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Vestvågøy - 13
Trollsteinen

Site/Artefact Trollsteinen Type Stone block with carved cross Site Number None UTM Grid Reference 478569 East 7566885 North Map ( 1:50000) Topografisk Hovedkartserie - M711 No 1131 II List of Sites and Artefacts Click Here Interactive Map Click Here

Trollsteinen (Photo: Wenche Brun, Lofotr, the Viking Museum) Drawing of the cross together with: top: a variant of the Christ-symbol bottom: regular latin cross(After R, Bertelsen, 2001)

Description
This structure is, with its cross, directly connected to religion. The size of the stone is about 1x2 metres, and one of the vertical sides has a cross engraved/carved, of 75 cm in height. The shape of the cross is similar to those used around the year 1000 AD in the north of Norway.

Some researchers see similarities with Celtic areas in the British isles where crosses with rings were used, while another theory explains the cross as a variant of the Christ monogram, or Chi-Ro symbol.

The stone-block may have been part of Sámi cult, and then carved with the cross by Christians, to incorporate it into the new belief.

Such structures are not a common feature, the most similar is the "Sigmundarsteinur" at Skuvøy (Faroe Islands) and one "cross-rock" at Birsay (Orkney Islands).

Excavation Details
Not Available

Access/Ownership
Today the stone is situated close to the main road E-10, at the first crossroads south of the church Lofotkatedralen. The stone is included as part of the project "Footprints in the North".

References

• Bertelsen, R. 1998. Vågans kirkested fra tusenårsskiftet til 1300 tallet. Fra Kong Øysteins kirke til Lofotkatedralen. Vågan kirke 100 år.

Check out the following sections of the website for related information:

• The Stone Crosses
• The Sign of the Cross
• Irish Cross-slab
• Irish Cross-pillar

Vestvågøy Sites and Artefacts

1. Borg 2. Buksnesfjorden 3. Bøstad 4. Eggum 5. Einangen 6. Eltoft 7. Holsneset 8. Holsøya 9. Kvalnes 10. Moland 11. Nykmark 12. Skjerpen 13. Trollsteinen 14. Uttakleiv 15. Vendalsjord 16. The Stone Crosses 17. Malnes 18. Borg Burial Mounds 19. Borg Burial Mounds 20. Borg Roman House Site 21. Borg House Remains I:Ia 23. Borg I:Ib 24. Borg House Remains 25. Borg - Midden

26. Borg House Site 27. Borg House Sites 28. Borg Farm Ruins 29. Borg Medieval Sites 30. Borg Burial Mounds 31. Borg Possible Settlement 32. Borg Medieval House Site 33. Borg Boat Houses 34. Burial Mound 35. Burial Mound 36. Borg Burial Mound 37. Borg Modern Church 38. Bøstad Burial Cairn 39. Bøstad Removed Burials 40. Bøstad - Courtyard 41. Boat House and Burial 42. Bøstad House Sites 43. Bøstad Farm Mound 44. Rystad Boat Houses 45. Rystad Burial Mound 46. Burial and Farm Mound 47. Rystad Burial Mound 48. Rystad - Burials 49. Rystad Burial Cairn 50. Handberg Charcoal-Pits

51. Handberg Farm Mound 52. Handberg Charcoal Pit - 1 53. Handberg Charcoal Pit -2 54. Handberg Charcoal Pit - 3 55. Handberg Charcoal Pit - 4 56. Handberg Charcoal Pits 57. Handberg Charcoal Pit 58. Vendalsjord 59. Lie Burial Mound 60. Lie Boat House 61. Lie 62. Løvdal 63. Borgfjord Indre 64. Sletteng 65. Borgfjord Ytre 66. Ytre Borgfjord - Burial 67. Borgfjord Ytre 68. Ytre Borgfjord 69. Borgfjord Ytre 70. Hagvåg Boat House 71. Hagvåg Burial Mound 72. Hagvåg Bridge Construction 73. Evjen Farm Mound

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