Eskilstunakista. This coffin, dated to the later half of the 11'th century, executed by the stonemason Näsbjörn and the runestone carver Tove, is the source of the coffins' names. This coffin which was found in 1912 in Eskilstuna is today in the Swedish History Museum.Reconstructed coffin in a small museum at Örberga kyrka.Reconstructed coffin, in the ma, in the storehouse of Vreta kloster.Stone lid of Eskilsunakista 02, church of Östra SkrukebyStone lid of Eskilsunakista 01, church Östra Skrukeby
Eskilstunakista ("Eskiltuna coffin") is a Swedish term for early Christiangrave monuments found in Sweden, influenced by the Anglo-Saxon tradition where venerated persons were buried in a specially designed stone coffin. Eskilstuna coffins were on the other hand never intended for the remains of the deceased, but was constructed on top of the burial site.[1] The coffins consist of five ornamental stone slabs; two side slabs, two gable slabs, and a lid slab. The name originates from the first complete coffin found in Eskilstuna; later other fragments and slabs of the same kind have been identifiers as Eskilstuna coffins.
An Eskilstunakista is particularly designed stone coffin with peaked gable slabs on two opposing sides. The gables as well as the lid slab may be decorated with runic bands, and the inscriptions are similar to those on runestones, for example: X had this memorial made after Y, his good relative. God help his soul. The older ones from Öster- och Västergötland are mostly ornamented in Ringerike style. During the later half of the 11'th century the coffin type was used iSödermanland, Närke och Öland where the coffines were often decorated in a later Viking-age style, the Urnes style.
Nomenclature
The first coffin of this type was found in 1912 in Eskilstuna. It was though then that the coffins were specific to that locality, whereupon they were labeled "Eskilstunakista". However, later finds of similar coffins were made in many other places in Sweden. They are particularly common in Östergötland, by Hovs kyrka there were forty. A large number are also found in Västergötland. Since they exist in many different localities the term "early Christian Swedish grave monument" is used.
General
Early Christian funereal monuments were often constructed near the first churches in Sweden, especially in Götaland. They appear as a Christian funerary custom during the 11th century and consist of limestone slabs with ornamentation and runic inscriptions whose appearance is similar to contemporary rune stones. The slabs are categorized by their function in the coffin as gavel, lid, and side slabs. However, many coffins lack side slabs and in such cases the lid slabs were placed directly on the ground.
The lid and gable slabs are particularly richly ornamented and engraved with runic inscriptions. These grave monuments are especially common in Dals härad in western Östergötland, and Sweden's largest collection of such fragments has been found in i Köpings kyrka, Öland.
The coffins themselves do not contain skeletons but were intended as monuments over the deceased. However, the excavation of two Eskilstuna coffins at Husaby in Västergötland showed that funerals had taken place at a particular plot three times, but the lowest and possibly the middle layers were older than the Eskilstuna coffin.
Successors
In some places, like in Västergötland and in Gotland, these coffins were supplanted in the end of the 11th century or beginning of the 12th century by lily stones, which in Gotland can even be found by the altar inside the churches and used in such ways that they should be considered as graves.
Götaland is one of three lands of Sweden and comprises ten provinces. Geographically it is located in the south of Sweden, bounded to the north by Svealand, with the deep woods of Tiveden, Tylöskog and Kolmården marking the border.
A picture stone, image stone or figure stone is an ornate slab of stone, usually limestone, which was raised in Germanic Iron Age or Viking Age Scandinavia, and in the greatest number on Gotland. More than four hundred picture stones are known today. All of the stones were probably erected as memorial stones, but only rarely beside graves. Some of them have been positioned where many people could see them at bridges and on roads.
The Scandinavian Runic-text Data Base is a project involving the creation and maintenance of a database of transliterated runic inscriptions. The project's goal is to comprehensively catalog runestones in a machine-readable way for future research. The database is freely available via the Internet with a client program, called Rundata, for Microsoft Windows. For other operating systems, text files are provided or a web browser can be used to interact with the web application Runor.
Sveriges runinskrifter is a multi-volume catalog of rune inscriptions found in various Swedish provinces. The earliest volume of this ongoing series dates to 1900, and, by 1981, 15 volumes had been published.
Lummelunda is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Lummelunda District, established on 1January 2016.
Stenkyrka is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Stenkyrka District, established on 1January 2016.
Bunge Church is a medieval church in Bunge on the Swedish island of Gotland. The church seen today was largely built during the 14th century and is in a High Gothic style typical for churches on Gotland. Inside, the church is richly decorated with medieval murals, including depictions of medieval knights whose significance remain contested. Bunge Church belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies in the Diocese of Visby (Sweden).
Ala Church is a medieval church in Ala on the Swedish island of Gotland. Its oldest parts date from the 12th century. Damaged by fire in the 1930s, it still contains medieval murals and its original baptismal font. The church belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies within the Diocese of Visby.
Anga Church is a 13th century church in Anga on the Swedish island of Gotland. It is one of the most well-preserved Romanesque churches on Gotland, and was possibly preceded by a stave church. Inside, the church is decorated with medieval murals from three different periods, as well as some medieval furnishings. Some wooden sculptures from the church are today exhibited in a museum in Visby. The church belongs to the Church of Sweden and lies within the Diocese of Visby.
Hemse Church is a medieval Lutheran church in Hemse on the island of Gotland. Preceded by the most well-preserved early stave church discovered in Sweden, the current church dates mainly from the 13th century. It contains sets of medieval murals as well as some medieval furnishings. It is part of the Diocese of Visby.
Lärbro Church is a medieval church in Lärbro on the Swedish island of Gotland. The church is located at a former strategically important spot, as testified by the adjacent fortified tower. The presently visible Gothic church replaced an earlier Romanesque church during the 13th and 14th century. The cemetery of the church contains several graves of victims from Nazi concentration camps who were taken to a field hospital in Lärbro during and after World War II.
Vall Church is a medieval church on the Swedish island of Gotland. The largely Romanesque church dates from the 13th century. It belongs to the Diocese of Visby.
Sproge Church is a medieval church on the Swedish island of Gotland. Built during the 13th century, it was heavily restored in 1839-1840. It lies in the Diocese of Visby.
Rute Church is a medieval church in Rute on the Swedish island Gotland, in the Baltic Sea. The 13th century church contains medieval murals, and is unusual in that its vaults are supported by square pillars and not round columns. It belongs to the Diocese of Visby.
Tofta, also known as Gotlands Tofta, is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. It comprises the same area as the administrative Tofta District, established on 1January 2016.
Sanda Church is a medieval church on the island of Gotland, Sweden. Its oldest parts date from the middle of the 13th century. It belongs to the Diocese of Visby.
Gärdslösa Church is a Lutheran church on the Swedish island Öland, in the Baltic Sea. It belongs to the Diocese of Växjö.
Eskelhem is a populated area, a socken, on the Swedish island of Gotland. The area is rural with farms. It comprises the same area as the administrative Eskelhem District, established on 1January 2016.
A runic carving is defined as a runic inscription in stone or other material, according to the definitions of the Swedish National Heritage Board. The term refers to both prehistoric and medieval runic carvings in raised stones or on blocks, on rock slabs, early medieval tombstones and "Eskilstuna coffins" with runes, runic carvings in materials other than stone, e.g. in plaster on churches, as well as historical and recent runic carvings. Viking Age runic carvings are often memorial inscriptions, usually after dead relatives. The runic inscription has usually been arranged in ribbons, which are often shaped like elongated animal bodies with head, feet and tail. The carving surface is often adorned with crosses and animal ornaments. Sometimes the runic carvings have also been decorated with more complicated image representations. Older, Old Norse, runic-carved stones usually lack ornamentation and have the text arranged in horizontal or vertical rows. Early medieval tombstones and "Eskilstuna coffins" with runes are given the property value "in grave context". Early medieval tombstones and Eskilstuna coffins without runes are registered under the relic type gravvård.
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