The Baltic area runestones are Viking runestones in memory of men who took part in peaceful or warlike expeditions across the Baltic Sea, where Finland and the Baltic states are presently located.
Beside the runestones treated in this article and in the main article Varangian runestones, there are many other runestones that talk of eastward voyages such as the Greece runestones, Italy runestones, and inscriptions left by the Varangian Guard. Other runestones that deal with Varangian expeditions include the Ingvar runestones (erected in honor or memory of those who travelled to the Caspian Sea with Ingvar the Far-Travelled).[1] In addition, there were also voyages to Western Europe mentioned on runestones that are treated in the articles Viking runestones, England runestones and Hakon Jarl runestones.
Below follows a presentation of the runestones based on the Rundata project. The transcriptions into Old Norse are mostly in the Swedish and Danish dialect to facilitate comparison with the inscriptions, while the English translation provided by Rundata gives the names in the de facto standard dialect (the Icelandic and Norwegian dialect):
Uppland
[edit]U 180
[edit]This runestone is possibly in style Pr4 and it is located at the church of Össeby-Garn. It was made by the runemaster Visäte. The stone commemorates a man who either died in Viborg, Jutland, or in Vyborg, Karelia. Part of the inscription's text "he died in Véborg" is written on the design's cross, which may have indicated to those at home that Sigsteinn, while dying abroad, had received proper Christian burial treatment.[2]
+
sihatr
Sighvatr
*
uk
ok
+
þurbiorn
Þorbiorn
+
uk
ok
*
þurkri(m)
Þorgrimʀ
+
uk
ok
*
erinmontr
Ærinmundr
'×
litu
letu
×
reisn
ræisa
+
stein
stæin
+
aftiʀ
æftiʀ
+
broþur
broður
+
sin
sinn
+
sikstnin
Sigstæin.
+
hn
Hann
to
do
i
i
uib(u)(r)kum
Viborgum.
Sighvatr and Þorbjǫrn and Þorgrímr and Erinmundr had the stone raised in memory of their brother Sigsteinn. He died in Véborg."
U 214
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/U_214%2C_Vallentuna.jpg/150px-U_214%2C_Vallentuna.jpg)
This runestone from c. 1100 is in the style RAK. It is in the wall of the porch of the church of Vallentuna. The U 215 contains the first part of the message. The stones were carved in memory of a man who drowned in Holmr's sea, but runologists are divided on the meaning of the expression. One interpretation proposed by Jansson is that it means the "Novgorodian sea" and refers to the Gulf of Finland.[3] The runestone provides the earliest Swedish attestation of an end rhyme,[4] whereas the earliest Old Norse attestation is Höfuðlausn composed by Egill Skallagrímsson.[5]
...
...
uk
ok
×
inkiber
Ingebærg
×
eftiʀ
æftiʀ
×
buanta
boanda
×
sin
sinn.
'
han
Hann
'
troknaþi
drunknaði
÷
a
a
'
holms
Holms
'
hafi
hafi,
'
skreþ
skræið
'
knar
knarr
'
hans
hans
'
i
i
'
kaf
kaf,
þriʀ
þriʀ
'
eniʀ
æiniʀ
'
kamo
kvamu
'
af
af.
"... and Ingibjǫrg in memory of her husbandman. He drowned in Holmr's sea - his cargo-ship drifted to the sea-bottom - only three came out (alive)."
Swedish translation:
- "... och Ingeberg efter bonde sin. Han drunknade på Holms hav, skred knarr hans i kvav, tre endast kommo av."
U 346
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/U_346%2C_Fr%C3%B6sunda.jpg/150px-U_346%2C_Fr%C3%B6sunda.jpg)
This runestone has disappeared but it was located at the church of Frösunda. It was made by the runemaster Åsmund Kåresson in style Pr3-Pr4, and it was raised in memory of a man who died in Virland. It contains the same message as U 356.
[rahnfriþr
Ragnfriðr
*
lit
let
rt
retta
stain
stæin
þino
þenna
'
aftiʀ
æftiʀ
biurno
Biorn,
sun
sun
þaiʀa
þæiʀa
kitilmuntaʀ
Kætilmundaʀ.
'
hon
Hann
'
fil
fell
a
a
urlati
Virlandi.
'
kuþ
Guð
hialbi
hialpi
hons
hans
ant
and
auk|
ok
|kuþs
Guðs
muþiʀ
moðiʀ.
'
osmunr
Asmundr
mar'kaþi
markaði
runaʀ
runaʀ
ritar]
rettaʀ.
"Ragnfríðr had this stone erected in memory of Bjǫrn, her son and Ketilmundr's. He fell in Virland. May God and God's mother help his spirit. Ásmundr marked the right runes."
U 356
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/U_356%2C_%C3%84ngby.jpg/150px-U_356%2C_%C3%84ngby.jpg)
This runestone in style Pr3 is located in Ängby. It was made by the runemaster Åsmund Kåresson[6] for a lady in memory of her son who died in Virland. It contains the same message as U 346.
ra(h)nfriþr
Ragnfriðr
'
lit
let
rasa
ræisa
stain
stæin
þino
þenna
'
aftiʀ
æftiʀ
biurn
Biorn,
*
sun
sun
þaiʀa
þæiʀa
*
kitilmun(t)aʀ
Kætilmundaʀ.
'
kuþ
Guð
mialbi
hialpi
hons
hans
(a)nt
and
auk|
ok
|kuþs
Guðs
(m)uþiʀ
moðiʀ.
hon
Hann
fil
fell
a
a
uirlanti
Virlandi.
*
in
En
osmuntr
Asmundr
markaþi
markaði.
"Ragnfríðr had this stone raised in memory of Bjǫrn, her son and Ketilmundr's. May God and God's mother help his spirit. He fell in Virland. And Ásmundr marked."
U 439
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Ingvarstenen_U_439_%28drawing_by_Johannes_Bureus%29.jpg/150px-Ingvarstenen_U_439_%28drawing_by_Johannes_Bureus%29.jpg)
This runestone in style Fp is one of the Ingvar Runestones and due to uncertainties as to the decipherment also one of the Serkland Runestones. It was located at Steninge Palace, but it is lost. Johan Bureus, one of the first prominent Swedish runologists, visited Steninge on May 8, 1595, and made a drawing of the runestone which stood by the jetty.[7] Only 50 years later it had disappeared and in a letter written in 1645 it was explained that the stone had been used in the construction of a new stone jetty.[7] The inscription contained an Old Norse poem.[8]
[harlaif
Hærlæif
×
auk
ok
×
þurkarþr
Þorgærðr
×
litu
letu
×
raisa
ræisa
×
stain
stæin
×
þina
þenna
at
at
×
sabi
Sæbiorn,
faþur
faður
sin
sinn.
×
is|
Es
|sturþi
styrði
×
austr
austr
×
skibi
skipi
×
maþ
með
ikuari
Ingvari
a/a|
a
|askalat-/skalat-]
Æistaland(?)/Særkland[i](?).
"Herleif and Þorgerðr had this stone raised in memory of Sæbjǫrn, their father, who steered a ship east with Ingvarr to Estonia(?)/Serkland(?)."
U 533
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/U_533%2C_Roslags-Bro.jpg/150px-U_533%2C_Roslags-Bro.jpg)
This runestone is in the wall inside the porch of the church of Roslags-Bro. It is in style Pr1, and it was raised in memory of a man who died in Virland (in Estonia). The style shows that it was made by the runemaster Torbjörn Skald.[4]
*
sigruþ
Sigruð
*
lit
let
+
raisa
ræisa
*
stain
stæin
*
eftir
æftiʀ
+
anunt
Anund,
*
sun
sun
*
sin
sinn.
*
han
Hann
uas
vas
'
tribin
drepinn
+
a
a
+
uirlanti
Virlandi.
"Sigþrúðr had the stone raised in memory of ǫnundr, her son. He was killed in Virland."
U 582
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/U_582%2C_S%C3%B6derby-Karl.jpg/150px-U_582%2C_S%C3%B6derby-Karl.jpg)
This runestone has disappeared but it was located at the church of Söderby-Karl. It was possibly in style Pr1 and it commemorated a son who died in what is called Finland. At this time, Finland referred to the south-western part of what today is Finland.[9]
[biarn
Biorn
huk
ok
*
ikulfriþ
Igulfrið
:
raistu
ræistu
:
stain
stæin
:
aftʀ
æftiʀ
:
utrik
Otrygg,
:
sun
sun
:
sain
sinn.
*
han
Hann
*
uaʀ
vaʀ
:
tribin
drepinn
:
o
a
*
fin*lonti]
Finnlandi.
"Bjǫrn and Ígulfríðr raised the stone in memory of Ótryggr, their son. He was killed in Finland."
U 698
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/U_698%2C_Veckholm.jpg/150px-U_698%2C_Veckholm.jpg)
This runestone has disappeared but it was located at the church of Veckholm. It was in style Pr2-Pr3. The inscription was considered difficult to read, but it refers to a man who fell in Livonia, and possibly in an expedition led by Freygeirr.
[sufar
<sufar>
lit
let
:
aristn
ræisa
*
þin
stæin
*
afir
æftiʀ
*
askir
Asgæiʀ,
sun
sun
:
sin
sinn.
:
han
Hann
*
ut
uti
fai
fioll
:
a
a
liflai|n|þ|i|
Liflandi
|i|
i
|i|n|þ|i
liði
*
frai...]
Frøy[gæiʀs](?).
[sufar
<sufar>
lit
let
:
aristn
ræisa
*
þin
stæin
*
afir
æftiʀ
*
askir
Asgæiʀ,
sun
sun
:
sin
sinn.
:
han
Hann
*
ut
ut
fai
fioll
:
a
a
liflai|n|þ|
Lifland
i|
i
|i|n|þ|i
liði
*
frai...]
Frøy[gæiʀs](?).
"<sufar> had the stone raised in memory of Ásgeirr, his son. He fell in Lífland, abroad in Freygeirr's(?) retinue."
Södermanland
[edit]Sö 39
[edit]This is a runic inscription on bedrock at Åda. It is in style Pr3 and it commemorates a brother who drowned in Livonia.
:
hermoþr
Hærmoðr
:
lit
let
:
hagua
haggva
:
at
at
:
barkuiþ
Bergvið/Barkvið,
:
bruþur
broður
:
sin
sinn.
:
h[an]
Hann
trukn-þi
drunkn[a]ði
:
[a]
a
lf:lanti
Liflandi.
:
"Hermóðr had (the rock) cut in memory of Bergviðr/Barkviðr, his brother. He drowned in Lífland."
Sö 198
[edit]This runestone in style Fp is found in Mervalla on the island of Selaön in lake Mälaren. It is raised in memory of a man who regularly sailed a valuable knarr to Zemgale, passing Cape Kolka (Dómisnes). North of the Cape there is a long underwater reef which probably was infamous among the sailors of the Viking Age, and this is probably why Sigríðr wanted posterity to know that her husband had often passed it.[10] The expression dyrum knærri ("valued cargo-ship") is an instrumental dative and it also appears in a famous stanza by the Icelander Egill Skallagrímsson.[10] Egill had written that his mother had promised him a fast ship so that he could sail with the Vikings and[10]
|
|
siriþ
Sigrið
*
lit
let
*
resa
ræisa
*
stan
stæin
*
[þin](a)
þenna
[*]
(a)(t)
at
*
suen
Svæin,
*
sin
sinn
*
[b]unta
bonda.
*
h[n]
Hann
*
uft
oft
*
siklt
siglt
*
til
til
*
simk(a)(l)(a)
Sæimgala,
*
t(u)ru[m]
dyrum
*
knari
knærri,
*
um
um
*
tumisnis
Domisnæs.
"Sigríðr had this stone raised in memory of Sveinn, her husbandman. He often sailed a valued cargo-ship to Seimgalir, around Dómisnes."
Gästrikland
[edit]Gs 13
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Gs_13%2C_G%C3%A4vle.jpg/150px-Gs_13%2C_G%C3%A4vle.jpg)
This runestone in sandstone is found in the church of the holy trinity in Gävle. It is in style Pr2 and it commemorates a brother name Egill who died in Tavastia. Åsmund Kåresson was one of the runemasters. Egill probably fell in a leidang expedition, led by Freygeirr who was a military leader.[9][11]
×
brusi
Brusi
lit
let
rita
retta
s-...
s[tæin
...
þenna]
[(a)]b--ʀ
æf[ti]ʀ
(i)h(i)(l)
Ægil,
brur
broður
sin
sinn.
:
in
En
h-n
h[a]nn
uarþ
varð
tauþr
dauðr
a
a
tafstalonti
Tafæistalandi,
×
þo
þa
brusi
Brusi
furþi
førði
lank
læiðang(?)
lans
lands
'
abtiʀ
æftiʀ
[br](u)r
broður
sin
sinn.
h(o)[n]
Hann
fur
for
(m)iʀ
meðr
fraukiʀi
Frøygæiʀi.
kuþ
Guð
hialbi
hialpi
hons|
hans
|salu|
salu
|uk|
ok
|kuþ(s)
Guðs
(m)(u)[þiʀ
moðiʀ.
'
suain
Svæinn
'
uk
ok
osmunrt
Asmundr
'
þaiʀ
þæiʀ
markaþu]
markaðu.
+
Translation by Sven B.F Jansson 1981: "Brúsi had this stone erected in memory of Egill, his brother. And he died in Tafeistaland, when Brúsi brought (= led?) the land's levy(?) (= army) in memory of , his brother. He travelled with Freygeirr. May God and God's mother help his soul. Sveinn and Ásmundr, they marked." Translation by Henrik Williams 2005: "Brúsi had this stone erected in memory of Egill, his brother. And he died in Tafeistaland, when Brúsi bore long-spear (=battle standard) after his brother. He travelled with Freygeirr. May God and God's mother help his soul. Sveinn and Ásmundr, they marked."
Västergötland
[edit]Vg 181
[edit]This runestone in style Pr1 is found at Frugården. It was raised in memory of a man who died in Estonia.
kufi
Gufi
:
rsþi
ræisti
:
stin
stæin
:
þesi
þennsi
:
eftʀ
æftiʀ
:
ulaf
Olaf,
:
sun
sun
:
sin
sinn,
*
trk
dræng
*
hrþa
harða
*
kuþan
goðan.
*
hn
Hann
*
uarþ
varð
*
trbin
drepinn
*
i
i
*
estlatum
Æistlandum.
*
hu(a)rþ(r)
Havarðr(?)
*
iuk
hiogg
*
s---
s[tæin].
"Gufi raised this stone in memory of Ólafr, his son, a very good valiant man. He was killed in Estonia. Hávarðr(?) cut the stone."
Gotland
[edit]G 135
[edit]This runestone, originally located in Sjonhems, tells of the same family as G 134 and G 136, and it was made in memory of a man who died in Vindau (Ventspils, Latvia).[12]
þina
Þenna
:
eftir
æftiʀ
:
a(i)---
Æi...
:
---
...
:
--rþ
[va]rð
:
tauþr
dauðr
:
a
a
:
ui(t)au
Vindau/Vindö.
:
systriʀ
Systriʀ
:
[tuaʀ]
tvaʀ
...-ʀ
...
:
bryþr
brøðr
:
þria
þria.
:
roþanþr
Hroðvaldr(?)
:
auk
ok
:
roþkutr
Hroðgautr,
:
roþar
Hroðarr
:
auk
ok
:
þorstain
Þorstæinn,
:
þiʀ
þæiʀ
:
iʀu
eʀu
:
faþur:bryþr
faðurbrøðr.
This (one) in memory of Ei-... (who) died at Vindey/Vindö. Two sisters ... three brothers. Hróðvaldr(?) and Hróðgautr, Hróðarr and Þorsteinn, they are the father's brothers."
G 319
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/Bildstein-Rute_kyrka_2.jpg/100px-Bildstein-Rute_kyrka_2.jpg)
This is a late runic inscription on a grave which is dated to the early 13th century. It is located in Rute Church and it commemorates a man who died in Finland.
si[h]tris
Sigtryggs(?)
:
aruar[r]
arfaʀ
:
litu
letu
:
giera
gæra
:
st[a]en
stæinn
:
yfir
yfiʀ
:
auþu-l-
Auðv[a]l[d](?),
:
broþur
broður
:
sin
sinn,
:
a
a
:
finlandi
Finnlandi
:
do
do
:
aglia...
<aglia...>.
"Sigtryggr's(?) heirs had the stone made over Auðvaldr(?), their brother, who died in Finland ..."
See also
[edit]References and sources
[edit]- References
- ^ e.g., Jones 1968:267.
- ^ Andrén 2003:414.
- ^ Pritsak 1981:369
- ^ a b Jansson 1980:26
- ^ Jansson 1980:26-27
- ^ "Angby Stone" in The New Encyclopædia Britannica. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 399.
- ^ a b An article at the homepage of the local heritage society of Märsta. Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, retrieved January 14, 2007.
- ^ "U 439, at Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages". Archived from the original on 2007-09-01. Retrieved 2007-11-05.
- ^ a b Jansson 1980:24
- ^ a b c d Jansson 1980:30
- ^ Pritsak 1981:357
- ^ Pritsak 1981:345
- Sources
- Andrén, Anders (2003). "The Meaning of Animal Art: An Interpretation of Scandinavian Rune-Stones". In Veit, Ulrich (ed.). Spuren und Botschaften: Interpretationen Materieller Kultur. Waxmann Verlag. ISBN 3-8309-1229-3.
- Jansson, Sven B. F. (1980). Runstenar. STF, Stockholm. ISBN 91-7156-015-7
- Jones, Gwyn (2001) [1968]. A History of the Vikings. London; New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-280134-1.
- Peterson, Lena. Nordisk Runnamnslexikon Swedish Institute for Linguistics and Heritage (Institutet för språk och folkminnen).
- Pritsak, Omeljan. (1981). The Origin of Rus'. Cambridge, Mass.: Distributed by Harvard University Press for the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. ISBN 0-674-64465-4
- Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk - Rundata
- Williams, Henrik. (2005). Vittnat runstenen från Söderby (Gs 13) om Sveriges första ledungståg? Runfilologi och konsten att läsa som det står. ISSN 0349-0416
External links
[edit]- An English Dictionary of Runic Inscriptions of the Younger Futhark, at the University of Nottingham