Orkesta Runestones
Several of the stones were raised by, or in memory of, the Swedish Viking Ulf of Borresta, who during the 11th century returned home three times with danegeld.
The leaders of the three expeditions were Skagul Toste (Tosti), Thorkell the Tall (Þorketill), and Canute the Great (Knútr).
The animals heads are typically seen in profile with slender almond-shaped eyes and upwardly curled appendages on the noses and the necks.
usnekinOsnikinn' ukok' sikne(o)tSigniutr' ukok' sihuiþ(r)Sigviðr' latalata' reis(a)ræisas(t)iinstæin' eft[ʀæftiʀ'] b[r](u)s(a)Brusa,' faþurfaðursinsinn.usnekin ' uk ' sikne(o)t ' uk ' sihuiþ(r) ' lata ' reis(a) s(t)iin ' eft[ʀ '] b[r](u)s(a) ' faþur sinOsnikinn {} ok {} Signiutr {} ok {} Sigviðr {} lata {} ræisa stæin {} æftiʀ {} Brusa, {} faður sinn.Ósníkinn and Signjótr and Sigviðr have raised the stone in memory of Brúsi, their father.This runestone is in runestone style Pr4, which is also known as Urnes style.
stiain ' iftiʀ ' fa[þu]- ...[n] (b)iaorn * u(k) moþur * siena ' ...(f)(t)(n)-... ...-bi sialu ... [kt]il * risti... stæin {} æftiʀ {} faðu[r] [si]nn Biorn {} ok moður {} sina {} ... [hial]pi sialu ... Kætill {} risti.... the stone in memory of his father Bjôrn and his mother ... may help the soul ... Ketill carved.The runestone U 335 was raised to commemorate the building of a new bridge by Holmi.
The reference to bridge-building in the runic text is fairly common in rune stones during this time period.
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.
),× faþurfaðursinsinn,× uskarlhuskarl× sifruþaʀSigrøðaʀ.ulmi × lit × risa × stin × þina × uk × bru þisi × i(f)tiʀ × iru × faþur sin × uskarl × sifruþaʀHolmi {} let {} ræisa {} stæin {} þenna {} ok {} bro þessi {} æftiʀ {} Hæru(?
[ul]fʀ × lit × risa stin × þi[n]a × iftiʀ × unim × faþurs×bruþr sin þiʀ × buku × baþiʀ × i × baristamUlfʀ {} let {} ræisa stæin {} þenna {} æftiʀ {} Onæm, {} faðursbroður sinn.
[* karsi ' uk ...-rn þaiʀ litu raisa stai- þino ' aftiʀ ' ulf ' faþur sin ' kuþ hialbi hons ... auk| |kuþs muþi]{} Karsi {} ok ... þæiʀ letu ræisa stæi[n] þenna {} æftiʀ {} Ulf, {} faður sinn.
