Several medieval Gotland church wooden sculptures are currently at the Swedish National Heritage Board's cultural heritage laboratory in Visby for study. Loaned by Gotland Museum, the research aims to determine if damage on the sculptures resulted from intentional mutilation during the Reformation in the 1500s or from wear, accidents, and other events over time. A research team from the University of Oslo is examining the sculptures using scientific methods like X-rays, 3D microscopy, and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy with experts from the Heritage Board.
The largest sculpture studied is a Madonna with the Christ Child, previously in Visby Cathedral and dated to around 1500.