Viking runestones

This article treats the runestone that refer to people who took part in voyages abroad, in western Europe, and stones that mention men who were Viking warriors and/or died while travelling in the West.

This is considered to be the oldest style, and is used for inscriptions with runic text bands that have straight ends without any attached serpent or beast heads.

[uikitil × uk × usur -...u × risa × stin × þina * iftiʀ × ustin × faþ... … ...þan × on furs × uti × miþ × ala × skibin × kuþ × ialbi × (a)t]Vikætill {} ok {} Ossurr [let]u {} ræisa {} stæin {} þenna {} æftiʀ {} Øystæin, {} fað[ur] … [go]ðan.

[kislaukGislaug* litlet* hakuahaggva* atatsunsunsinsinn,* sbialtbuþiSpiallbuði,* ulfrUlfʀ,* ikuarIngvarr,* hulfastrHolmfastr,* kairiGæiʀi,* þaiʀþæiʀ* atatbroþurbroður* sinsinn* þiaknÞiagn,* forsfors* utiuti,okok* atatbiarnBiorn,faþurfaðursinsinn.broBrokirþugærðu.* ku=þGuðhialbihialpisilu]salu.

[6] + 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.

biurnBiorn: aukok: stnfriþStæinfrið: lituletu: arisaræisas--ns[tæi]n: aftiæftiʀ: kisilaGisla.: hanHann: utiuti: fialfioll: iiliþiliði: frekisFrøygæiʀs(?).

* biurn : auk : stnfriþ : litu : arisa s--n : afti : kisila : han : uti : fial : i liþi : frekis *Biorn {} ok {} Stæinfrið {} letu {} ræisa s[tæi]n {} æftiʀ {} Gisla.

[9] The stone is of high notability because it was raised in memory of one of the members of the Dano-English kings' personal guard, the Þingalið, consisting of elite warriors who mostly came from Scandinavia.

[10] ' sterkarStærkarr* aukok' hioruarþrHiorvarðr' letuletu* reisaræisa* þensaþennsa* steinstæinatat' faþurfaðursinsinnkeir(a)Gæiʀa,' sumsum' uestrvestr' satsat' iiþikaliþiþingaliði.* kuþGuðhialbihialpisalusalu.'

It is carved in runestone style Fp, which is the classification for text bands with attached serpent or beast heads depicted as seen from above.

* uitVæit* iakiak,* þetþæt* uaʀvaʀ* sui-Svæi[nn]* uestrvestr* miþmeð* kutiGauti/Knuti.rakna * raisti * stain * þansi * at * suin * buta * sit * auk * sifa * auk * r-knburk * at * sit * faþur * kuþ * hil[b]i * at * [hat]s * uit * iak * þet * uaʀ * sui- * uestr * miþ * kutiRagna {} ræisti {} stæin {} þannsi {} at {} Svæin, {} bonda {} sinn, {} ok {} Sæfa {} ok {} R[a]gnborg {} at {} sinn {} faður.

Several Scandinavian authorities such as Sophus Bugge, Erik Brate, and Elias Wessén have discussed the runestone and how extensive the warfare of Spjót could have been.

"Þóra raised this stone in memory of Œpir, her husbandman.": stainStæinn: saʀ:sisaʀsi: stanrstandr: atat: ybiØpi: oaþik*staþiþingstaði: atat¶ : þuruÞoru: uarver.: hanHann: uestarlavestarla: uaktivæknti(?): karlakarla,¶ [sasaþar]þaʀ* sunrsunʀþaþþað.

: ikialtr : ak : aluiʀ : raisþu : stain : þansi : at : þurbiurn : faþur : sin : han uaistr hafʀ uf uaʀit leki rorikʀ * kumytr biu * kunlaifʀ hiuku runaʀ{} Ingialdr {} ok {} Alveʀ/Ølveʀ {} ræisþu {} stæin {} þannsi {} at {} Þorbiorn, {} faður {} sinn.

[22] kuþbirnGuðbiorn,: utiOddi,: þaiʀþæiʀr(a)isþuræisþu: stanstæinþansiþannsi: atat: kuþmarGuðmar,: f(a)þurfaður: sinsinn.: stuþStoð: triki:l(a)drængila: ii* stafnstafnskibiskipi,: likʀliggʀuistarlavestarlaufofhulnhulinn(?),sarsaʀtudo.

: kuþbirn : uti : þaiʀ r(a)isþu : stan þansi : at : kuþmar : f(a)þur : sin : stuþ : triki:l(a) : i * stafn skibi : likʀ uistarla uf huln sar tu :Guðbiorn, {} Oddi, {} þæiʀ ræisþu {} stæin þannsi {} at {} Guðmar, {} faður {} sinn.

[23] mus:kiaMyskia: a(u)[kok:] (m)an(i)Manni/Mani: lituletu: rasaræisa: ku[(m)(l)kumbl: þausiþausi: atat: b]ruþurbroður* (s)insinn: hr(u)þkaiʀHroðgæiʀ* aukok: faþurfaðursinsinnhulm:stainHolmstæin.

{}"Myskja and Manni/Máni had these monuments raised in memory of their brother Hróðgeirr and their father Holmsteinn."* hanHannhafþihafði* ystarlavestarlau(m)um: uaʀitvaʀit* lenkilængi,: tuudou: a:ustarlaaustarla: meþmeð: inkuariIngvari.

* han hafþi * ystarla u(m) : uaʀit * lenki : tuu : a:ustarla : meþ : inkuari{} Hann hafði {} vestarla um {} vaʀit {} længi, {} dou {} austarla {} með {} Ingvari.

[27] + suertikrSværtingʀ: nukok+ kariKari: aukok: kuþmutrGuðmundr: aukok: skariSkari: aukok: knutrKnutr: raisturæistu: stainstæin: þenaþenna: aftiʀæftiʀ: utrukOtrygg,* faþurfaður: sinsinn,: isesfelfell* iiliþiliði: kuþuisGuðvis.+ + suertikr : nuk + kari : auk : kuþmutr : auk : skari : auk : knutr : raistu : stain : þena : aftiʀ : utruk * faþur : sin : is fel * i liþi : kuþuis +{} Sværtingʀ {} ok {} Kari {} ok {} Guðmundr {} ok {} Skari {} ok {} Knutr {} ræistu {} stæin {} þenna {} æftiʀ {} Otrygg, {} faður {} sinn, {} es fell {} i liði {} Guðvis.

{}"Svertingr and Kári and Guðmundr and Skári and Knútr raised this stone in memory of Ótryggr, their father, who fell in Guðvé's retinue.

: finiþr : kiarþi : kuml : þaisi : eftiʀ : kaiʀbiurn : faþur sin :: han uarþ : tauþr uestr{} Finnviðr(?)

[33] suinaSvæina× karþigærði× brubro× þesiþessi× eftiʀæftiʀ× ouintØyvind,× bruþurbroður× sinsinn.× hanHann× uasvas× uesteʀvestr× tauþeʀdauðr× ii× uereksVærings× (k)ai-i.suina × karþi × bru × þesi × eftiʀ × ouint × bruþur × sin × han × uas × uesteʀ × tauþeʀ × i × uereks × (k)ai-iSvæina {} gærði {} bro {} þessi {} æftiʀ {} Øyvind, {} broður {} sinn.

[36] * uirikʀVæringʀ: restiræisti: stanstæin: eftiʀæftiʀ: þialfaÞialfa,: bruþurbroður: sinsinn,: trakdræng: þanþann,: aʀeʀ* uaʀvaʀ* miʀmeð* knutiKnuti.

It was raised by Hákon in memory of his son Gunnarr and both men are also known from the runestone Ög 162 at Gunnar's bridge located about one-half km north of the church.

[45] tumiTumi/Tummi/Domi× ristiræisti: stinstæin: þansiþannsi: iftiʀæftiʀ× asurAssur,: bruþurbroður× sinsinn,× þanþann: aʀeʀ: uaʀvaʀ: s=kibariskipari: hrhlsHaralds: kunukskunungs.tumi × risti : stin : þansi : iftiʀ × asur : bruþur × sin × þan : aʀ : uaʀ : s=kibari : hrhls : kunuksTumi/Tummi/Domi {} ræisti {} stæin {} þannsi {} æftiʀ {} Assur, {} broður {} sinn, {} þann {} eʀ {} vaʀ {} skipari {} Haralds {} kunungs.

tustiTosti× (r)...(i)r[æist]i...tin[s]tæin× efti(ʀ)æftiʀkunoGunna,× makmag× sinsinn,× þ...…...---s…× ……× uistar-vestar[la]× uar-var[ð]……tusti × (r)...(i) ...tin × efti(ʀ) kuno × mak × sin × þ... ...---s × … × uistar- × uar- …Tosti {} r[æist]i [s]tæin {} æftiʀ Gunna, {} mag {} sinn, {} … … {} … {} vestar[la] {} var[ð] …"Tosti raised the stone in memory of Gunni, his kinsman-by-marriage … … … was westwards ..."[50]This runestone is located at Hablingbo Church.

: hnHann: uahʀvar-istr[v]estr: farinfarinnmiþmeðuikikumvikingum.uatar : auk … hilkaiʀ : raistu : stain : iftir … hailka … f-þur : sin : hn : uahʀ -istr : farin miþ uikikumHvatarr {} ok {} Hæilgæiʀʀ(?)

Although the runic text has been damaged, it describes the relationship between the men using the word felaga or "partner," which is related to félag, a mercantile partnership or financial joint venture.

[55] The stone is known locally as the Västra Ströstenen 1. faþiʀFaþiʀ: litlet: hukuahoggwa: runaʀrunaʀ: þisiþæssi: uftiʀæftiʀ: osurAzur,: bruþurbroþur: sinsin,: isæs: nurnor: uarþwarþ: tuþrdøþr: ii: uikikuwikingu.