It was almost certainly the direct inspiration for a group of stones from Skåne, from
Tullstorp (Wilson 1995 : fig. 115 ) and Hunnestad, the latter group, of which only three
stones survive (seven were illustrated by Ole Worm in 1643 , see Wilson 1995 : fig. 114 ),
really belongs to the Mammen/Ringerike overlap. There are a number of central dates
for the Mammen style. First, the Jelling stone, which is to be dated about 965 (i.e. the
conversion of Denmark, an event referred to in the inscription on the stone), a date
which might well, as the stone is so innovative in both form and ornament, be near the
period of the birth of the style. Second, there is the axe from the Mammen grave itself,
buried in the winter of 970 / 1. Then there is the small wooden figure of a man from the
North Mound at Jelling, which was constructed in 958 / 9 (Wilson 1995 : figs 118 – 19 ).
The only hoard which contains objects ornamented in the Mammen style comes from
Skaill, Orkney, which is bracketed within the period 950 – 70 (Graham-Campbell 1995 :
34 – 48 ). It has been suggested that the brooches were ornamented somewhere in the
Irish Sea region, perhaps in the Isle of Man where sculptured cross-shafts from the
parish church of Kirk Braddan (Figure 27. 3. 3 ) bear classic Mammen-style decoration
(Graham-Campbell 1995 : 70 – 1 ). This suggested provenance is of interest as a single
piece of wood decorated in the Mammen style has been found in Dublin in an archaeo-
logical context with coins dating between the 920 s and 950 s (Lang 1988 : 45 and
fig. 20 ). Thus a date in the 950 s is likely for the production of the Skaill brooches (which
in some instances show traces of the Jellinge/Mammen overlap), a date which would
chime with that of the Jelling stone. By the end of the century the Mammen style was
merging with the Ringerike style. On the basis of all this rather precise evidence a date
of 950 – 1000 would seem an acceptable bracket for the Mammen style.
The Ringerike style takes its name from the Ringerike district to the north of Oslo in
Norway, where the reddish sandstone common in the region is widely used for stones
carved with designs in this style, although only one stone, from Tanberg (Fuglesang
1980 : pl. 38 ), has been found in Ringerike itself. The object usually used to define the
Ringerike style is the stone from Vang, Oppland, Norway (Figure 24. 6 ). 215 cm high; it
bears on the right-hand edge a runic memorial inscription. The main field of the stone is
filled with a balanced tendril ornament, which springs from two shell spirals at the base.
The main stems cross twice and terminate in lobed tendrils. Further tendrils spring
from loops at the crossing, while pear-shaped elements appear from the centre of the
tendrils on the upper loop. Although the design is axial, there is a basic asymmetry in
the deposition of the tendrils. Above the tendril pattern is a striding animal, double
contoured, with spiral hips and a lip lappet. If the design on the Vang stone is compared
with the clearly related design on the Mammen axe-head (Figure 24. 5 ), it will be seen
that the latter lacks the axiality of the pattern on the Vang stone and its tendrils are
much less disciplined. The Mammen scroll is wavy and the Vang scroll is taut and
evenly curved. These features in general distinguish the Mammen and Ringerike scrolls.
In general the latter are more taut and disciplined; but the close relationship between
the two styles is more than adequately demonstrated by the animal at the top of the
stone, which is in almost every respect interchangeable with that on the Jelling stone
(Figure 48. 4 ).
In metalwork the style is best seen on two copper-gilt weather-vanes – one from
Källunge, Gotland, and the other from Söderala, Hälsingland. On one face of the former
(Wilson 1995 : fig. 138 ) are two axially constructed loops which take the form of snakes,
which produce symmetrically placed tendrils. The heads of the snakes, and the animal
–– chapter 24: The development of Viking art––