England runestones
The England runestones (Swedish: Englandsstenarna) are a group of about 30 runestones in Scandinavia which refer to Viking Age voyages to England.[1] They constitute one of the largest groups of runestones that mention voyages to other countries, and they are comparable in number only to the approximately 30 Greece Runestones[2] and the 26 Ingvar Runestones, of which the latter refer to a Viking expedition to the Caspian Sea region. They were engraved in Old Norse with the Younger Futhark.
The Anglo-Saxon rulers paid large sums, Danegelds, to Scandinavian Vikings who arrived to the English shores during the 990s and the first decades of the 11th century. Some runestones relate of these Danegelds, such as the Yttergärde runestone, U 344, which tells of Ulf of Borresta who received the danegeld three times, and the last one he received from Canute the Great. Canute sent home most of the Vikings who had helped him conquer England, but he kept a strong bodyguard, the Thingmen, and its members are also mentioned on several runestones.[3]
The vast majority of the runestones, 27, were raised in modern-day Sweden and 17 in the Swedish provinces around lake Mälaren. In contrast, modern-day Denmark has no such runestones, but there is a runestone in Scania which mentions London. There is also a runestone in Norway and a Swedish one in Schleswig, Germany.
Some Vikings, such as Guðvér did not only attack England, but also Saxony, as reported by the Grinda Runestone Sö 166 in Södermanland:[1]
Below follows a presentation of the England Runestones based on information collected from the Rundata project, organized according to location. The transcriptions from runic inscriptions into standardized Old Norse are in the Swedish and Danish dialect to facilitate comparison with the inscriptions, while the English translation provided by Rundata give the names in standard dialect (the Icelandic and Norwegian dialect).
Uppland
[edit]There are eight runestones in Uppland that mention voyages to England. Several of them were raised in memory of men who had partaken in the Danegeld in England.
U 194
[edit]This secluded runestone is located in a grove near Väsby, Uppland, Sweden. It was raised by a Viking in commemoration of his receiving one danegeld in England. It is classified as being carved in runestone style Pr3 and, together with U 344, it has been said to be the earliest example of an Urnes style inscription in Uppland.[5] The runic text follows a common rule to only carve a single rune for two consecutive letters, even when the letters were at the end of one word and the beginning of a second word.[6] When the text shown as Latin characters, the transliterated runes are doubled and separate words are shown. For U 194 has three examples where this occurred, þinoftiʀ is transliterated as þino| |oftiʀ, tuknuts as tuk| |knuts, and anklanti as a| |anklanti.
al|i|
Ali/Alli
|l|it
let
raisa
ræisa
stain
stæin
þino|
þenna
|oftiʀ
æftiʀ
sik
sik
sialfan
sialfan.
'
hon
Hann
tuk|
tok
|knuts
Knuts
kialt
giald
a|
a
|anklanti
Ænglandi.
'
kuþ
Guð
hialbi
hialpi
hons
hans
ant
and.
"Áli/Alli had this stone raised in memory of himself. He took Knútr's payment in England. May God help his spirit."[7]
U 241
[edit]This runestone is one of the Lingsberg Runestones and was part of a paired monument with U 240. It is located on the courtyard of the estate Lingsberg in Uppland. It was raised by the grandchildren of Ulfríkr in commemoration of his receiving two danegelds in England. It is carved in runestone style Pr3.
n
En
tan
Dan
auk
ok
huskarl
Huskarl
'
auk
ok
sua(i)n
Svæinn
'
l(i)tu
letu
rita
retta
stin
stæin
aftiʀ
æftiʀ
'
ulfrik
Ulfrik,
'
faþurfaþur
faðurfaður
sino
sinn.
'
hon
Hann
hafþi
hafði
o|
a
|onklanti
Ænglandi
tuh
tu
kialt|
giald
|takit
takit.
+
kuþ
Guð
hialbi
hialpi
þiʀa
þæiʀa
kiþka
fæðga
salu|
salu
|uk|
ok
|kuþs
Guðs
muþ(i)
moðiʀ.
"And Danr and Húskarl and Sveinn had the stone erected in memory of Ulfríkr, their father's father. He had taken two payments in England. May God and God's mother help the souls of the father and son."[8]
U 344
[edit]The runestone U 344, in the style Pr3, was found in 1868, at Yttergärde, by Richard Dybeck,[9] but it is today raised at the church of Orkesta, see Orkesta Runestones. Together with U 194, it is considered to be the earliest example of the Urnes style in Uppland.[5]
The runes are written from right to left with the orientation of the runes going in the same direction, but the last words outside the runic band have the usual left-right orientation.[9] It can be dated to the first half of the 11th century because of its use of the ansuz rune for the a and æ phonemes, and because of its lack of dotted runes.[10]
This stone is notable because it commemorates that the Viking Ulf of Borresta had taken three danegelds in England.[9] The first one was with Skagul Toste in 991,[11] the second one with Thorkel the High in 1012[11] and the last one with Canute the Great in 1018.[11] Since there were many years between the danegelds, it is likely that Ulfr returned to Sweden after each danegeld to live as a wealthy magnate.[12][13]
in
En
ulfr
Ulfʀ
hafiʀ
hafiʀ
o|
a
|onklati
Ænglandi
'
þru
þry
kialt|
giald
|takat
takit.
þit
Þet
uas
vas
fursta
fyrsta
þis
þet's
tusti
Tosti
ka-t
ga[l]t.
'
þ(a)
Þa
----
[galt]
(þ)urktil
Þorkætill.
'
þa
Þa
kalt
galt
knutr
Knutr.
"And Ulfr has taken three payments in England. That was the first that Tosti paid. Then Þorketill paid. Then Knútr paid."[14]
U 539
[edit]This runestone is located at the church of Husby-Sjuhundra. It is one of the older runestones as it is in the style RAK. It is raised in memory of Sveinn who intended to go to England but died en route in Jutland. Omeljan Pritsak comments that Sveinn probably died in the Limfjord, Jutland, as the fjord was usually the starting point for campaigns against England.[15] Jansson dates Svein's death to 1015, when Canute the Great's great invasion fleet had been assembled in the Limfjord, a fleet that had many young warriors from Uppland.[16] When the fleet departed for England, Sveinn was no longer aboard.[16]
The hope that God and God's mother would treat the man better than he deserved is an expression that appears on several runestones, and it is not understood as an expression of his having a bad character but it is a request that he should be favoured in the afterlife.[17]
tiarfʀ
Diarfʀ
×
uki
ok
×
urika
Orøkia
×
uk
ok
'
uiki
Vigi
×
uk
ok
×
iukiʀ
Iogæiʀʀ
×
uk
ok
×
kiʀialmʀ
Gæiʀhialmʀ,
×
þiʀ
þæiʀ
bryþr
brøðr
×
aliʀ
alliʀ
×
litu
letu
×
risa
ræisa
×
"Djarfr and Órœkja and Vígi and Jógeirr and Geirhjalmr, all of these brothers had"
stin
stæin
þina
þenna
×
iftiʀ
æftiʀ
×
suin
Svæin,
×
bruþur
broður
×
sin
sinn.
×
saʀ
Saʀ
×
uarþ
varð
×
tuþr
dauðr
a
a
×
iut(l)ati
Iutlandi.
×
on
Hann
skulti
skuldi
"this stone raised in memory of Sveinn, their brother. He died in Jútland. He meant to"
fara
fara
×
til
til
×
iklanþs
Ænglands.
×
kuþ
Guð
×
ialbi
hialpi
×
(o)ns
hans
×
at
and
uk
ok
salu
salu
×
uk|
ok
×|
kus
Guðs
muþiʀ
moðiʀ
×
betr
bætr
×
þan
þan
an
hann
karþi
gærði
til
til.
"travel to England. May God and God's mother help his spirit and soul better than he deserved."[18]
U 616
[edit]This runestone is located at Tång, and it is raised in memory of a man who died in battle in England. It is classified as being carved in runestone style Pr1, but the runemaster is considered to have had little experience in the craft. The runic text contains a bind rune, which is a ligature combining two runes, for an a-rune and a l-rune, which may have been done simply to save space.[19]
fir--(r)iui
<fir--riui>
:
lit
let
rita
retta
*
kuml
kuml
:
yfitiʀr
æftiʀ
:
fnþur
faður
:
sih
sinn
:
baosa
Bosa(?)/Bausa(?)
:
auk
ok
:
boruþur
broður
:
kuru-
<kuru->.
*
kuþ
Guð
hi=a=l-...
hial[pi]
*
ul
<ul>
kuru
<kuru>
-ial
[f]ioll
uti
uti
*
a|
a
|akla--
Ængla[ndi].
"<fir--riui> had the monument erected in memory of his father Bósi(?)/Bausi(?) and (his) brother <kuru->. May God help <ul> <kuru> fell abroad in England."[20]
U 812
[edit]This runestone is carved in runestone style Pr2 and was raised at the church of Hjälsta. It was raised in memory of a man's father who died in England. Based on its size and runic text, it has been suggested that U 812 was once part of a coupled monument located in a cemetery, but that the runestone with the first half of the overall text has been lost.[21] Other pairs of runestones that may have formed a coupled monument in a cemetery are U 49 and U 50 in Lovö and Sö Fv1948;282 and Sö 134 in Ludgo.[21]
×
faþur
faður
×
sin
sinn.
×
saʀ
Saʀ
×
uarþ
varð
×
tauþr
dauðr
×
o
a
eg×loti
Ænglandi.
×
"his father. He died in England."[22]
U 978
[edit]This stone is located in the wall of the church of Gamla Uppsala. It is carved in runestone style Pr2 and made of sandstone. It was made by a man who called himself "traveller to England" in memory of his father.
sihuiþr
Sigviðr
...-i
[ræist]i
+
stain
stæin
+
þina
þenna
+
iklats+fari
Ænglandsfari
+
iftir
æftiʀ
+
uitarf
Vidiarf,
+
faþ(u)(r)
faður
[+
-...
...
...sia]...
...
...ku---
...
"Sigviðr, traveller to England, raised this stone in memory of Védjarfr, (his) father ... ... ..."[23]
U 1181
[edit]This fragmented runestone is classified as being carved in the runestone style Fp and is located at Lilla Runhällen. It was raised by a man who had travelled to England in memory of himself.
...-(i)
...
×
lit
let
×
(a)kua
haggva
...
...
...[k
[si]k
×
sa](l)fan
sialfan,
×
ek-...ns*fari
Æng[la]ndsfari,
'
a(f)i
afi
×
kunu-s
<kunu-s>.
*
"... had (the stone) cut ... (in memory of) himself, traveller to England, grandfather of <kunu-s>."[24]
Södermanland
[edit]There are six known runestones in Södermanland that mention men who had travelled to England.
Sö 46
[edit]This runestone was found in Hormesta, and it is one of the older runestones as it is classified as being carved in runestone style RAK, which is considered to be the oldest style. It is raised by two men in memory of their brother who died in England.
iskil
Æskell
:
auk
ok
:
knauþimanr
Gnauðimandr(?)
:
raistu
ræistu
:
stain
stæin
:
þansi
þannsi
:
at
at
:
bruþur
broður
:
sin
sinn
:
suera
Sværra(?),
:
as
es
:
uarþ
varð
:
tauþr
dauðr
*
o
a
*
eklanti
Ænglandi.
kuml
Kumbl
*
kiarþu
giærðu
:
þatsi
þatsi
:
[kitil
Kætill
[ok]
slakʀ]
Stakkʀ.
"Áskell and Gnauðimaðr(?) raised this stone in memory of their brother Sverri(?), who died in England. Ketill and Stakkr made this monument."[25]
Sö 55
[edit]This runestone in Bjudby was raised by a man in memory of his son Hefnir who went to England and back, and instead of having a warrior's death overseas, he died at home. Due to the use of the ansuz rune for the o phoneme, Erik Brate argues that Hefnir participated in a late 11th-century expedition to England.[26] He suggests that Hefnir was part of the invasion force sent to England by Sweyn Estridsson, in 1069, and which was intended to defeat William the Conqueror's Normans.[27] The invasion had been planned for two years, but William the conqueror bought off the commander of the force who was Sweyn Estridsson's brother Asbjörn.[27] The inscription is in runestone style Pr2 and was carved by two runemasters whose names are normalized as Slóði and Brúni. Brúni's signature is also on Sö 178 at Gripsholm Castle.
þorstain
Þorstæinn
(l)(i)...
le[t
...sa
ræi]sa
:
stain
stæin
:
þena
þenna
:
...
[æftiʀ]
sik
sik
:
sialfan
sialfan
:
auk
ok
:
sun
sun
:
sin
sinn
:
hefni
Hæfni.
:
uaʀ
Vaʀ
til
til
:
enklans
Ænglands
:
ukr
ungʀ
:
trenkr
drængʀ
:
farin
farinn,
:
uarþ
varð
:
þa
þa
*
haima
hæima
:
at
at
:
harmi
harmi
tauþr
dauðr.
kuþ
Guð
hialbi
hialpi
:
sialu
sialu
:
þaima
þæiʀa.
bruni
Bruni
:
auk
ok
:
sloþi
Sloði
:
þaiʀ
þæiʀ
...(u)
[rist]u
stan
stæin
þena
þenna.
"Þorsteinn had this stone raised in memory of himself and his son Hefnir. The young valiant man travelled to England; then died grievously at home. May God help their souls. Brúni and Slóði, they carved this stone."[28]
Sö 83
[edit]This runestone has disappeared, but it was located at the church of Tumbo. It is classified as possibly being in runestone style Pr4. The inscription has been attributed based on stylistic analysis to the runemaster Näsbjörn, and what little remained of the stone when it was discovered said that a man drowned in England.
Sö 160
[edit]This runestone is located at the church of Råby. Like the Kolsta Runestone, it is raised in memory of a man who died in the assembly retinue (þingalið) in England.[15]
:
aybirn
Øybiorn
:
raisþi
ræisþi
:
stain
stæin
:
þansi
þannsi
:
at
at
:
karþi
Skærði.
:
han
Hann
uarþ
varð
:
tauþr
dauðr
:
o|
a
|oklati
Ænglandi
i
i
liþi
liði.
"Eybjǫrn raised this stone in memory of Skerðir. He died in the retinue in England."[30]
Sö 166
[edit]This runestone which is located in Grinda is in the style RAK. It is raised in memory of a father who divided up gold in England and attacked some towns in northern Germany. According to Omeljan Pritsak, the gold which was divided was part of the danegeld,[31] and Erik Brate argues that it was the same expedition as the one mentioned on the Berga Runestone.[32]
:
kriutkarþr
Griutgarðr,
:
ainriþi
Æinriði,
:
suniʀ
syniʀ,
:
kiarþu
giærðu
:
at
at
:
faþur
faður
:
snialan
sniallan.
:
kuþuiʀ
Guðveʀ
:
uaʀ
vaʀ
uastr
vestr
:
a
a
:
aklati
Ænglandi,
:
kialti
gialdi
:
skifti
skifti,
:
burkiʀ
borgiʀ
:
a
a
:
sahks:lanti
Saxlandi
:
suti
sotti
:
kaula
karla.
"Grjótgarðr (and) Einriði, the sons made (the stone) in memory of (their) able father. Guðvér was in the west; divided (up) payment in England; manfully attacked townships in Saxony."[33]
Sö 207
[edit]This runestone is located at the church of Överselö. It is made of sandstone and carved in runestone style Fp. It is in memory of a father who travelled to England.
kuþr...
Guð...
...
...
(f)aþur
faður
sin
sinn.
*
fur
For
*
hfila
hæfila
*
hn
hann
*
til
til
*
iklans
Ænglands.
*
kuþ
Guð
halbi
hialpi
*
sil
sal
hns
hans.
"Guð-... ... his father. He competently travelled to England. May God help his soul."[34]
Västmanland
[edit]In Västmanland, there are three runestones that refer to voyages to England.
Vs 5
[edit]This runestone is located in the garden of the farm Vändle and it is tentatively categorized as being carved in runestone style Fp. It is raised in memory of a man who travelled to England.
[kra-hni-
<kra-hni->
×
lit
let
×
resa
ræisa
×
s...
s[tæin]
...]
...
+
uas
vas
×
farin
farinn
+
til
til
+
ekla-s
Ængla[nd]s.
[×
(t)u
Do
i
i
×
sbelbuþa
Spiallbuða
×
--s(a)þu
...
×
helb]i
Hialpi
×
kuþ
Guð
[×
se...
se[lu
...
hans]
...
...
sigi
Siggi
*
iuk
hiogg
×
-u...]
[r]u[naʀ].
"<kra-hni-> had the stone raised ... travelled to England, died in Spjallboði's ... May God help his soul ... Siggi cut the runes."[35]
Vs 9
[edit]This runestone is located near the bridge of Saltängsbron and it is in the style Pr3. It is in memory of a man who died in England.
×
kisl
Gisl
×
lit
let
×
kera
gærva
×
buru
bro
×
eftʀ
æftiʀ
×
osl
Asl/ǫsl,
×
sun
sun
×
sin
sinn.
×
han
Hann
u(a)[rþ]
varð
×
tyþr
dauðr
×
a
a
eklati
Ænglandi.
×
kuþ
Guð
ialbi
hialpi
×
has
hans
×
ont
and
auk
ok
×
selu
selu.
"Gísl had the bridge made in memory of Ásl/ǫsl, his son. He died in England. May God help his spirit and soul."[36]
Vs 18
[edit]This runestone is located in Berga and is classified as being carved in runestone style Fp. It was carved by the same runemaster as the Ingvar runestone Vs 19. Similar to the inscription on U 194, the runic text has an example where a single rune was used for two consecutive letters with one at the end of one word and the other at the start of a second word.[6] The runemaster on both Vs 18 and Vs 19 used the same runes trekuþan which were transliterated to show two letters and separate words as trek| |kuþan. Vs 18 and Vs 19 were also sponsored by the same person, Gunnvaldr.
(k)hunaltr
Gunnaldr
*
liet
let
resa
ræisa
*
sthin
stæin
*
þensa
þennsa
*
iftir
æftiʀ
*
kerfast
Gæiʀfast,
*
sun
sun
sen
sinn,
*
trek|
dræng
|kuþan
goðan,
*
auk
ok
*
uas
vas
farin
farinn
*
til
til
eklans
Ænglands.
*
hiolbi
Hialpi
*
kuþ
Guð
*
salu
salu
*
hans
hans.
"Gunnvaldr had this stone raised in memory of Geirfastr, his son, a good valiant man. And (he) had travelled to England. May God help his soul."[37]
Gästrikland
[edit]In Gästrikland, there is only one runestone that mentions a voyage to England.
Gs 8
[edit]This is a fragment that remains of a runestone. It was found in 1927 in Västra Hästbo near the church of Torsåker, and today it is almost hidden behind a pillar inside the church. It is in sandstone and it is one of the older runestones as it is carved in runestone style RAK. This the classification for inscriptions with runic band ends which do not have any attached serpent or beast heads. The runic text indicates that it was raised in memory of a man who went to England. The last word has a bind rune that combines a k-rune and u-rune, but it has been suggested that this was done to correct an error made when carving the text.[38]
asmuntr
Asmundr
-...
...
...faþ-...
...
han
Hann
:
uas
vas
:
uist
vestr
:
---
[ut a]
ikla-ti
Ængla[n]di
...k=uust--
...
"Ásmundr ... ... He was abroad in the west in England ..."[39]
Östergötland
[edit]In Östergötland, there are two runestones that mention men who travelled to England, and both men died there.
Ög 104
[edit]This runestone is located in Gillberga. It is in the style Fp and it is raised in memory of a brother who died in England. The stone is located near an ancient road and was raised to its current position in 1866.
:
ruþr
Rauðr
:
risti
ræisti
:
stin
stæin
:
þinsi
þennsi
:
iftiʀ
æftiʀ
:
tuk-
Tok[a],
:
bruþur
broður
:
sin
sinn,
:
saʀ
saʀ
:
uarþ
varð
:
trbin
drepinn
:
a
a
:
ilati
Ænglandi,
:
triʀ
drængʀ
:
arþa
harða
:
kuþr
goðr.
:
"Rauðr raised this stone in memory of Tóki, his brother, a very good valiant man, who was killed in England."[40]
Ög Fv1950;341
[edit]This runestone is dated to around 1025, and was raised in memory of a father who died in England. It was discovered in 1950 lying with the text downwards on the property of the farm Kallerstad, only 200 metres from Ög 113. It was probably found in its original location since a road used to pass the stone. The stone had been broken into two pieces, but was reassembled and raised outside of the county museum of Linköping. The stone is in greyish red granite and it is 3.95 m tall (2.98 above soil) and 1.43 m wide, and the surface is quite weathered. The name Vígfastr is otherwise unattested on runestones and also the name Helga was quite rare.[41] It is carved in runestone style Fp.[42]
The Rundata designation for this Östergötland inscription, Ög Fv1950;341, refers to the year and page number of the issue of Fornvännen in which the runestone was first described.
...-iur-
...[b]ior[n]
:
auk
ok
:
as-iurn
As[b]iorn
:
þiʀ
þæiʀ
:
ristu
ræistu
:
stin
stæin
:
þasi
þasi
:
eft-ʀ
æft[i]ʀ
:
uikfast
Vigfast,
:
faþur
faður
:
sin
sinn,
:
es
es
uas
vas
:
tuþr
dauðr
:
o
a
:
eklati
Ænglandi,
:
sun
sun
:
helgu
Hælgu.
"...-bjǫrn and Ásbjǫrn, they raised this stone in memory of Vígfastr, their father, Helga's son. He died in England."[42]
Småland
[edit]In Småland, there are five or six runestones that mention voyages to England. One of them (Sm 77) mentions a man who was a marshal (stallari) in England.
Sm 5
[edit]This runestone is located in Transjö. It is one of the older stones as it is in the style RAK. The runes are unusual as the m-runes are dotted () and the k-runes have a stroke to the left instead of to the right. The stone was raised in memory of a son who died in England named Ketill, who was described as being óníðingr. Óníðingr, which with the ó- prefix means the opposite of the Old Norse pejorative word níðingr, was used to describe a man as being virtuous and is translated in the Rundata database as "unvillainous." It is used as a descriptive term on inscriptions Sö 189 in Åkerby, Sm 37 in Rörbro, Sm 147 in Vasta Ed, and DR 68 in Århus, and appears as a name or part of a name on inscriptions Ög 77 in Hovgården, Ög 217 in Oppeby, Sm 2 in Aringsås, and Sm 131 in Hjortholmen.[43] The text on Sm 5, Sm 37, and Ög 77 use the same exact phrase manna mæstr oniðingʀ or "most unvillainous of men" to describe the deceased,[43] and DR 68 uses a variant of this phrase.[44]
:
kotr
Gautr
:
sati
satti
:
sten
stæin
:
þana
þenna
:
eftʀ
æftiʀ
:
ketil
Kætil,
:
"Gautr placed this stone in memory of Ketill"
:
sun
sun
:
sin
sinn.
:
han
Hann
:
faʀ
vaʀ
:
"his son. He was"
:
mana
manna
:
mesr
mæstr
o:niþikʀ
oniðingʀ,
:
eʀ
eʀ
a
a
:
eklati
Ænglandi
:
ali
aldri
:
tunþi
tyndi.
"the most unvillainous of men, who forfeited his life in England."[45]
Sm 27
[edit]This runestone is raised on the cemetery of the church of Berga. It is classified as being in runestone style RAK and it is consequently one of the older runestones. It is raised in memory of a man who died in England.
--rþr
[Þo]rðr
*
ris(t)i
ræisti
*
kuml
kumbl
*
þe...
þe[ssi]/þe[tta]
...
...
...-aþis
[ænd]aðis
*
o
a
*
eklanti
Ænglandi.
*
"Þórðr raised this/these(?) monument(s) ... met his end in England."[46]
Sm 29
[edit]This runestone is located in Ingelstad. It is carved in runestone style RAK and is consequently one of the older runestones. It was raised in memory of a father who died in England.
...r
...
rsþi
ræisþi
*
stin
stæin
*
iftiʀ
æftiʀ
*
þur--(ʀ)
Þor[gæi]ʀ,
*
fa-ur
fa[ð]ur
*
sin
sinn.
*
saʀ
Saʀ
*
etaþis
ændaðis
*
o
a
*
-klanti
[Æ]nglandi.
*
"... raised the stone in memory of Þorgeirr, his father. He met his end in England."[47]
Sm 77
[edit]This runestone is located in Sävsjö, and it is raised by Vrái in memory of a brother who died in England. Later, Vrái would also receive a memorial, the nearby Komstad Runestone which tells that Vrái had been the marshall (stallari) of an earl Hakon,[48] who was probably the earl Håkon Eiriksson.[16][31]
:
urai
Vrai
:
sati
satti
:
stin
stæin
:
þonsi
þannsi
:
eftiʀ
æftiʀ
:
kuna
Gunna,
:
bruþur
broður
:
sin
sinn.
:
han
Hann
:
uaʀ
vaʀ
tauþr
dauðr
:
o
a
:
iklati
Ænglandi.
"Vrái placed this stone in memory of Gunni, his brother. He died in England."[49]
Sm 101
[edit]The Nävelsjö runestone is located at the estate of Nöbbelesholm, and it is raised in memory of a father who died in England and was buried by his brother in Bath, Somerset.
:
kun(t)(k)el
Gunnkell
:
sati
satti
:
sten
stæin
:
þansi
þannsi
:
eftiʀ
æftiʀ
:
kunar
Gunnar,
:
faþur
faður
:
sin
sinn,
:
sun
sun
:
hruþa
Hroða.
:
halgi
Hælgi
:
lagþi
lagði
:
han
hann
:
i
i
:
sten:þr
stæinþro,
:
bruþur
broður
:
sin
sinn,
:
a
a
:
haklati
Ænglandi
:
i
i
:
baþum
Baðum.
"Gunnkell placed this stone in memory of Gunnarr, his father, Hróði's son. Helgi, his brother, laid him in a stone coffin in Bath in England."[50]
Sm 104
[edit]This fragment of a runestone is located in the atrium of the church of Vetlanda and what remains appears to say "in the west in England."
Västergötland
[edit]Vg 20
[edit]This runestone is located in Västanåker and is classified as being carved in runestone style RAK. It was raised as a memorial to a son who died in England.
...
...
risti
ræisti
×
stin
stæin
×
iftiʀ
æftiʀ
×
kurmar
Guðmar(?),
×
sun
sun
×
sin
sinn.
+
iaʀ
Eʀ
×
uaʀ
vaʀ
+
trbin
drepinn
×
a
a
×
iklanti
Ænglandi.
×
"... raised the stone in memory of Guðmarr(?), his son, who was killed in England."[52]
Vg 187
[edit]This runestone is located at the church of Vist. It is carved in runestone style RAK and it is thus one of the older runestones. It was raised in memory of a brother who died in England.
+
giʀi
Gæiʀi
*
sati
satti
*
stin
stæin
*
þana
þenna
*
eftiʀ
æftiʀ
*
kuþa
Guða,
*
bruþur
broður
*
sin
sinn.
*
eʀ
Eʀ
*
a
a
ok*lanti
Ænglandi
*
altri
aldri
*
tynþi
tynði.
×
"Geiri placed this stone in memory of Guði, his brother, who forfeited his life in England."[53]
Scania
[edit]DR 337
[edit]This runestone is located in Valleberga at "runestone hill" in Lund. It is one of the older runestones as it is classified as being carved in runestone style RAK.
:
suin
Swen
:
auk
ok
:
þurgutr
Þorgotr/Þorgundr
:
kiaurþu
gærþu
:
kubl
kumbl
:
þisi
þæssi
¶
eftiʀ
æftiʀ
:
mana
Manna
¶
auk
ok
*
suina
Swena.
"Sveinn and Þorgautr/Þorgunn made this monument in memory of Manni and Sveini."
kuþ
Guþ
:
hialbi
hialpi
:
siaul
siol
:
þeʀa
þeʀa
:
uel
wæl,
:
ian
æn
:
þeʀ
þeʀ
:
likia
liggia
:
i
i
:
luntunum
Lundunum.
"May God well help their souls. And they lie in London."[54]
Germany
[edit]DR 6
[edit]This runestone is located in Schleswig Cathedral. The ornamentation shows that it was made by a Swede. It was made in memory of a man who lay dead in a location called Skía in Old Norse in England. According to Omeljan Pritsak, Skía was probably Shoebury in Essex or Skidby in Yorkshire.[55]
...
l(i)t
(:)
r(i)(s)(a)
:
stain
:
e...
"... had the stone raised in memory of"
...-an
...
:
s(u)(l)...
...
¶
...
...
...(a)uþr
[d]øþr
:
...
...
¶
...(n)
...
:
auk
ok
:
kuþmuntr
Guþmundr
:
þaʀ
þeʀ
[:]
[r]...
r[istu
...[(a)ʀ]
run]aʀ.
"... ... ... dead ... ... and Guðmundr, they carved the runes."
:
a
A
enklanti
Ænglandi
:
i
i
skiu
Skiu
(:)
-uilis
[h]wilis.
:
kr...
Kr[istr](?)
...
...
...
...
"(He) rests at Skía in England. Christ ... ..."[56]
United Kingdom
[edit]E 2
[edit]This runestone, also known as Br E2), is a Viking Age runic inscription from the early 11th century, in a coffin of limestone in Saint Paul's Cathedral in London.[57] The stone is in style Pr2, also known as Ringerike style.[57] It has remains of dark blue and red colour.[57] The stone is placed in the Museum of London.[58]
It is possible that it was made in memory of a Viking warrior who died in service of king Canute the Great,[59] and the creature on the stone may represent Sleipnir, Odin's eight-legged horse.[60]
:
k-na
G[i]nna(?)/G[í]na(?)
:
let
lét
:
legia
leggja
:
st¶in
stein
:
þensi
þenna
:
auk
ok
:
tuki
Tóki.
:
"Ginna(?)/Gína(?) had this stone laid and (i.e. with) Tóki."
Norway
[edit]N 184
[edit]This runestone is located in Galteland in Aust-Agder. It is an older runestone as it is classified as being in runestone style RAK. It was raised in memory of a son who died in service with the army of Canute the Great when he attacked England.
arn×[stin]
Arnsteinn
×
risti
reisti
×
stin
stein
×
þi[na]
þenna
×
iftir
eptir
×
bior
Bjór,
×
[s]un
son
×
sin
sinn.
×
[sa
Sá
×
uar]
varð
tuþr
dauðr
×
i
í
liþi
liði,
×
þ[(o)s
þá's
×
knutr
Knútr
soti
sótti
×
iklot
England.
+]
¶
×
in
Einn
is
er
ko[þ]
Guð.
"Arnsteinn raised this stone in memory of Bjórr his son who died in the retinue when Knútr attacked England. God is one."[61]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c Harrison & Svensson 2007:199
- ^ Jansson 1980:34.
- ^ Harrison & Svensson 2007:198.
- ^ Entry Sö 166 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ a b Horn Fuglesang 1998:201.
- ^ a b Page 1987:22.
- ^ Entry U 194 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.http://www.nordiska.uu.se/forskn/samnord.htm
- ^ Entry U 241 Samnordisk runtextdatabas.
- ^ a b c Enoksen 1998:122.
- ^ Enoksen 1998:124.
- ^ a b c Pritsak 1981:392.
- ^ Enoksen 1998:125.
- ^ Jansson 1980:36.
- ^ Entry U 344 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ a b Pritsak 1981:339.
- ^ a b c Jansson 1980:38.
- ^ Jansson 1987:116.
- ^ Entry U 539 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ MacLeod 2002:134.
- ^ Entry U 616 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ a b Bäckvall 2010:6.
- ^ Entry U 812 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry U 978 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry U 1181 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Sö 46 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Brate 1922:60.
- ^ a b Brate 1922:61.
- ^ Entry Sö 55 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Sö 83 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Sö 160 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ a b Pritsak 1981:343.
- ^ Brate 1922:62.
- ^ Entry Sö 166 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Sö 207 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Vs 5 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Vs 9 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Vs 18 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ MacLeod 2002:123, 145.
- ^ Entry Gs 8 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Ög 104 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Jansson 1950:341-342.
- ^ a b Entry Ög Fv1950;341 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ a b Zilmer 2005:178.
- ^ Naumann 1994:499-500.
- ^ Entry Sm 5 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Sm 27 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Sm 29 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Pritsak 1981:411.
- ^ Entry Sm 77 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Sm 101 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Sm 104 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Vg 20 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Vg 187 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Entry Dr 337 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ Pritsak 1981:342.
- ^ Entry Dr 6 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
- ^ a b c Scandinavian Runic-text Database - Rundata.
- ^ "Rectangular grave slab: 11th century". Museum of London. Archived from the original on 2019-11-28. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
- ^ Simon Keynes: The Burial of King Æthelred the Unready at St Paul’s. W: The English and Their Legacy, 900-1200. Essays in Honour of Ann Williams. edited by David Roffe. Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2012, s. 141-142. ISBN 978-1-84383-794-7.
- ^ Forte, Oram, and Pedersen (2005), Viking Empires, ISBN 0-521-82992-5 p. 73
- ^ Entry N 184 in Rundata 2.0 for Windows.
Sources
[edit]- Bäckvall, Maja (2010), "Dvärgstenen U 359 Skepptuna k:a (pre-symposium version)" (PDF), Runes in Context, Seventh International Symposium on Runes and Runic Inscriptions, Oslo, Norway, archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-16, retrieved 2010-09-28
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Brate, Erik. (1922). Sverges Runinskrifter. Stockholm, Natur & Kultur.
- Enoksen, Lars Magnar. (1998). Runor : Historia, Tydning, Tolkning. Historiska Media, Falun. ISBN 91-88930-32-7
- Harrison, D. & Svensson, K. (2007). Vikingaliv. Fälth & Hässler, Värnamo. ISBN 978-91-27-35725-9.
- Horn Fuglesang, Signe. (1998). Swedish Runestones of the Eleventh Century: Ornament and Dating, Runeninschriften als Quellen Interdisziplinärer Forschung (K.Düwel ed.). Göttingen ISBN 3-11-015455-2
- Jansson, Sven B. F. (1950). "Några Nyligen Uppdagade Runstenar" (PDF). Fornvännen. 45. Swedish National Heritage Board: 330–344. ISSN 1404-9430. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
- Jansson, Sven B. F. (1980). Runstenar. STF, Stockholm. ISBN 91-7156-015-7
- Jansson, Sven B. F. (1987), Runes in Sweden, Gidlunds, ISBN 917844067X
- MacLeod, Mindy (2002). Bind-Runes: An Investigation of Ligatures in Runic Epigraphy. Uppsala Universitet. ISBN 91-506-1534-3.
- Naumann, Hans-Peter (1994). ""Hann var manna mestr oniðingr": Zer Poetizität Metrischer Runeninschriften". In Hoops, Johannes; Beck, Heinrich (eds.). Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde (in German). Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. pp. 490–502. ISBN 3-11-012978-7.
- Page, Raymond Ian (1987). Runes. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-06114-4.
- Peterson, Lena. Nordisk Runnamslexikon at the Swedish Institute for Linguistics and Heritage (Institutet för språk och folkminnen).
- Pritsak, Omeljan. (1981). The Origin of Rus'. Cambridge, Mass.: Distributed by Harvard University Press for the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. ISBN 0-674-64465-4
- Zilmer, Kristel (2005). "He Drowned in Holmr's Sea": Baltic Traffic in Early Nordic Sources (PDF). Tartu University Press. ISBN 9949-11-090-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-20.
- Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk - Rundata