Waldarstellungen auf alten Grabsteinen der Wattenmeerinseln

Abstract

Beginning in the seventeenth century, a tradition developed on the Wadden Sea islands whereby rich captains had ornate gravestones made for themselves. In these maritime communities, ships - an identity-establishing motif associated with economic prosperity - were often depicted on the gravestones. Although for many seafarers whaling was the source of their affluence, whalers relatively seldom had whales depicted on their grave markers. Altogether a mere ten gravestones bearing whale depictions have been found on the Wadden Sea islands, and none on the mainland. Six of the stones are on Föhr, three on Ameland and one on Sylt. In this article, the stones are described and their function investigated. Five types of whale depictions can be distinguished. Four bear a connection to whaling, the source of the deceased persons’ prosperity. On the gravestone on Sylt, however, the whale is merely an artistic detail with no relationship to whaling. The gravestones with whale depictions were all produced within the relatively short period between 1706 and 1800. The stones, visible to one and all in the cemeteries, later served to keep the legend of whaling and of the ship commanders’ wealth alive.