Vickleby

Described and illustrated in Boström (1966- , Bd. IV, hft. 1, p. 79ff): chalice-shaped baptismal font made of sandstone from Kalmarsund [identification by geologist Erik Åhman of Uppsala, a/p note in Boström, p. 105)]. The font appears almost cylindrical but it is actually heptagonal and has seven ornamentation panels corresponding to the seven sides of the basin; these panels contain animal motifs, of which Boström identifies a lion, a possible griffin, a goat and another unidentified quadruped. The base, which now apperas as made of two rings and a conical lower part once had four heads ornamenting it at 90-degree angles, as is common in Swedish font of this period. This baptismal font was put to one of the oddest uses yet: it was turned upside down, the heads ornamenting its base were knocked off, then the whole thing was taken to the apex of the roof where it was "for many years a roof decoration"; the prolongued exposure to the elements resulting in the obvious damage to the ornamental reliefs.