Stora Hammars Picture Stones
Stora Hammars Bildstenar · Hammar Stora
Viking Age (c.700–800 CE)·Gotlandic Viking·🇸🇪 Gotland County, Lärbro parish, near Fårö, Sweden
About
About Stora Hammars Picture Stones
Cemetery at Stora Hammars farm near Lärbro with four of Gotland's most famous picture stones (Bunge Museum originals, copies in situ) — 3 m high slabs with detailed ship, warrior, Valhalla and sacrifice scenes (including the 'Hammar sacrifice'). 700 graves excavated. Image world for Viking cosmology and Gotlandic art.
Why it mattersCemetery at Stora Hammars farm near Lärbro with four of Gotland's most famous picture stones (Bunge Museum originals, copies in situ) — 3 m high slabs with detailed ship, warrior, Valhalla and sacrifice scenes (including the 'Hammar sacrifice'). 700 graves excavated. Image world for Viking cosmology
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Interpretation of sacrifice scene with tree
Theories
- 01Picture stones as Valhalla gate for afterlife journey
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.730 CE
- Period
- Viking Age (c.700–800 CE)
- Culture
- Gotlandic Viking
- Purpose
- Cemetery with four iconic Gotland picture stones
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
On the ground
Structures & features
57.7490° N · 18.8560° E · 12 m · 3 mapped features
Stora Hammars I
picture stone3 m picture stone with ship and sacrifice scene
57.7492° N · 18.8562° EStora Hammars III
picture stoneStone with Valkyrie and Valhalla gate
57.7490° N · 18.8560° ECemetery Field
cemetery700-grave Vendel–Viking field
57.7485° N · 18.8555° E
Gallery