Varangian runestones

[4] All of the stones were engraved in Old Norse with the Younger Futhark and the message of many of the inscriptions can be summarized with a poem in the fornyrðislag style found on the Turinge Runestone Sö 338: Brøðr vaʀu þæiʀ bæzstra manna, a landi ok i liði uti, heldu sina huskarla ve[l].

[4] The inscription reads:[43][44][45] þurtsainÞorstæinn× kiarþi|gærði|if×tiʀæftiʀirinmuntÆrinmund,× sunsunsinsinn,auk|ok|kaubtikøyptiþinsaþennsabuby× aukok× aflaþiaflaði× austraustriikarþumGarðum.þurtsain × kiarþi| |if×tiʀ irinmunt × sun sin auk| |kaubti þinsa bu × auk × aflaþi × austr i karþumÞorstæinn {} gærði æftiʀ Ærinmund, {} sun sinn, ok køypti þennsa by {} ok {} aflaði {} austr i Garðum.Þorsteinn made (the stone) in memory of Erinmundr, his son, and bought this estate and earned (wealth) in the east in Garðar (Russia).This runestone was located at the estate of Torsåker but it has disappeared.

The inscription reads:[52][53][54] + kitil×fastrKætilfastr× ristiræisti× stinstæin+ þinaþenna× iftiʀæftiʀ× askutAsgaut,× faþurfaður+ sinsinn.× saʀSaʀ× uasvas× uistrvestr× ukok× ustraustr.+ kuþGuðialbihialpi× ashans× salusalu.+ kitil×fastr × risti × stin + þina × iftiʀ × askut × faþur + sin × saʀ × uas × uistr × uk × ustr + kuþ ialbi × as × salu{} Kætilfastr {} ræisti {} stæin {} þenna {} æftiʀ {} Asgaut, {} faður {} sinn.

[74] The inscription reads:[75][76][77] + gnubhaGnupa~ liþlet: raisaræisa: stainstæin: þinsaþennsa: hibtiʀæftiʀ: kulaifGuðlæif,: bruþurbroðursinsinn.hanHann: antaþisændaðis: austraustr: atatþikumþingum.+ gnubha ~ liþ : raisa : stain : þinsa : hibtiʀ : kulaif : bruþur sin han : antaþis : austr : at þikum{} Gnupa {} let {} ræisa {} stæin {} þennsa {} æftiʀ {} Guðlæif, {} broður sinn.

[92] The inscription reads:[93][94][95][96][97][98] fiuriʀFiuriʀ: kirþugærðu: atat: faþurfaður: kuþangoðan: tyrþdyrð: trikeladrængila: atat: tumaraDomara/domara,: miltanmildan: urþaorðaukok: mataʀmataʀkuþangoðan,: þatþat· (u)-(h)---(u)--(u)(k)(þ)...fiuriʀ : kirþu : at : faþur : kuþan : tyrþ : trikela : at : tumara : miltan : urþa uk : mataʀ kuþan : þat · (u)-(h)---(u)--(u)(k)(þ)Fiuriʀ {} gærðu {} at {} faður {} goðan {} dyrð {} drængila {} at {} Domara/domara, {} mildan {} orða ok {} mataʀ goðan, {} þat {} ...Four (sons) made the magnificence in memory of (their) good father, valiantly in memory of Dómari/the judge, gentle in speech and free with food ...h^aHann(?)l^ffiall(?) [i(?)]kirþuGarðum(?

He met his end in the east in Garðar (Russia).This runestone is a boulder that was found in Esta, and it was made in memory of the captain of a ship who died in Novgorod.

[107] The inscription reads:[108][109][110] (i)nk(i)f(a)[s]trIngifastr· l[i](t)let(h)(a)ku...haggv[a]st(a)...nstæ[i]n· eftiʀæftiʀ· sihuiþSigvið,· faþ-rfað[u]r· si[nsinn.· hanHann· fialfioll· iih]ul(m)[karþiHolmgarði,· skaiþaʀskæiðaʀ· uisivisimi]þmeð· ski...raski[pa]ra.

(i)nk(i)f(a)[s]tr · l[i](t) (h)(a)ku... st(a)...n · eftiʀ · sihuiþ · faþ-r · si[n · han · fial · i h]ul(m)[karþi · skaiþaʀ · uisi mi]þ · ski...raIngifastr {} let haggv[a] stæ[i]n {} æftiʀ {} Sigvið, {} fað[u]r {} sinn.

The runic text is signed by the runemaster Öpir, and uses a bind rune to combine the a-rune and s-rune in the word hua^str, which is tentatively translated as austr ('east').

[115] The inscription reads:[116][117][118] hulmfastrHolmfastr,' roþelfrRoðælfʀ,' ---u[let]u' [ri]starista' run[a]runaʀ' a-a[t]............(i)kifastIngifast,' sunisyni: sinasina,['] -iʀ[þ]æiʀua(ʀ)uvaʀu· hua^straustr(?

)+ iafnaiafna,+ ketilauKætiløyatat+ buantaboandasinsinn.· ¶ bruþrBrøðruaʀuvaʀuþaʀþæiʀbistrabæstramanamanna,: aa: lantilandiaukok: iiliþiliði: utiuti,: h(i)(l)(t)uheldusinisinahuska(r)lahuskarla: ui-ve[l].+ · ketil : auk + biorn + þaiʀ + raistu + stain + þin[a] + at + þourstain : faþur + sin + anuntr + at + bruþur + sin + auk : hu[skar]laʀ + hifiʀ + iafna + ketilau at + buanta sin · ¶ bruþr uaʀu þaʀ bistra mana : a : lanti auk : i liþi : uti : h(i)(l)(t)u sini huska(r)la : ui- +{} Kætill {} ok {} Biorn {} þæiʀ {} ræistu {} stæin {} þenna {} at {} Þorstæin, {} faður {} sinn, {} Anundr {} at {} broður {} sinn {} ok {} huskarlaʀ {} æftiʀ(?)

These brothers were the best of men in the land and abroad in the retinue, held their housecarls well.hanHann+ fialfioll+ ii+ urustuorrustu+ austraustr+ ii+ garþumGarðum,+ lisliðs+ furugiforungi,+ lanmanalandmanna+ bestrbæstr.han + fial + i + urustu + austr + i + garþum + lis + furugi + lanmana + bestrHann {} fioll {} i {} orrustu {} austr {} i {} Garðum, {} liðs {} forungi, {} landmanna {} bæstr.He fell in battle in the east in Garðar (Russia), commander of the retinue, the best of landholders.This runestone was discovered in 1938 in the ruins of the church of Stora Rytterne.

The inscription reads:[145][146][147] tafTaf(?): litlet: risaræisa: estnstæin: þinaþenna: hitiʀæftiʀ: kri(m)utGrimmund.~ uasVaʀ: farinfarinn,: sunsunn: (u)iþfast--Viðfast[aʀ],: aust:arlaaustarla.ulfrUlfʀ: aukok: uibiurnVibiorn: -......kitilasKætilas(?)/Kætilhôss(?): krþigærðu: b-...

(u)b[ryggi]u· (o)a: s---...taf : lit : risa : estn : þina : hitiʀ : kri(m)ut ~ uas : farin : sun : (u)iþfast-- : aust:arla ulfr : auk : uibiurn : -... kitilas : krþi : b-...(u) · (o) : s---Taf(?)

The inscription reads:[158][159][160] : sikstenSigstæinn: letlet: rastiræisa: stainstæin: þe(n)...þenn[a]: eftiʀæftiʀ: ikuarIngvar,: sunsun: sinsinn.: hanHann: uarþvarð: austraustr: tauþrdauðr.

[brantr + risþi + stin + þinsi · eftiʀ nosmu × bruþur sin · saʀ uarþ þrebin × o tustitki]Brandr {} ræisti {} stæin {} þennsi {} æftiʀ Asmund(?

[164] The inscription reads:[165][166][167] : kuliGulli/Kolli: rsþiræisti: stinstæin: þesiþennsi: eftiʀæftiʀ: rþrbrøðr: kunukonu: sinaʀsinnaʀ,: esburnÆsbiorn: okok: iulaIula,: trekadrængia: hrþaharða: kuþagoða.: ianEn: þiʀþæiʀ: urþuurðu: tuþiʀdauðiʀ: ii: lþiliði: ustraustr.

Brandr cut rightly, for whoever can interpret (the runes).harþruþrHærþruðr+ raistiræisti+ stainstæin+ þinsaþennsa+ aiftiʀæftiʀ+ sunsun+ sinsinn+ s(m)iþSmið,+ trakdræng+ kuþangoðan.+ halfburinHalfborinn,+ bruþiʀbroðiʀanshans,+ sitrsitr+ kar¶þumGarðum¶ brantrBrandr.+ ritRett-[i]× iakhiogg,þuþyraþaraða+ khnkann.harþruþr + raisti + stain + þinsa + aiftiʀ + sun + sin + s(m)iþ + trak + kuþan + halfburin + bruþiʀ ans + sitr + kar¶þum ¶ brantr + rit - × iak þu raþa + khnHærþruðr {} ræisti {} stæin {} þennsa {} æftiʀ {} sun {} sinn {} Smið, {} dræng {} goðan.

Cut rightly into, for whoever can interpret (the runes).There are only about ten runestones on Gotland that commemorate men who died in foreign lands, which appears to challenge the common view that the island was "the international trade center of the Viking Age".

[88] The inscription reads:[179][180][181][182][183][184][185][186][187][188][189][190] : syniʀSyniʀ: likna(t)(a)-Liknhvata[ʀ].........(a)rua[g]ærva: merkimærki: kutgott: ebtiræftiʀ: ailikniÆilikni,: kunukonu: koþagoða,: moþurmoður: : syniʀ : likna(t)(a)- ... ...(a)rua : merki : kut : ebtir : ailikni : kunu : koþa : moþur :{} Syniʀ {} Liknhvata[ʀ] ... [g]ærva {} mærki {} gott {} æftiʀ {} Æilikni, {} konu {} goða, {} moður {}The sons of Líknhvatr ... the good landmark made in memory of Eilíkn, a good wife, mother ......(s)...: aukok: kaiʀuataʀGæiʀhvataʀ: aukok: liknuiaʀLiknviaʀ.: ...

: aʀeʀ: menmænn: sinsen: : kuþ a-... ... ...(n) : heni : auk : kieruantum : merki : m-... ...ua : aʀ : men : sin :{} Guð o[k](?)

{} hænni {} ok {} gærvandum {} mærki {} ... ... {} eʀ {} mænn {} sen {}God ... be gracious to her and those making the landmark ... who men...(ʀ)...: ii: karþumGarðum/Garde,: aʀeʀ: uaʀvaʀ: ui(u)(e)Vivi(?)meʀmeðr:: (h).........

[193] This theory was proposed in 1929 by Akeksej I. Sobolevskij, and he suggested that blökumenn was connected to a Central European name for the Kipchak (Qipčaq) Polovcians (Qūmans), which was Blawen, Blauen and a translation of the Slavic Plavci.

: roþuisl : auk : roþalf : þau : litu : raisa : staina : eftir : sy-... ... þria : þina : eftir : roþfos : han : siku : blakumen : i : utfaru kuþ : hialbin : sial : roþfoaʀ kuþ : suiki : þa : aʀ : han : suiu :Hroðvisl {} ok {} Hroðælfʀ {} þaun {} letu {} ræisa {} stæina {} æftiʀ {} sy[ni sina] þria.

The runestone was raised in memory of men led by Vífil who navigated the Dniepr cataracts, and tried to pass the most dangerous of them, the Nenasytec', the άειφόρ of Constantine Porphyrogenitus (Eifor).

[201] The inscription reads:[202][203][204] biarfaaBiartfann: statustaddu: sis[o]þenna(?)stainstæin¶ hakbiarnHægbiorn:[ok]bruþrbrøðr¶[hans]ruþuislRoðvisl,: austainØystæinn,: imuar<-muar>,¶ isesaf[a]hafa: st[ai]n[a]stæina: statastadda: aftaft: raf[a]Rafn¶ su[þ]suðrfurifyriʀ: ru[f]stainiRufstæini.: kuamuKvamu¶ uitvittiiaifurÆifur.

stæin {} Hægbiorn [ok] brøðr [hans] Roðvisl, {} Øystæinn, {} <-muar>, {} es hafa {} stæina {} stadda {} aft {} Rafn {} suðr fyriʀ {} Rufstæini.

The inscription reads:[205][206][207] tustiTosti⁑ risþiresþi⁑ stinsten¶ þonsiþænsi⁑ iftæft⁑ tufaTofa,⁑ isæs¶ uarþwarþ(:) tuþrdøþr: ustrøstr,: burþu¶rbroþur⁑ sinsin,⁑ smiþrsmiþr⁑ osuiþaʀAswiþaʀ.tusti ⁑ risþi ⁑ stin ¶ þonsi ⁑ ift ⁑ tufa ⁑ is ¶ uarþ (:) tuþr : ustr : burþu¶r ⁑ sin ⁑ smiþr ⁑ osuiþaʀTosti {} resþi {} sten {} þænsi {} æft {} Tofa, {} æs {} warþ {} døþr {} østr, {} broþur {} sin, {} smiþr {} Aswiþaʀ.Tosti, Ásviðr's smith, raised this stone in memory of Tófi, his brother, who died in the east.This runic inscription is found on the same stone as N 61,[208] and they tell of the same clan.

[216] According to Judith Jesch, Vitaholm may be related either to Witland, a historical region on the east side of the River Vistula,[217] or to Vindau on the coast of Courland.

[219] The inscription reads:[220][221][222] × ikliEngli× reistireististeinsteinþanaþennaeftireptir× þoral(t)...Þórald,sunsonsinsinn,iseruarþvarðtauþrdauðr× iíuitahol(m)(i)Vitaholmi,miþlimiðliustaulmsUstaholmsaukokkarþaGarða.× × ikli × reisti stein þana eftir × þoral(t)... sun sin is uarþ tauþr × i uitahol(m)(i) miþli ustaulms auk karþa ×{} Engli {} reisti stein þenna eptir {} Þórald, son sinn, er varð dauðr {} í Vitaholmi, miðli Ustaholms ok Garða.