Ardre image stones

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The largest of the Ardre image stones

The Ardre image stones are a collection of ten rune and image stones, dated to the 8th to 11th centuries. They were used as paving under the wooden floors of the local church in the Ardre parish of Gotland, and were re-discovered when the church was restored around 1900. They are now preserved in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities, Stockholm.

The largest, and most famous of the stones is Ardre VIII, dated to the 8th or 9th century, depicts scenes from Norse mythology, notably the Lay of Weyland the smith and Odin riding to Valhalla on Sleipnir. The image-stone's longboat motif with mariners somewhat resemble the Överhogdal tapestry no. III from Härjedalen, Sweden.