Die Bildsteine Gotlands der Völkerwanderungs- und Vendelzeit als Spiegel frühgeschichtlicher Lebenswelten

The translated title of this work is: Gotland Picture Stones of the Migration- and Vendel periods as Reflections of the Early Historical Cultural Environment. Gotland has a prominent position within northern Europe due to the quantity and wealth of pre- and early historical evidence. The picture stones of this area are prominent relics of the Scandinavian Iron Age, taking the form of processed limestone monuments of different sizes and designs. Usually, the stones reveal a worked front side carved with various motifs, such as whirling discs, ships and animals. These picture stones date from approximately the first centuries after Christ until after the first millennium and are found on the island of Gotland situated in the Baltic Sea, and politically, part of Sweden. The author focuses on the stones and fragments which can be dated to the Migration- and Vendel period. At the core of the work is the aim to gain an interpretation with the anticipation of making statements about the early historical cultural environment.