Runestones in Sweden
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Runestones are letters written in stone
Literally hundreds of These stones can be found in many places in Sweden. The letters are carved into the stone. Somebody did want us to read and remember a person or an event. The use of Runes started about 2000 years ago.
The Runes were used also on gold and other decorations. The text in these special letters - Runes - are on this stone: "Astrid had this memorial made after Anund and Ragnvald, her son. (They) died in Denmark, were powerful in Rauningi and the ablest in Sweden." Today April 2009 a new stone was found in a parking place in Vallentuna. The gardener found it. The text on it is not complete but so far it says: FR put up this stone in memory of Frö Sten. May God help his soul. Can you imagine that nobody has seen the text in about 1000 years! And now we know it. The first stones on this lens are from a place called Aspa. You are welcome to see them anytime. We have filled in some paint in the carvings so you can read the letters :-D
Blessed by a Squid angel -
Runor - now you can carv your name :)
Useful stones over the years
When the stones were carved they were put in a standing posision and like latest news, were read by the folk. Eventually they fell down. Sometimes because of the winter and sometimes because they were tipped over by people.
Some farmers or other people have found these big, flat stones and did not realize what they saw. They used them for stepping stones outside the house or barn. They used them to put things on that must stand firm on the ground.
Over the years many have been found, cleaned and are now standing up again, telling their story.
The stone here has the inscription:
"Here stands the stone in memory of %u0152pir's and Þórunnr's good heir, Gylla's brother. May God help (his) spirit."
This runestone was raised by two parents in memory of their son.
It must have taken a lot of work to make a stone like this. Amazing that we today will remember their son that was born.
We use ads today too. When a child is born or somebody dies. Of course these people long ago were no different from us.
A bridge was also made and the inscription is:
"Slóði and Ragnfríðr, they both had the bridge made and the stone raised in memory of Ígulbjôrn, their son."
Can you imagine if they knew we are reading this inscription now - in the computer ages?
A stone carved in the style RAK
This is one of the Aspa Runestones and it is in style RAK. It was engraved with both long-branch runes and staveless runes. In the last row all the words but the last one were written with staveless runes.
English translation:
A "Þóra raised this stone in memory of %u0152pir, her husbandman."
B "This stone stands in memory of %u0152pir, on the Assembly-place in memory of Þóra's husband. He armed(?) (his) men in the west. The son saw this there ..."
I feel like making a rune stone of my own. And carv - "In memory of my husband"!
Standing here for us to read
This is Rökstenen with the longest text in the world
This stone was erected in the 700 century. It has 760 signs written all over it.
There are so many different interpretations of the text. I have chosen to just give you a splendid site where there is explanations in English. There are many riddles in the text and some are really difficult to explain.
Here is the site:
About the Roek Stone
The text is separated into riddles (statements) by the Old Norse word "sakum" ("I tell") succeeded by an interrogative pronoun. Each riddle is containing one or more stanzas.
The answers are confirmed as hidden in the succeeding riddle.
When "sakum" is followed by "mukmini" the riddle is a common known myth.
According to the numbering nine riddles are missing - representing the "nine generations" mentioned at the stone.
The stone is 382 cm high (of which 125 cm under the ground), 138 cm wide.
You have to read it in a special order:
My lenses about medieval times and rock carvings
You just have to visit Birka
You´d better come here and have a look!
Birka, on the island of Björkö, was the hub of the wealthy area around Lake Mälaren during the Viking era. It was established as a trading post in the 8th century and became an important international port for visitors from near and far. Hovgården, once the royal residence, is just across the bay on the island of Adelsö. This World Heritage Site, Birka and Hovgården, harbours many remains of the people of the Viking era.The homepage of Birka in English:
BIRKA
Archaeologists have been investigating the remains left on Birka and Hovgården since the end of the 19th century. The wealth of findings from excavations speaks of a strongly hierarchical society with major differences between classes and sexes. Extensive trade contacts with the surrounding world are also evident here.
Runestones
This book marks a big step forward in the study of commemorative runic inscriptions and late Viking-Age history. By assembling and analysing so much information from tenth- and eleventh-century rune stones the author has provided scholars with a wealth of readily accessible data for future research.
The Viking-Age Rune-Stones: Custom and Commemoration in Early Medieval Scandinavia
Amazon Price: $48.95 (as of 02/14/2012)
List Price: $65.00
Used Price: $48.36
Release Date: 12/31/1969
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Meet Kristin Lavransdotter!
A girls story from over 1000 years ago
This is the story about Kristin, daugther to Lavrans. We meet her when she is just a little girl and is going to go with her father on horse back. Then we follow Kristin in her life. In love and hate, sorrow and happiness until her last breath. May be it sounds not so exciting but I can asure you it is so well written you cannot put the book away even when you cook - I know - I could not.
I have read these books more than once too.
The Vikings - travellers indeed
Useful links about the people who carved the Runes
- Grimner´s Runes
- Grimner's runes is a page dedicated to the ancient Scandinavian "sed" - the way of our ancestors - which is having a renaissance, growing again in Sweden as well as in other countries.
Grimner's runes is most of all focusing on the spiritual, mystical, shamanic side of our old pre-christian religion. - Ginnungagap
- Niorun
Niorun is the goddess of dreams. The dwarves call nighttime dream-Niorun.
In Ginnungagap you find out stuff about the Nordic gods, vikings and runes!
Here is a link with suggestions for Tattoos! - The Vikings - who were they?
- Merchants or robbers?
T he name "Viking" was first used by foreign authors in the 11th century AD. Its origin is probably the Swedish word for bay, "vik". This shows the close connection between the people and the sea, of which they were totally dependent for their livelihood. They had a mythology of their own. Their gods were called "asar", The Vikings are often considered wild, drunken, merciless robbers. In fact, their main occupation was farming and trade. The Viking expeditions were mostly trade expeditions that sometimes degenerated to looting. But to be honest, there were also expeditions whose main purpose was to loot foreign coastal regions. - The runes - a very good link
- Runes & Divination
Several rune stones have been found in the United States, most notably the Kensington Runestone in Minnesota and the Heavener Stone in Oklahoma.
Introduction to Runes - What the runes are.
Origins of the Runes - Where the runes came from.
Meanings of the Rune Symbols - The Elder Futhark explained.
Read about the Runes and the Vikings
Runestone photo
Rune Stone Ref Sigurd 'Dragon Killer'.
Buy a runestone of your own
More of these fantastic Swedish Runestones
I wish I had the text on these stones in English but I dont
Would you like to understand these carvings?
When I was a little girl in school, we all had to write our names with these ancient letters. Unfortunately I today had forgotten - until now!
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jptanabe
Jun 30, 2011 @ 11:00 am | delete
- Fascinating! It is wonderful to see what people in the past achieved.
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Jerrad28
Jun 13, 2011 @ 5:17 pm | delete
- Very interesting, I would love to be able to find these historical artifacts and try to interpret them for a living
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Philippians468
Mar 29, 2011 @ 9:28 pm | delete
- i believe these can allow us a glimpse into our past and increase our appreciation for the present! thank you for this wonderful and informative lens! cheers
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Margo_Arrowsmith
Feb 24, 2011 @ 3:17 am | delete
- Thanks for the alphabet
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moonlitta
Feb 14, 2011 @ 3:11 am | delete
- Fascinating works! Here's a Valentine's kiss for the lens.
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The Book of Runes: A Handbook for the Use of an Ancient Oracle: The Viking Runes with Stones: 10th Anniversary Edition
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