |authorlink= |title=Religion of the Gods: Ritual, Paradox, and Reflexivity |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2009 |location= |pages=224–225, 430 note 70 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=8vmJcw1WBtQC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false |isbn=978-0-19-509106-9}}</ref> Near the alter is a shaped stone, which one scholar has been suggested may be a cult stone similar to the [[Alu (runic)#Elgesem runestone|Elgesem runestone]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Antonsen |first=Elmer H. |authorlink= |editor-last=Jazayery |editor-first=Mohammad Ali |editor2-last=Winter |editor2-first=Werner |contribution=On the Mythological Interpretation of the Oldest Runic Inscriptions |title=Languages and Cultures: Studies in Honor of Edgar C. Polomé |publisher=Mouton de Gruyter |year=1988 |location= |pages=43–54 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=v56tj2EPZ-YC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false |isbn=3-11-010204-8}}</ref>
+Depicted on the Stora Hammars I stone are six panels with mythological, religious and martial background, including panels depicting a woman between two men, a sacrifice scene with a [[Valknut]] over an altar, a woman standing between a [[longship]] manned with armed warriors and another group of armed men, and a battle scene.<ref name="Jesch">{{Cite book |last=Jesch |first=Judith |title=Women in the Viking Age |publisher=Boydell & Brewer |year=1991 |pages=128–130 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9xpNRpI9zFoC |isbn=978-0-85115-360-5}}</ref> It is interpreted as illustrating the [[Hjaðningavíg|legend of Hildr]] and its never-ending battle.<ref name="Jesch"/> The stone includes an image of a warrior about to be hanged from a tree, possibly as a [[blood eagle]] sacrifice,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theconversation.com/brutal-viking-blood-eagle-ritual-execution-was-anatomically-possible-new-research-173519|work=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]]|title=Brutal Viking ‘blood eagle’ ritual execution was anatomically possible – new research|first1=Luke John|last1=Murphy|first2=Heidi|last2=Fuller|first3=Mont|last3=Gates|date=17 December 2021|access-date=18 December 2021}}</ref> with a nearby [[Valknut]] (considered to be [[Odin]]'s cult symbol) giving validity to reports regarding [[human sacrifice]] in [[Norse paganism]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Patton |first=Kimberley Christine |title=Religion of the Gods: Ritual, Paradox, and Reflexivity |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2009 |pages=224–225, 430 note 70 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8vmJcw1WBtQC |isbn=978-0-19-509106-9}}</ref> Near the altar is a shaped stone, which one scholar has been suggested may be a cult stone similar to the [[Alu (runic)#Elgesem runestone|Elgesem runestone]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Antonsen |first=Elmer H. |editor-last=Jazayery |editor-first=Mohammad Ali |editor2-last=Winter |editor2-first=Werner |contribution=On the Mythological Interpretation of the Oldest Runic Inscriptions |title=Languages and Cultures: Studies in Honor of Edgar C. Polomé |publisher=Mouton de Gruyter |year=1988 |pages=43–54 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v56tj2EPZ-YC |isbn=3-11-010204-8}}</ref>
 [[Image:Odin, Suttungr and Gunnlöd.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Detail from Stora Hammars III showing Odin in his eagle fetch (note the eagle's beard), [[Gunnlöð]] holding the mead of poetry, and Suttungr.]]
 ===Stora Hammars III===
-The Stora Hammars III image stone has four panels, the lower of which shows a ship with warriors. One of the panels has been interpretted as depicting [[Odin]] in the form of an eagle taking the [[mead of poetry]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Davidson |first=Hilda Roderick Ellis |authorlink =Hilda Ellis Davidson |title=The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe |publisher=Routledge |year=1993 |location= |pages=72–73 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=E2K9r4VEDo4C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false |isbn=0-415-04936-9}}</ref>, a legend described in section 6 of the ''[[Skáldskaparmál]]''.<ref>[http://www.cybersamurai.net/Mythology/nordic_gods/LegendsSagas/Edda/ProseEdda/SkaldskaparmalI-X.htm#skald2 CyberSamurai Encyclopedia of Norse Mythology: ''Prose Edda'' - ''Skáldskaparmál''] (English).</ref> Another panel depicts a rider on a horse being greeted by a woman wearing a possibly pleated long serk or underdress and a short overdress,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thunem |first=Hilde |authorlink= |title=Viking Women: Underdress |publisher= |date= |url=http://www.pvv.ntnu.no/~hmg/lrp/kostyme/viking/v-k-underkjole.html |doi= |accessdate=21 August 2010}}</ref> who has been interpreted as being a [[Valkyrie]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lundin |first=Andreas |authorlink= |editor-last=Andrén |editor-first=Anders |editor2-last=Jennbert |editor2-first=Kristina et al |contribution=The Advent of the Esteemed Horseman-Sovereign |title=Old Norse Religion in Long-Term Perspectives: Origins, Changes, and Interactions | publisher=Nordic Academic Press |year=2006 |location= |pages=369–376 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=gjq6rvoIRpAC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false |isbn=91-89116-81-X}} pp. 370-371.</ref>
+The Stora Hammars III image stone has four panels, the lower of which shows a ship with warriors. One of the panels has been interpreted as depicting [[Odin]] in the form of an eagle taking the [[mead of poetry]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=Davidson |first=Hilda Roderick Ellis |author-link =Hilda Ellis Davidson |title=The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe |publisher=Routledge |year=1993 |pages=72–73 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E2K9r4VEDo4C |isbn=0-415-04936-9}}</ref> a legend described in section 6 of the ''[[Skáldskaparmál]]''.<ref>[http://www.cybersamurai.net/Mythology/nordic_gods/LegendsSagas/Edda/ProseEdda/SkaldskaparmalI-X.htm#skald2 CyberSamurai Encyclopedia of Norse Mythology: ''Prose Edda'' - ''Skáldskaparmál''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219131224/http://www.cybersamurai.net/Mythology/nordic_gods/LegendsSagas/Edda/ProseEdda/SkaldskaparmalI-X.htm#skald2 |date=2008-02-19 }} (English).</ref> [[Gunnlöð]] and Suttungr are shown to the right of the eagle. Another panel depicts a rider on a horse being greeted by a woman who has been interpreted as being a [[Valkyrie]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lundin |first=Andreas |editor-last=Andrén |editor-first=Anders |editor2-last=Jennbert |editor2-first=Kristina|contribution=The Advent of the Esteemed Horseman-Sovereign |title=Old Norse Religion in Long-Term Perspectives: Origins, Changes, and Interactions |publisher=Nordic Academic Press |year=2006 |pages=369–376 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gjq6rvoIRpAC |isbn=91-89116-81-X|display-editors=etal}} pp. 370-371.</ref> The woman appears to be wearing a long serk or underdress, which may be pleated, and a short overdress.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thunem |first=Hilde |title=Viking Women: Underdress |url=http://www.pvv.ntnu.no/~hmg/lrp/kostyme/viking/v-k-underkjole.html |access-date=21 August 2010}}</ref>
 ==See also==
@@ Line 30: / Line 32: @@
 [[Category:Rune- and picture stones on Gotland]]
-[[es:Piedras de Stora Hammars]]
-[[it:Stele di Stora Hammar]]
-[[nl:Steen van Stora Hammar]]
-[[ru:Стура-Хаммарский камень]]