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The unique art form that is the runestone originates in the 4th century CE in Norway and Sweden, and later in Denmark. Early runestones were placed next to graves as memorials, inscribed with the names of those who had passed. At the height of the Viking Age, however, from the 8th century onwards, these raised granite markers were carved with more detailed information about those who had lived and died, their achievements, and where they traveled. In time, thousands of runestones decorated in the runic alphabet appeared all over the region. Today, runestones are the oldest existing original works of writing in Scandinavia and provide a fascinating record of Old Norse culture and tradition. But what exactly are runic alphabets, and where can you admire some of the finest examples of runestones?
Click through and find out what's written in stone.
The Rök runestone is one of the most unique archaeological finds in the world, and certainly the most famous runestone. Located in the town of Rök in Sweden, it features the longest known runic inscription in stone.
The largest of the Jelling runestones was erected in 965 CE by King Harald Bluetooth, raised in memory of his parents, Gorm and Thyra. The stones, together with nearby pagan burial mounds and a small church, are inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
One of the Viking-era Skårby runestones, Skårby 1, is recognized for the lion in the center of the runic inscription, which reads as a memorial to a fallen brother. The stone stands in the grounds of the Kulturen museum in the Swedish city of Lund.
A collection of Viking-era runestones can be admired in and around the vicinity of Skånela Church, near Stockholm, Sweden. Some fragments are in fact imbedded within the church walls. The stone pictured here, raised by a woman called Fastlaug in memory of her brother Fullugi, features a winged beast.
The granite Viking Age memorial runestone known as the Mask Stone discovered in Arhus, Denmark, depicts a mask of a grimacing divinity and an Old Norse runic inscription mentioning a battle between kings. It's on display at the Moesgaard Museum.
The Gripsholm runestone, located in Mariefred in Sweden and named after Gripsholm Castle, is a fine example of a Ingvar runestone—one of 26 Varangian runestones raised in Scandinavia in commemoration of those who died in the Swedish Viking expedition to the Caspian Sea of Ingvar the Far-Travelled. The runic inscription is set within the outline of a serpent.
Hovgården in Sweden is believed to have been the site from which kings and chieftains ruled the area, a presumption reinforced by the presence of the Hacon Stone runestone. Carved around 1070, the stone features an inscription that references King Håkan the Red. Hovgården, together with Birka, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The body of runic inscriptions on runestones fall into three different categories. The Elder Futhark is the oldest form of the runic alphabets, dating back to between the 2nd and 8th centuries CE.
Around 20 runestones known as the Jarlabanke runestones and dated back to the 11th century are gathered in Sweden's Uppland province. They are named after a chieftain called Jarlabanke, who raised them to commemorate the creation of the causeway, or bridge, over which his soul would eventually be carried into the afterlife.
A Varangian runestone is one with inscriptions that mention voyages to the East (Austr) or the Eastern route (Austrvegr).
Another one of Sweden's outstanding runestones is the Sparlösa runestone. It baffles historians with its cryptic descriptions and tantalizing references to a great battle, and a series of mysterious beasts, such as a goose fighting a snake (pictured), and an owl with the head of a lion. Sparlösa runestone can be admired at Västergötland, in the county's southwest region.
The Hedeby stones are four runestones from the 10th century found at the town of Hedeby in Northern Germany. This area was part of Denmark during the Viking Age, seized by the Swedish king Eric the Victorious. While three still stand outdoors, a fourth, Skarthi Stone, is displayed at the Hedeby Viking Museum.
A runestone held by the Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford in England is one of the so-called Greece runestones, or Greklandsstenarna. These are runestones containing information related to voyages made by Norsemen to the Byzantine Empire.
The Younger Futhark, also called Scandinavian runes, is a runic alphabet and a reduced form of the Elder Futhark in use from the 9th century onwards.
Viking runestones are those that reference Scandinavians who participated in Viking expeditions in western Europe, and the Viking warriors who perished while traveling in the West.
Ingvar runestones are a category of runestone raised in commemoration of those who died in the Swedish Viking expedition to the Caspian Sea of Ingvar the Far-Travelled.
The Alstad runestone on display at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo is decorated on both faces with runic inscriptions. Dated back to the late 900s, the stone also features the outline of a bird of prey, and dogs and horses to illustrate the marriage of a couple from Ringerike.
Greece runestones are those that speak of voyages to the eastern Mediterranean to places like Greece, and further into the Byzantine Empire.
Erected in a shady grove in Norra Åsarp in southern Sweden, the Olsbrostenen runestone is a beautifully decorated example of a Viking Age memorial stone. The inscription reads: "Gufi raised this stone in memory of Ólafr, his son, a very good valiant man. He was killed in Estonia."
The Replösa runestone at Ljungby in Sweden stands within a ship setting, a grave or cremation burial site surrounded by slabs or stones in the shape of a boat or ship. Unusually, the inscription bears the Danish-sounding names of Götrad and Åstrad.
The Anundshög tumulus is one of Sweden's foremost ancient sites and commonly associated with the legendary King Anund. Lending credence to this belief is the mention of Anund's brother on a huge runestone set near the ancient mound.
Set near the grounds of Stockholm's Karlberg Castle is this finely carved runestone. The stone was raised by two people called Ǫnundr and Þorgísl, who created it in memory of an individual they name as Ásgautr.
A runestone denoted as a Jarlabanke runestone refers to those written in Old Norse related to Jarlabanke Ingefastsson and his clan.
Anglo-Saxon runes were used by the early Anglo-Saxons as an alphabet in their writing system, used between the 5th and 11th centuries.
One of the 11th-century Sigurd carvings made during the Viking Age and located in Sweden's Södermanland province, the Ramsund carving while not a true runestone is nonetheless significant as an important piece of Norse Art, executed in the runestone style.
Monumental in size and rich in ornamentation, the Rök runestone was created in 800 CE and is considered the first piece of written Swedish literature. The story it relates is one of gods, war, and a father losing his son in a battle— historical references embellished with fragments of Norse mythology.
For some of the finest examples of genuine Scandinavian runestones, browse the collection at the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen.
Sources: (Forbes) (National Museum of Denmark) (Life in Norway) (Britannica) (Follow the Vikings) (History)
Unearthed by a Swedish immigrant in central Minnesota in 1898, the so-called Kensington runestone has been the subject of debate ever since, not least for its supposed authenticity. The inscription reads as a record left behind by Scandinavian explorers in the 14th century. Many historians, however, believe the stone to be a hoax. The controversial piece is currently on display at the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and Runestone Museum in Minnesota.
The Jelling area of Denmark is synonymous with Viking history, and it's where the remarkable Jelling runestones are located. Carved in the 10th century, the stones are often referred to as Denmark's birth certificate.
Dated back to the late 10th century, the Karlevi runestone reads partly in prose, partly in verse, and is notable for mentioning Thor's daughter Þrúðr and Viðurr, one of the names for Odin. It's located near the Kalmarsund Strait in Karlevi on the island of Öland, Sweden.
What can we read into runestones?
History and myth carved in stone
LIFESTYLE History
The unique art form that is the runestone originates in the 4th century CE in Norway and Sweden, and later in Denmark. Early runestones were placed next to graves as memorials, inscribed with the names of those who had passed. At the height of the Viking Age, however, from the 8th century onwards, these raised granite markers were carved with more detailed information about those who had lived and died, their achievements, and where they traveled. In time, thousands of runestones decorated in the runic alphabet appeared all over the region. Today, runestones are the oldest existing original works of writing in Scandinavia and provide a fascinating record of Old Norse culture and tradition. But what exactly are runic alphabets, and where can you admire some of the finest examples of runestones?
Click through and find out what's written in stone.