the architecture does not strive for lighter volumes and soaring heights, with walls dissolved into large expanses of windows supported by buttresses and pilasters. Structurally, the churches instead again tended towards more closed-in, darker spaces and heavier volumes. During the entire Gothic period, the main portals of the churches were often richly decorated. During the Early and High Gothic period, this decoration often consisted of stylised floral decoration. During the 14th century, the decoration became more profuse and also narrative, often depicting religious or mythological scenes on the capitals of the portal columns. These sculptures were originally painted in vivid colours. The church towers erected during this period are also considerably taller than before. A single workshop, today known by its notname as after some of the sculptures that have features vaguely reminiscent of the art of ancient Egypt, appears to have been employed in a large number of churches. In the middle of the 14th century, Gotland entered a period of economic decline and a loss in trade from which it would never recover. At the same time, the Black Death struck Gotland in 1350. The invasion of Gotland by Valdemar IV of Denmark and the Battle of Visby (1361) led to further disruptions. All these factors appear to have contributed to decreasing building activity, even though it remains difficult to pinpoint exact causes and effects in the building histories of individual churches. Many churches were left unfinished, and the abrupt halt in construction is often still visible in the buildings. Archaeologist Anders Andrén writes that it is "as if the stone masons had left the construction site for the day and never returned". Many churches on Gotland thus have a peculiar form, where often the chancel is disproportionally large in comparison with the rest of the church. In such cases, a planned reconstruction of the entire church had started during the 14th century with the chancel, but was brought to a halt before the whole reconstruction scheme could be finished. After the second half of the 14th century, no new churches were built on Gotland. Inside, some churches did receive further embellishment in the form of new altarpieces or murals into the 15th and 16th centuries. Following the Reformation, changes in the liturgy led to the installation of new types of fittings, including pulpits and different kinds of altarpieces. Many altarpieces were made locally in Burgsvik during the