The Swedish Bulletin - Archives: Rune Stones: Legacy of the Vikings

Rune Stones:

Legacy of the Vikings

TEXT: ERIC PAGLIA
PHOTO: TOMMY ARVIDSON/ © UPPLANDS MUSEET

Much of Scandinavia’s medieval history is shaded in mystery due to a lack of written records. Writing on paper was practically unknown prior to the arrival of Christianity in the latter part of the 10th century. The Vikings did not, however, entirely lack a written language. Instead of pen and paper, they chose hammer and stone. Runes are the characters used by the Germanic tribes of northern Europe from around 200 A.D. They continued in use for writing in some areas until at least the 15th century. Most runes that exist today are found etched in stone, and Sweden has the highest concentration of rune stones in the world.
Runes were originally considered gifts from the gods, revealed to mankind by the one-eyed Odin, foremost of the Norse gods. These reminders of Scandinavia’s pagan past can still be seen in a number of places throughout Sweden, carved into rune stones and scattered across the countryside. These surviving monoliths offer some of the best insights into Viking and pre-Viking age history, culture and beliefs.
The earliest runic inscriptions in Sweden dating from around the 3rd century A.D. are often difficult to decipher, and are believed by some to have mysterious magical meanings. Until the onset of “the Viking era” in Scandinavia at the end of 8th century, runes were written in a 24-character “futhark”- the runic alphabet named after the first seven sounds in the sequence. This elder futhark was later shortened to 16 characters, and it is in this alphabet that most surviving runes in Sweden are written.
Runes had a number of uses over the centuries for Germanic peoples of northern Europe. Thought to be of divine origin, runes in their earliest form may have been used for magical rituals and divination by pagan priests. Understanding of the runic alphabet became more widespread later on during the Viking era in Scandinavia, and runes became more common as a form of written language.
The runic characters were adapted from the Latin alphabet, and consist almost entirely of straight lines. This facilitated carving. Wood was probably the most common material used for runic writing; runes carved in wood, however, have not withstood the test of time and the majority of runes that still survive to this day are etched in stone. Runes have also been found on weapons, ornaments, jewelry, graves and bones, but it is the monumental rune stones that truly capture the imagination and stand as imposing memorials of the Viking Age.
Most remaining rune stones found in Sweden were actually carved by Christian converts in the later part of the Viking era, often with their distinctive crosses. The runic characters themselves are usually written inside the body of a serpent, coiling around the surface of the stone and ultimately biting itself. Even though the rune stones found today are usually bare (besides the engravings), it is believed that they were originally painted in an array of colours.
Runes, however, have a much longer history than Christianity in Scandinavia. Pre-Christian runes are rarer because many stones that evoked heathenism were destroyed or put to other use. Ironically, pagan rune stones can sometimes be found built into the walls of churches- apparently considered a convenient and better use of the material by practitioners of the new faith.
One such stone can actually be found right in Stockholm’s old town, built into the side of a house located on the corner of Kåkbrinken and Prästgatan. Other rune stones in Stockholm can be seen at Skansen, and in the Museum of National Antiquities. Many of the world’s rune stones found “in the wild” are located just north of Stockholm in the Uppland region. The inscriptions on some of these stones tell tales of adventures in the east, along the rivers of Russia, where many Swedish Vikings went raiding, or trading as merchants. The relatives of those that never returned sometimes commissioned the carving and raising of rune stones in memory of their lost loved ones. Other Uppland rune stones were erected by wealthy landowners as a tribute to themselves.
Concentrations of rune stones can be found in Uppsala, and the nearby town of Sigtuna. The Historical Museum of Gotland in Visby has a fantastic collection of picture stones, some of which incorporate runes along with other symbols and scenes from the first millennium A.D. Perhaps the most impressive rune stone in the world is the Rök Stone in the province of Östergötland. Carved in the 9th century, the Rök Stone stands 2.5 meters tall and is covered with over 700 runes that pay tribute to the dead son of a man named Varin. Besides memorialising Varin’s son, the runes on the Rök Stone include myths and legends, epic stories, and even evoke the thunder god Thor. Even though the runes on the Rök Stones can be read in a literal sense, however, their true meaning remains shrouded in mystery.

Rune stones are scattered all over Sweden. Uppland has more than a thousand. For tips contact the Uppland Museum +46(0)18169100.

Rune stone in red-gray granit, atributed to master Balle. The inscription, deep and clear says: “Gisl och Ingemund, goda unga män, läto göra minnesmärket efter Halvdan, sin fader, och efter Ödis, sin moder. Gud hjälpe nu väl hennes själ.” “Gisl and Ingemund, good youn men, made this memor y stone after Halvdan, their father, and after Ödis, their mother. God help her soul.”