Hakon Jarl runestones

Two of the runestones, one in Uppland (U 617) and one in Småland (Sm 76) mention a Hakon Jarl,[1] and both runologists and historians have debated whether they are one and the same, or two different men.

[3] The most common view among runologists (Brate, von Friesen, Wessén, Jansson, Kinander and Ruprecht) is that the two stones refer to different Hakon Jarls and that one of them was Swedish and the other one Norwegian.

Johan Hadorph noted in 1680 that the name of the deceased in the inscription had been bitten off by locals who believed that doing so would help against tooth ache.

[5] [kuniGunni* aukok: kariKari: raisþuræisþu* stinstæin* efiʀæftiʀ...r...: hanHann: uasvas: butabonda: bastrbæstr: iiruþiroði: hakunar]Hakonaʀ.

[5] Omeljan Pritsak argues that this Hakon is the same as the one who is mentioned on the Södra Betby Runestone and whose son Ulf was in the west, i.e. in England.

At this time, the Catholic Church sponsored the building of roads and bridges through the use of indulgences in return for intercession for the soul.

).× kuþGuð× ialbihialpi× anshans× nunu× autand× ukok× salusalu.kinluk × hulmkis × tutiʀ × systiʀ × sukruþaʀ × auk × þaiʀa × kaus × aun × lit × keara × bru × þesi × auk × raisa × stain × þina × eftiʀ × asur × bunta * sin × sun × hakunaʀ × iarls × saʀ × uaʀ × uikika × uaurþr × miþ × kaeti × kuþ × ialbi × ans × nu × aut × uk × saluGinnlaug, {} Holmgæiʀs {} dottiʀ, {} systiʀ {} Sygrøðaʀ {} ok {} þæiʀa {} Gauts, {} hon {} let {} gæra {} bro {} þessa {} ok {} ræisa {} stæin {} þenna {} æftiʀ {} Assur, {} bonda {} sinn, {} son {} Hakonaʀ {} iarls.

"Ginnlaug, Holmgeirr's daughter, Sigrøðr and Gautr's sister, she had this bridge made and this stone raised in memory of Ôzurr, her husbandman, earl Hákon's son.