Manx runestones

The Manx runestones were made by the Norse population on the Isle of Man during the Viking Age, mostly in the 10th century.

[3] In addition, the church contributed by not condemning the runes as pagan, but instead it encouraged the recording of people for Christian purposes.

(þ)[an](a) : [aft] (u)(f)(a)ik : fauþur : sin : in : kautr : kar[þ]i : sunr : biarnar f(r)(a) : (k)(u)(l)(i) [:]... þenna {} ept Ófeig, {} fǫður {} sinn, {} en {} Gautr {} gerði, {} sonr {} Bjarnar frá {} Kolli.

{}"... this [cross] in memory of Ófeigr, his father, but Gautr made (it), the son of Bjǫrn from Kollr.

sont:ulfSandulfr: hinhinn: suartiSvarti: raistireisti: kruskross: þonaþenna: aftireptir: arin:biaurkArinbjǫrgu,* kuinukonu: sinasína.(u)...[*] k...: au...

[*]: (o)ks/(b)ks...sont:ulf : hin : suarti : raisti : krus : þona : aftir : arin:biaurk * kuinu : sina (u) [*] k : au [*]: (o)ks/(b)ksSandulfr {} hinn {} Svarti {} reisti {} kross {} þenna {} eptir {} Arinbjǫrgu, {} konu {} sína.

[10] The stone depicts a bearded human holding a spear downward at a wolf, his right foot in its mouth, while a large bird sits at his shoulder.

[11] This depiction has been interpreted as the Norse pagan god Odin, with a raven or eagle at his shoulder, being consumed by the wolf Fenrir during the events of Ragnarök.

[13] These combined elements have led to the cross as being described as "syncretic art"; a mixture of pagan and Christian beliefs.

[.........ai]s[t]ireisti: [k]ruskross: þainaþenna: aftiʀeptir......[... ...ai]s[t]i : [k]rus : þaina : aftiʀ ...... reisti {} kross {} þenna {} eptir ..."... raised this cross in memory of ..."[15]Only fragments remain of this stone cross, and they are located in the church Andreas.

: raisti : krus : þono : ift : ufaak : sun : krinaisÞorsteinn {} reisti {} kross {} þenna {} ept {} Ófeig, {} son {} Krínáns.

.........(n)[e]nroskitilHrossketill: uiltivélti: ií: trikutryggu: aiþsoaraeiðsvara: siinsinn.... ...(n) roskitil : uilti : i : triku : aiþsoara : siin... [e]n Hrossketill {} vélti {} í {} tryggu {} eiðsvara {} sinn."...

The inscription consists of short-twig runes and they were made by the runemaster Thorbjörn, like Br Olsen;191B, above.

þurlibrÞorleifr: nhakiHnakki: ristireisti: kruskross: þonoþenna: aftept[:] fiakFiak,: s(u)[n]son(s)insinn,: (b)ruþur:sunbróðurson: habrsHafrs.× IHSVSihsvs>þurlibr : nhaki : risti : krus : þono : aft [:] fiak : s(u)[n] (s)in : (b)ruþur:sun : habrs × {IHSVS}Þorleifr {} Hnakki {} reisti {} kross {} þenna {} ept {} Fiak, {} son sinn, {} bróðurson {} Hafrs.

"Druian, Dufgal's son raised this cross in memory of Aþmiu[l], his wife.

A and B were made by the same scribe, C and D were made by a second and a third one, while a fourth scribe made E, F and G. ...(a)...sunrsonr× raistireisti× if(t)ept[k](u)[i](n)(u)konu(s)(i)(n)(a)sína× ...(a) sunr × raisti × if(t) [k](u)[i](n)(u) (s)(i)(n)(a) ×... sonr {} reisti {} ept konu sína {}"...'s son raised (this) in memory of his wife"murkialuMyrgjǫl× m......murkialu × m...Myrgjǫl {} ..."Myrgjǫl ..."× ukHyggikekat ×ataukokraþræðikekr...tr[é]tt.× × uk ik at × auk raþ ik r...t ×{} Hygg ek {} at ok ræð ek r[é]tt.

... ...(u)s * þense * efter * asriþi * kunu sina * (t)(u)(t)ur * ut... ...-... ... [kr]oss {} þenna {} eptir {} Ástríði, {} konu sína, {} dóttur {} Odd[s].

It has been suggested that this figure represents the Norse pagan deity Heimdall holding the Gjallarhorn, used to announce the coming of Ragnarök.

... ...un * si]n : in : onon : raiti ¶ --- * aftir þurb-...... ... [s]on {} sinn, {} en {} annan {} reisti/rétti {} [hann](?)

The short-twig inscription is dated to the second half of the 12th century and it was made by the same runemaster as Br Olsen;202A.

[36] This inscription is dated to c. 1000 and found on a slab of stone that was used in a grave, and it is located at the church Maughold.

heþinHeðinn: setisetti: kruskross: þinoþenna: eftireptir: tuturdóttur: sinosína¶ lif...Hlíf[hildi].¶ lifiltHlífhildi.heþin : seti : krus : þino : eftir : tutur : sino ¶ lif... ¶ lifiltHeðinn {} setti {} kross {} þenna {} eptir {} dóttur {} sína {} Hlíf[hildi].

......[kru](s)kross: þnaþenna: af[tireptir: ...]...... [kru](s) : þna : af[tir : ...]... kross {} þenna {} eptir {} ..."... this cross in memory of ..."[39]This stone cross is located in the church Kirk Michael, and it is dated to the Viking Age.

× mail:briktiMelbrigði,: sunrsonr: aþakansAðakáns: smiþSmiðs,: raistireisti: kruskross: þanoþenna: furfyr:¶ salusálu: sinasína: sin:brukusynd...(?

),inen: kautGautr׶ kirþigerði: þanoþenna: aukok¶ alaalla: iímaunMǫn.× × mail:brikti : sunr : aþakans : smiþ : raisti : krus : þano : fur :¶ salu : sina : sin:bruku in : kaut ׶ kirþi : þano : auk ¶ ala : i maun ×{} Melbrigði, {} sonr {} Aðakáns {} Smiðs, {} reisti {} kross {} þenna {} fyr {} sálu {} sína {} synd...(?

{}"Melbrigði, the son of Aðakán the Smith, raised this cross for his sin ... soul, but Gautr made this and all in Man.

mal:lymkun⟨mallymkun⟩: raistireisti: kruskross: þenaþenna: eftereptir: mal:mury⟨malmury⟩: fustrafóstra: si(n)esín,: tot(o)rdóttir: tufkalsDufgals,: konakona: iser: aþislAðísl: atiátti.+ ¶ ...etraBetra: eser: laifaleifa: fustrafóstra: kuþangóðan: þanen: sonson: ilanillan.+ mal:lymkun : raisti : krus : þena : efter : mal:mury : fustra : si(n)e : tot(o)r : tufkals : kona : is : aþisl : ati {+ ¶} ...etra : es : laifa : fustra : kuþan : þan : son : ilan +⟨mallymkun⟩ {} reisti {} kross {} þenna {} eptir {} ⟨malmury⟩ {} fóstra {} sín, {} dóttir {} Dufgals, {} kona {} er {} Aðísl {} átti.

+ iualfir⟨iualfir⟩,: sunrsonr: þurulfsÞórulfs: hinshins: rauþaRauða,: ris(t)ireisti: kruskross: þonoþenna: aftept: friþuFríðu,: muþurmóður: sinosína.+ + iualfir : sunr : þurulfs : hins : rauþa : ris(t)i : krus : þono : aft : friþu : muþur : sino +{} ⟨iualfir⟩, {} sonr {} Þórulfs {} hins {} Rauða, {} reisti {} kross {} þenna {} ept {} Fríðu, {} móður {} sína.

{}"⟨iualfir⟩, the son of Þórulfr the Red, raised this cross in memory of Fríða, his mother.

......runarrúnar......... runar ...... rúnar ..."... runes ..."[45]This fragment of a stone cross is located in the church Kirk Michael.