A rare 12th century picture stone with unique iconography has been discovered under a house in the village of Klotzow, northern Germany. Homeowner Peter Wittenberg was doing some construction work on the foundations when he came across a boulder carved with the image of a person with a cross over his belly. Only about 20 picture stones are known, and this is only the sixth one from the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It is also the only picture stone ever discovered that features a cross in the engraving.
The granite stone is about three feet long, two feet wide and 1.3 feet deep. It is carved into a pointed arch shape and engraved with a deep outline drawing of a standing man. The cross is carved onto a stole that hangs from a loop around the neck. The stone was found in a horizontal position next to the wall of the house with the image facing upwards. It was likely used as a step, but the house was built in the 18th century, so the stone is not in its original location.
Picture stones are believed to have been memorials to honor the dead, although they did not mark graves. The presence of the cross links the stone to the period when Bishop Otto of Bamberg (ca. 1060-1139) converted Pomeranians to Christianity. It’s even possible that the stone depicts Bishop Otto himself, and that the stole is a pallium, a vestment conferred by the Pope onto high-ranking clerics as symbols of their authority. Otto received the pallium in 1111.
Minister of Culture Bettina Martin : “With this exceptionally significant find, we can add another important piece to the mosaic of our country’s history. Bishop Otto of Bamberg undertook his first missionary journey to Pomerania in 1124. The fact that a picture stone from this period has now been found exactly 900 years later is an extremely fortunate circumstance. The finder deserves thanks and the highest recognition for reporting his find immediately. The experts from the State Office for Culture and Monument Preservation and the lower monument protection authority will now take care of securing and further examining this unique find.”
The stone is currently being scanned to create a 3D model that will clarify the engraving.
