The four Stora Hammars image stones are
phallic shaped. Similar combinations of death with this erotic symbolism occur on other Gotland rune and image stones. The images on the Stora Hammars II and IV stones are very worn and not currently decipherable.
Stora Hammars I Depicted on the Stora Hammars I stone are six panels with mythological, religious and martial themes, including panels depicting a woman between two men, a sacrifice scene with a
Valknut over an altar, a woman standing between a
longship manned with armed warriors and another group of armed men, and a battle scene. It is interpreted as illustrating the
legend of Hildr and its never-ending battle. with a nearby
Valknut (considered to be
Odin's cult symbol) apparently giving validity to reports about this type
human sacrifice in
Norse paganism. Near the altar is a shaped stone, suggested by one scholar as being a cult stone similar to the
Elgesem runestone. holding the mead of poetry, and Suttungr.
Stora Hammars III The Stora Hammars III image stone has four panels, the lower of which shows a ship with warriors. One of the panels has been interpreted as depicting
Odin in the form of an eagle taking the
mead of poetry, a legend described in section 6 of the
Skáldskaparmál.
Gunnlöð and Suttungr are shown to the right of the eagle. Another panel depicts a rider on a horse being greeted by a woman who has been interpreted as being a
Valkyrie. The woman appears to be wearing a long serk or underdress, which may be pleated, and a short overdress. ==See also==