Varangian runestones
Runestones in Scandinavia that mention voyages to the East From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Varangian Runestones are runestones in Scandinavia that mention voyages to the East (Old Norse: Austr) or the Eastern route (Old Norse: Austrvegr), or to more specific eastern locations such as Garðaríki in Eastern Europe.
Oslo
Copenhagen
Stockholm
Clickable map of the geographic distribution of the Varangian Runestones in southern Scandinavia (modern administrative borders and cities are shown)
There are also many additional runestones in Scandinavia 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 Serkland Runestones (dealing with expeditions to the Middle East) and the Ingvar Runestones (erected in honor or memory of those who travelled to the Caspian Sea with Ingvar the Far-Travelled).[1][2][3] There is also a separate article for the Baltic expeditions runestones. 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.
Most of the runestones were raised during the Christianization of the 11th century when the making of runestones was fashionable, but notably, the Kälvesten Runestone Ög 8 was made in the 9th century when the Varangians played a central role in what would become Russia and Ukraine. This vast area was a rich source of pelts, hides and people, and it was an important component in the contemporary Swedish economy.[4] Its Old Norse name meant 'land of fortresses' and was derived from the chains of fortresses that had been constructed along the trade routes.[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 |
These brothers were |
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
Summarize
Perspective
U 153
This runestone in style Pr3 is one of the runestones in Hagby.[7] It was discovered in 1930 in the basement under the main building of the old estate Lissby which had been demolished in the late 19th century.[8] It had been inserted in the basement wall with the engraved side visible together with the runestones U 152 and U 154.[9] When the basement collapsed, the runestone was splintered into a great number of minor and major pieces of which the top part was the largest one.[10] A fragment of the stone was discovered in the field on the property of Lissby.[11] All in all, no less than 70 pieces were reassembled, and in 1931, the repaired stone was raised in the garden of Hagby.[12] The stone is in granite and it is 2.60 m tall and 1.5 m wide.[13] The inscription is damaged and especially in its beginning and end.[14] It refers to several stones and one of them was probably the runestone U 155.[15]
The last runes may be reconstructed as either [i karþ]um ('in Garðar',[note 1] i.e. 'in the lands of Rus'') or [i krik]um ('among Greeks', i.e. 'in the Byzantine Empire').[22][23]
The inscription reads:[24][25][26]
...[(u)](a)i-
[S]væi[nn]
×
[(a)]uk
ok
×
ulf-
Ulf[ʀ]
litu
letu
×
raisa
ræisa
×
stai-(a)
stæi[n]a
×
e(f)tiʀ
æftiʀ
×
hlftan
Halfdan
·
auk
ok
·
eftiʀ
æftiʀ
×
kunar
Gunnar,
×
bryþr
brøðr
×
sina
sina.
×
þaiʀ
Þæiʀ
·
antaþus
ændaðus
×
aust...
aust[r]
...(u)m
...
Sveinn and Ulfr had the stones raised in memory of Halfdan and in memory of Gunnarr, their brothers. They met their end in the east ...
U 154
This runestone in style Pr3 and it is one of the runestones in Hagby.[27] It was discovered together with U 151 and U 153 in a collapsed basement under the eastern part of the foundation of the main building of the farm Lissby.[28] When it was discovered, it was still standing but it had been crushed and it crumbled into 50 pieces when it was removed from the wall.[29] It was reassembled but the upper part had been lost and could not be retrieved.[30] In 1931, it was raised in the garden of Hagby.[31] The stone is dark and it is 1.23 m tall and 0.3 m wide.[32] The inscription is damaged in several places.[33]
The inscription reads:[34][35][36]
[þ(o)]...r
...
×
lit
let
×
rai...
ræi[sa]
...
...
...fast
...fast
·
auk
ok
×
at
at
×
(k)aiʀbiarn
Gæiʀbiorn,
×
bruþ-
brøð[r]
...
...
...i(ʀ)
[þæ]iʀ
·
(t)o
dou
a(u)s...
aus[tr].
×
... had raised ... ...-fastr and in memory of Geirbjǫrn, (their) brothers ... They died in the east.
U 209
This is not properly a runestone but a runic inscription in style Pr4 that has been carved into flat bedrock at Veda. It is dated to the mid-11th century.[37] It was ordered by Þorsteinn who enriched himself in the lands of Rus' in memory of his son. Omeljan Pritsak identifies this Þorsteinn with Þorsteinn, the former commander of a retinue,[38] who is commemorated on the Turinge Runestone.[39][40] He suggests that Þorsteinn was the commander of the retinue of Yaroslav the Wise and that his son Erinmundr may have died in Garðaríki while serving under his father.[41]
The estate that was bought was probably the farm Veda, where the inscription is located.[42] The inscription is of note as it indicates that the riches that were acquired in Eastern Europe had led to the new procedure of legally buying odal land.[4]
The inscription reads:[43][44][45]
þurtsain
Þorstæinn
×
kiarþi|
gærði
|if×tiʀ
æftiʀ
irinmunt
Ærinmund,
×
sun
sun
sin
sinn,
auk|
ok
|kaubti
køypti
þinsa
þennsa
bu
by
×
auk
ok
×
aflaþi
aflaði
×
austr
austr
i
i
karþum
Garðum.
Þorsteinn made (the stone) in memory of Erinmundr, his son, and bought this estate and earned (wealth) in the east in Garðar (Russia).
U 283
This runestone was located at the estate of Torsåker but it has disappeared. It was presumably in style Pr3 and made by the runemaster Fot. It was raised by three men in memory of a fourth who had died in the east.
The inscription reads:[46][47][48]
[×
sibi
Sibbi
×
auk
ok
×
irmuntr
Ærnmundr
×
auk
ok
×
þoriʀ
Þoriʀ
×
litu
letu
×
raisa
ræisa
×
stain
stæin
×
iftiʀ
æftiʀ
×
s(u)...
...
...
...
...--
...
(h)(a)n
Hann
·
to
do
×
austr
austr,
×
sun
sunn
×
kismuntaʀ]
Gismundaʀ.
Sibbi and Ernmundr and Þórir had the stone raised in memory of ... He, Gísmundr's son, died in the east.
U 366
This runestone was found as fragments at Gådersta and has disappeared but it was probably in style Pr4. It was raised in memory of a man who died on the eastern route.
The inscription reads:[49][50][51]
[...
...
uaʀ
vaʀ
·
tauþr
dauðr
×
i
i
austr·uih-
austrveg[i]
...]
...
... died on the eastern route ...
U 504
This runestone is an early inscription in style RAK without ornamentations. It is located in Ubby and it was raised in memory of a father who had travelled both in the west and in the east.
The inscription reads:[52][53][54]
+
kitil×fastr
Kætilfastr
×
risti
ræisti
×
stin
stæin
+
þina
þenna
×
iftiʀ
æftiʀ
×
askut
Asgaut,
×
faþur
faður
+
sin
sinn.
×
saʀ
Saʀ
×
uas
vas
×
uistr
vestr
×
uk
ok
×
ustr
austr.
+
kuþ
Guð
ialbi
hialpi
×
as
hans
×
salu
salu.
Ketilfastr raised this stone in memory of Ásgautr, his father. He was in the west and in the east. May God help his soul.
U 636
This stone is found at Låddersta and it is in the style Fp. It is raised in memory of a son named Arnfast who travelled to Garðaríki. Arnfast is also mentioned on the stone U 635.
There are two readings of i karþa. One interpretation is that it means "to Garðar" or "to Garðaríki", i.e. "to the lands of Rus'".[55] In runic inscriptions, however, that toponym always appears in the plural dative form,[56] suggesting that the singular form i karþa may have referred to a particular town Garðr, i.e. either to Constantinople[57] or to Kiev.[58]
The inscription reads:[59][60][61]
alui
Alvi
·
lit
let
·
risa
ræisa
·
stn
stæin
·
þtin
þenna
·
at
at
·
arfast
Arnfast,
·
sun
sun
sin
sinn.
·
hn
Hann
·
fur
for
·
ausʀ
austr
·
i
i
karþa
Garða.
Ǫlvé had this stone raised in memory of Arnfastr, his son. He travelled to the east to Garðar (Russia).
U 687
This stone, signed by the runemaster Öpir, is found at Sjusta near Skokloster. It is in style Pr4 and it is raised by a woman named Rúna in memory of her four sons who had died. She had it made together with her daughter-in-law Sigríðr who was the widow of Spjallboði. They added that the place where Spjallboði had died was i olafs kriki, and several scholars have discussed the meaning of these runes.[62]
In 1875, Richard Dybeck suggested that kriki represented Old Norse Grikk meaning 'Greece', but in 1891 Sophus Bugge read grið, which means 'retinue'.[63] Later, in 1904, Adolf Noreen interpreted them as krikr, meaning 'hook',[64] but in 1907, Otto von Friesen proposed that the runes read i olafs kirki, i.e. 'in Saint Olaf's Church in Novgorod'. Otto von Friesen's interpretation has since then been the accepted interpretation.[65]
Omeljan Pritsak suggests that Spjallboði died in a fire that destroyed the church in c. 1070–1080.[66] Jansson, on the other hand, attributes the death of Spjallboði in a church to the fact that many of the medieval churches were defensive structures.[67]
The runic text is signed by the runemaster Öpir, who was active during the late 11th and early 12th centuries in Uppland.
The inscription reads:[68][69][70]
runa
Runa
'
lit
let
kiara
gæra
'
mirki
mærki
at
at
'
sbialbuþa
Spiallbuða
'
uk
ok
'
at
at
'
suain
Svæin
'
uk
ok
'
at
at
·
antuit
Andvett
'
uk
ok
at
at
'
raknaʀ
Ragnar,
'
suni
syni
'
sin
sina
'
uk
ok
'
ekla
Hælga/Ægla/Ængla,
'
uk
ok
'
siri(þ)
Sigrið
'
at
at
'
sbialbuþa
Spiallbuða,
'
bonta
bonda
sin
sinn.
an
Hann
uaʀ
vaʀ
'
tauþr
dauðr
'
i
i
hulmkarþi
Holmgarði
'
i
i
olafs
Olafs
·
kriki
kirkiu.
'
ubiʀ
Øpiʀ
·
risti
risti
'
ru
runaʀ.
Rúna had the landmark made in memory of Spjallboði and in memory of Sveinn and in memory of Andvéttr and in memory of Ragnarr, sons of her and Helgi/Egli/Engli; and Sigríðr in memory of Spjallboði, her husbandman. He died in Holmgarðr in Ólafr's church. Œpir carved the runes.
U 898
This is not properly a runestone but a runic inscription on flat bedrock at Norby. It is in style Pr4 and it is raised in memory of three men, one of whom died in the East. The runic text is signed by the runemaster Öpir.
The inscription reads:[71][72][73]
ali
Ali/Alli
'
uk
ok
'
iufurfast
Iofurfast
·
litu
letu
'
gera
gæra
'
merki
mærki
'
iftiʀ
æftiʀ
iarl
Iarl,
faþur
faður
sin
sinn,
'
uk
ok
'
at
at
'
kisl
Gisl
'
uk
ok
'
at
at
'
ikimunt
Ingimund.
han
Hann
'
uaʀ
vaʀ
'
trebin
drepinn
'
hustr
austr,
'
sun
sunn
'
iarls
Iarls.
ybiʀ
Øpiʀ
risti
risti.
Áli/Alli and Jǫfurfast had the landmark made in memory of Jarl, their father, and in memory of Gísl and in memory of Ingimundr. He, Jarl's son, was killed in the east. Œpir carved.
Södermanland
Summarize
Perspective
Sö 33
This runestone is located in Skåäng and it is the style Fp. It was raised in memory of a man who died in an assembly in the east. It is also possible that it says that the man died in a retinue in the east.[74]
The inscription reads:[75][76][77]
+
gnubha
Gnupa
~
liþ
let
:
raisa
ræisa
:
stain
stæin
:
þinsa
þennsa
:
hibtiʀ
æftiʀ
:
kulaif
Guðlæif,
:
bruþur
broður
sin
sinn.
han
Hann
:
antaþis
ændaðis
:
austr
austr
:
at
at
þikum
þingum.
Gnúpa had this stone raised in memory of Gulleifr, his brother. He met his end in the east at the Assembly.
Sö 34
This runestone is located at a path called Tjuvstigen ('thief trail') and is carved in runestone style KB. This is the classification for inscriptions with a cross that is bordered by the runic text. The runic text states that it was raised in memory of two brothers who were þiægnaʀ goðiʀ or 'good thegns', which was a class of retainer, and who died somewhere in the East. This same phrase is used in its singular form on runestones Vg 8 from Hjälstad and DR 143 from Gunderup. About fifty memorial runestones describe the deceased as being a thegn.
The inscription reads:[78][79][80]
styrlaugʀ
Styrlaugʀ
·
auk
ok
·
hulmbʀ
Holmbʀ
·
staina
stæina
·
raistu
ræistu
·
at
at
·
bryþr
brøðr
·
sina
sina,
·
brau(t)u
brautu
·
nesta
næsta.
·
þaiʀ
Þæiʀ
·
entaþus
ændaðus
·
i
i
·
austruiki
austrvegi,
·
þurkil
Þorkell
·
auk
ok
sturbiarn
Styrbiorn,
þiaknaʀ
þiægnaʀ
·
kuþiʀ
goðiʀ.
Styrlaugr and Holmr raised the stones next to the path in memory of their brothers. They met their end on the eastern route, Þorkell and Styrbjôrn, good Þegns.
Sö 92
This runestone is found at the cemetery of Husby. Its front side is completely covered in illustrations and it is attributed to style Pr3-Pr4. It was carved by the runemaster Balle in memory of someone's brother who died in the East.
The inscription reads:[81][82][83]
...
...
·
lit
let
·
raisa
ræisa
·
st...
st[æin]
...
...
rysu
Rysiu(?),
·
br(o)...
bro[ður]
·
sin
sinn.
·
ha...
Ha[nn]
...
...
austr
austr.
·
bali
Balli
...
...
... had the stone raised ... Rysja(?), his brother. He ... east. Balli ...
Sö 121
This runestone has disappeared but was located in Bönestad. It was made in the style RAK in memory of a man who died in the East.
The inscription reads:[84][85][86]
[sumuʀ
<sumuʀ>
:
hauka
haggva
:
stan
stæin,
:
sum
sum
iʀ
eʀ
:
tuþ
dauð
:
austʀ
austr
·
i
i
:
tuna
<tuna>
:
as(u)]
<asu>.
<sumuʀ> cut the stone, who died in the east in <tuna> ...
Sö 126
This runestone is a runic inscription on flat bedrock in Fagerlöt. It is in the style Pr2-Pr3 and it was made in memory of a man named Áskell who fell in battle in the East. The second sentence of the inscription is in the meter fornyrðislag, and it contains a virtually unique use of the Old Norse word grimmr ('cruel') in the sense "commander".[87] Áskell's title folksgrimmr may be the title that the commander had in the druzhina of Yaroslav I the Wise in Novgorod.[88]
The inscription reads:[89][90][91]
hu(l)(m)(f)riþ
Holmfriðr,
·
ilin--r
<ilin--r>,
·
[þ]aʀ
þaʀ
·
litu
letu
·
hakua
haggva
·
stain
stæin
·
eftiʀ
æftiʀ
eskil
Æskel,
·
faþur
faður
·
sin
sinn.
·
han
Hann
·
trauh
draug
·
orustu
orrustu
·
i
i
·
austru[i]hi
austrvegi,
aþaa
aðan
·
fulks·krimʀ
folksgrimʀ
·
fala
falla
·
orþi
orði.
Holmfríðr (and) <ilin--r>, they had the stone cut in memory of Áskell, their father. He engaged in battle on the eastern route, before the people's commander wrought his fall.
Sö 130
This runestone is found near a homestead named Hagstugan. It is either style Fp or possibly style Pr1 and it is raised in memory of a man who fell in what is today Russia. It is composed in fornyrðislag and the last line, which contains cipher runes, was decoded by Elias Wessén. It is from the first half of the 11th century.[92]
The inscription reads:[93][94][95][96][97][98]
§A
fiuriʀ
Fiuriʀ
:
kirþu
gærðu
:
at
at
:
faþur
faður
:
kuþan
goðan
:
tyrþ
dyrð
:
trikela
drængila
:
at
at
:
tumara
Domara/domara,
:
miltan
mildan
:
urþa
orða
uk
ok
:
mataʀ
mataʀ
kuþan
goðan,
:
þat
þat
·
(u)-(h)---(u)--(u)(k)(þ)
...
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 ...
§B
h^a
Hann(?)
l^f
fiall(?)
[i(?)]
kirþu
Garðum(?)
<o>
...
He(?) fell(?) in(?) Garðar(?) (Russia) ..."
Sö 148
This runestone is found in Innberga and it was raised in memory of a man who died in what is today Russia. It is dated to the first half of the 11th century.[99]
The inscription reads:[100][101][102]
þiuþulfʀ
Þiuðulfʀ,
:
bui
Boi,
:
þaiʀ
þæiʀ
:
raisþu
ræisþu
:
stain
stæin
þansi
þannsi
:
at
at
:
farulf
Farulf,
:
faþur
faður
:
sin
sinn.
:
han
Hann
uas
vas
antaþ
ændaðr
austr
austr
i
i
kaþ(u)(m)
Garðum.
Þjóðulfr (and) Búi, they raised this stone in memory of Farulfr, their father. He met his end in the east in Garðar (Russia).
Sö 171
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.[103] The boulder is badly damaged due to weathering, but thanks to a 17th-century drawing scholars know what it said.[104] Three parts of the stone are located in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm.
According to Jansson, the runestone testifies to the unrest that could appear in the important marketplace of Novgorod,[67] and it was not only the captain who died, but also the entire crew.[105] Omeljan Pritsak, on the other hand, thinks that the deceased had probably died in the service of the Novgorodian prince in the first half of the 11th century.[106] The second half of the inscription is in the fornyrðislag meter.[107]
The inscription reads:[108][109][110]
(i)nk(i)f(a)[s]tr
Ingifastr
·
l[i](t)
let
(h)(a)ku...
haggv[a]
st(a)...n
stæ[i]n
·
eftiʀ
æftiʀ
·
sihuiþ
Sigvið,
·
faþ-r
fað[u]r
·
si[n
sinn.
·
han
Hann
·
fial
fioll
·
i
i
h]ul(m)[karþi
Holmgarði,
·
skaiþaʀ
skæiðaʀ
·
uisi
visi
mi]þ
með
·
ski...ra
ski[pa]ra.
Ingifastr had the stone cut in memory of Sigviðr, his father. He fell in Holmgarðr, the ship's leader with the seamen.
Sö 216
.jpg)
This runestone was found as a fragment in Aska, but it has disappeared. What remained said that it was made in memory of a man who died in the East.
The inscription reads:[111][112][113]
[(u)tar
Ottarr
:
auk
ok
:
-...
...
...
...
...þis
[ænda]ðis
:
a^ustr
austr
×
...uk-ma]
...
Óttarr and ... met his end in the east ...
Sö 308
This runestone is a runic inscription by the runemaster Öpir in the style Pr5 on a large boulder. It is located outside the railroad station in Södertälje. It was made in memory of two men who were in the east. 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').[114] Öpir used the same a^s bind rune in inscription U 485 in Marma.[115]
The inscription reads:[116][117][118]
hulmfastr
Holmfastr,
'
roþelfr
Roðælfʀ,
'
---u
[let]u
'
[ri]sta
rista
'
run[a]
runaʀ
'
a-
a[t]
...
...
...
...
(i)kifast
Ingifast,
'
suni
syni
:
sina
sina,
[']
-iʀ
[þ]æiʀ
ua(ʀ)u
vaʀu
·
hua^str
austr(?)/vestr.
·
i(n)
En
·
ybir
Øpiʀ
risti
risti.
Holmfastr (and) Hróðelfr had the runes carved in memory of ... Ingifastr, their sons. They were in the east(?)/west. And Œpir carved.
Sö 338
This is a runestone raised in the church of Turinge. It is in sandstone, in the style Pr4 and it was made in memory of the chieftain of a warband. It is the most verbose of all the Varangian stones,[119] and it was probably made in the mid-11th century.[120]
Omeljan Pritsak identifies this Þorsteinn with Þorsteinn of the Veda inscription, who bought an estate for his son with money earned in the lands of Rus'.[121][122][123] He suggests that Þorsteinn was the commander of the retinue of Yaroslav I the Wise[124] and that his son Erinmundr may have died in Garðaríki while serving under his father.[41]
The inscription reads:[125][126][127][128][129][130]
§A
·
ketil
Kætill
:
auk
ok
+
biorn
Biorn
+
þaiʀ
þæiʀ
+
raistu
ræistu
+
stain
stæin
+
þin[a]
þenna
+
at
at
+
þourstain
Þorstæin,
:
faþur
faður
+
sin
sinn,
+
anuntr
Anundr
+
at
at
+
bruþur
broður
+
sin
sinn
+
auk
ok
:
hu[skar]laʀ
huskarlaʀ
+
hifiʀ
æftiʀ(?)
+
iafna
iafna,
+
ketilau
Kætiløy
at
at
+
buanta
boanda
sin
sinn.
·
¶
bruþr
Brøðr
uaʀu
vaʀu
þaʀ
þæiʀ
bistra
bæstra
mana
manna,
:
a
a
:
lanti
landi
auk
ok
:
i
i
liþi
liði
:
uti
uti,
:
h(i)(l)(t)u
heldu
sini
sina
huska(r)la
huskarla
:
ui-
ve[l].
+
Ketill and Bjǫrn, they raised this stone in memory of Þorsteinn, their father; Ǫnundr in memory of his brother and the housecarls in memory of the just(?) (and) Ketiley in memory of her husbandman. These brothers were the best of men in the land and abroad in the retinue, held their housecarls well.
§B
han
Hann
+
fial
fioll
+
i
i
+
urustu
orrustu
+
austr
austr
+
i
i
+
garþum
Garðum,
+
lis
liðs
+
furugi
forungi,
+
lanmana
landmanna
+
bestr
bæstr.
He fell in battle in the east in Garðar (Russia), commander of the retinue, the best of landholders.
Västmanland
Summarize
Perspective
Vs 1
This runestone was discovered in 1938 in the ruins of the church of Stora Rytterne.[131][132] It forms a monument together with image stone Vs 2, and it was raised in memory of a son who died either in what is today Russia or in Khwarezm in Persia.
Jansson, who was the first scholar to publish an analysis of the inscription, suggested in 1940 that i · karusm was a misspelling for i krþum (i garðum, 'in Gardariki'). However, in 1946, he discovered that it may refer to Khwarezm in Central Asia. He proposed that it may be one of the Ingvar Runestones and that it tells where the Ingvar expedition ultimately ended in 1041. The archaeologist Ture J. Arne criticized this analysis claiming that although a Viking chieftain could arrive to the Caspian Sea in 922, when Vikings met Ibn Fadlan, such a voyage would not have been possible in the 1040s.[133] Arne instead accepted Jansson's first analysis of the inscription.[134]
The Rundata project retains Khwarezm as an equal possibility,[135] and Omeljan Pritsak notes that karusm agrees with *qarus-m which is what the Middle Turkic form of Khwarezm would have been.[136] Moreover, Pritsak notes that Arne was wrong in his claim that it would have been impossible for Ingvar to go to Kwarezm at the time. On the contrary, there were no obstacles for such a voyage during the period 1035–1041.[137][138]
The inscription is somewhat unusual in that the sponsor's name kuþlefʀ, which is the first word in the inscription, is preceded and followed by a cross, perhaps done to draw attention.[139]
The inscription reads:[140][141][142]
+
kuþlefʀ
Guðlæifʀ
+
seti
satti
:
stff
staf
:
auk
ok
:
sena
stæina
:
þasi
þasi
:
uftiʀ
æftiʀ
slakua
Slagva,
:
sun
sun
:
sia
sinn,
:
etaþr
ændaðr
:
austr
austr
·
i
i
·
karusm
Garðum(?)/Chorezm(?).
·
Guðleifr placed the staff and these stones in memory of Slagvi, his son, (who) met his end in the east in Garðar(?)/Chorezm(?).
Vs Fv1988;36
This runestone is carved in runestone style Fp and was raised in memory of Grímmundr who travelled to the east.[143] It was discovered in 1986 at Jädra near Västerås, when stones were removed from a field. It is a lightly reddish stone which is granular and finely textured. The surface of the inscription is even but it is damaged due to flaking, making parts of the inscription difficult to read. It is 2.27 m tall, 0.9 m wide and 0.33 m thick. It is of note that the inscription when discovered still carried traces of its original colouring, which was determined to be of iron oxide but without any noticeable traces of binding material. The nuance appears to have been the same the one used by the Department of Runes when repainting runes in modern days. The stone is of historic note as it mentions the construction of a bridge on the old trail from Badelunda and lake Mälaren to the district of Dalarna.[144]
The Rundata designation for this Västmanland inscription, Vs Fv1988;36, refers to the year and page number of the issue of Fornvännen in which the runestone was first described.
The inscription reads:[145][146][147]
taf
Taf(?)
:
lit
let
:
risa
ræisa
:
estn
stæin
:
þina
þenna
:
hitiʀ
æftiʀ
:
kri(m)ut
Grimmund.
~
uas
Vaʀ
:
farin
farinn,
:
sun
sunn
:
(u)iþfast--
Viðfast[aʀ],
:
aust:arla
austarla.
ulfr
Ulfʀ
:
auk
ok
:
uibiurn
Vibiorn
:
-...
...
kitilas
Kætilas(?)/Kætilhôss(?)
:
krþi
gærðu
:
b-...(u)
b[ryggi]u
·
(o)
a
:
s---
...
Taf(?) had this stone raised in memory of Grímmundr. The son of Viðfastr travelled to the east. Ulfr and Vébjǫrn ... Ketilas(?)/Ketilhǫss(?) made the bridge at ...
Östergötland
Summarize
Perspective
Ög 8
The Kälvesten stone in Östergötland is dated to the 9th century.[148] It is the oldest inscription that mentions a Viking chieftain leading an expedition eastwards, and many other chieftains would follow in his wake.[149] Unfortunately, it does not tell the exact destination of the Viking expedition.[150]
In the inscription, the runes aukrimulfʀ are to be read as auk krimulfʀ and the k rune, 
, thus represents two letters at the same time.[148] The runes represent the common Norse name Grímulfr, which was in use all over Scandinavia. It is of note that the name appears in such an old runestone as the other runic attestations of the name are considerably younger, and the name was common in medieval Norway. The name of the deceased, Eyvindr, is a common name in Swedish runic inscriptions, but not Eivísl, the name of the chieftain of the expedition. The only other secure attestation appears on the contemporary Sparlösa Runestone in Västergötland. Since the name appears on two runestones from roughly the same time and in two districts that were culturally closely connected, the name may refer to the same person on the two runestones.[151] Unfortunately, the Sparlösa Runestone is damaged in several places and although it mentions a battle and although there are images like birds hovering above the rigging of a ship, scholars cannot be certain that it refers to a chieftain who had fallen in battle. The identification between the name Eivísl on the two runestones will remain a hypothesis.[149]
The inscription reads:[152][153][154][155][156][157]
§A
stikuʀ
Styguʀ/Stygguʀ
(')
karþi
gærði
kubl
kumbl
þ(a)^(u)
þau
aft
aft
auint
Øyvind,
sunu
sunu
sin
sinn.
'
sa
Sa
fial
fioll
austr
austr
Stigr/Styggr made this monument in memory of Eyvindr, his son. He fell in the east
§B
miʀ
með
aiuisli
Æivisli.
'
uikikʀ
Vikingʀ
faþi
faði
auk|
ok
|krimulfʀ
Grimulfʀ.
with Eivísl. Víkingr coloured and Grímulfr.
Ög 30
This runestone is found at Skjorstad. It is in the style Fp and it was raised in memory of a man named Ingvarr who died in the East.
The inscription reads:[158][159][160]
:
siksten
Sigstæinn
:
let
let
:
rasti
ræisa
:
stain
stæin
:
þe(n)...
þenn[a]
:
eftiʀ
æftiʀ
:
ikuar
Ingvar,
:
sun
sun
:
sin
sinn.
:
han
Hann
:
uarþ
varð
:
austr
austr
:
tauþr
dauðr.
:
Sigsteinn had this stone raised in memory of Ingvarr, his son. He died in the east.
Västergötland
Summarize
Perspective
Vg 135
This runestone has disappeared but was found in the village of Hassla. It was in the style RAK and it was raised in memory of a brother who died on the eastern route.
The inscription reads:[161][162][163]
[brantr
Brandr
+
risþi
ræisti
+
stin
stæin
+
þinsi
þennsi
·
eftiʀ
æftiʀ
nosmu
Asmund(?),
×
bruþur
broður
sin
sinn.
·
saʀ
Saʀ
uarþ
varð
þrebin
drepinn
×
o
a
tustitki]
austrvegi(?).
Brandr raised this stone in memory of Ásmundr(?), his brother; he was killed on the eastern route(?).
Vg 184
This runestone was raised in the cemetery of the church of Smula, but has been moved to the grounds of Dagsnäs Castle. It is carved in the style Fp and it is raised in memory of a brother who died as a warrior in the east. He may have been a member of the Varangian Guard.[164]
The inscription reads:[165][166][167]
:
kuli
Gulli/Kolli
:
rsþi
ræisti
:
stin
stæin
:
þesi
þennsi
:
eftiʀ
æftiʀ
:
rþr
brøðr
:
kunu
konu
:
sinaʀ
sinnaʀ,
:
esburn
Æsbiorn
:
ok
ok
:
iula
Iula,
:
treka
drængia
:
hrþa
harða
:
kuþa
goða.
:
ian
En
:
þiʀ
þæiʀ
:
urþu
urðu
:
tuþiʀ
dauðiʀ
:
i
i
:
lþi
liði
:
ustr
austr.
:
Gulli/Kolli raised this stone in memory of his wife's brothers Ásbjǫrn and Juli, very good valiant men. And they died in the east in the retinue.
Vg 197
This runestone is raised on the cemetery of the church of Dalum. It was raised in memory of a two brothers, one of whom died in the west while the other one died in the east.
The inscription reads:[168][169][170]
tuki
Toki
·
auk
ok
·
þiʀ
þæiʀ
·
bryþr
brøðr
·
ristu
ræistu
·
stin
stæin
·
þesi
þennsi
·
eftiʀ
æftiʀ
:
bryþr
brøðr
:
sina
sina.
·
eʀ
Eʀ
:
uarþ
varð
·
tu(þ)r
dauðr
uestr
vestr,
:
en
en
·
anar
annarr
:
au(s)tr
austr.
:
Tóki and his brothers raised this stone in memory of their brothers. One died in the west, another in the east.
Öland
Summarize
Perspective
Öl 28 (58)
,_Gårdby.JPG)
This runestone is raised on the cemetery of Gårdby and it is raised in memory of a man who either stayed in what is today Russia or in a nearby location. It is dated to the period 1020–1050.[88]
The inscription reads:[171][172][173][171][174][175]
P
harþruþr
Hærþruðr
+
raisti
ræisti
+
stain
stæin
+
þinsa
þennsa
+
aiftiʀ
æftiʀ
+
sun
sun
+
sin
sinn
+
s(m)iþ
Smið,
+
trak
dræng
+
kuþan
goðan.
+
halfburin
Halfborinn,
+
bruþiʀ
broðiʀ
ans
hans,
+
sitr
sitr
+
kar¶þum
Garðum.
¶
brantr
Brandr
+
rit-
rett
×
iak
hiogg,
þu
þy
raþa
raða
+
khn
kann.
Herþrúðr raised this stone in memory of her son Smiðr, a good valiant man. Halfborinn, his brother, sits in Garðar (Russia). Brandr cut rightly, for whoever can interpret (the runes).
Q
harþruþr
Hærþruðr
+
raisti
ræisti
+
stain
stæin
+
þinsa
þennsa
+
aiftiʀ
æftiʀ
+
sun
sun
+
sin
sinn
+
s(m)iþ
Smið,
+
trak
dræng
+
kuþan
goðan.
+
halfburin
Halfborinn,
+
bruþiʀ
broðiʀ
ans
hans,
+
sitr
sitr
+
kar¶þum
Garðum
¶
brantr
Brandr.
+
rit
Rett
-
[i]
×
iak
hiogg,
þu
þy
raþa
raða
+
khn
kann.
Herþrúðr raised this stone in memory of her son Smiðr, a good valiant man. His halfbrother Brandr sits in Garðir. Cut rightly into, for whoever can interpret (the runes).
Gotland
Summarize
Perspective
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".[176] Four of these runestones mention East European place names.[176]
G 114
This runestone refers to a man who was in a place called karþum. One view holds that the place name is Garðar, i.e. Garðaríki (the lands of Rus'), and another view is that the name refers to Garda Parish not far from the stone.[177] Omeljan Pritsak holds the first view to be the correct one, since having been to a neighbouring parish hardly merits a mention on a runestone.[177] It is probably from the first half of the 11th century.[88]
The inscription reads:[178][179][180][181][182][183][184][185][186][187][188][189]
§A
:
syniʀ
Syniʀ
:
likna(t)(a)-
Liknhvata[ʀ]
...
...
...(a)rua
[g]ærva
:
merki
mærki
:
kut
gott
:
ebtir
æftiʀ
:
ailikni
Æilikni,
:
kunu
konu
:
koþa
goða,
:
moþur
moður
:
The sons of Líknhvatr ... the good landmark made in memory of Eilíkn, a good wife, mother ...
§B
...(s)
...
:
auk
ok
:
kaiʀuataʀ
Gæiʀhvataʀ
:
auk
ok
:
liknuiaʀ
Liknviaʀ.
:
and Geirhvatr and Líknvé.
§C
:
kuþ
Guð
a-...
o[k](?)
...
...
...(n)
[naði]n(?)
:
heni
hænni
:
auk
ok
:
kieruantum
gærvandum
:
merki
mærki
:
m-...
...
...ua
...
:
aʀ
eʀ
:
men
mænn
:
sin
sen
:
God ... be gracious to her and those making the landmark ... who men
§D
...(ʀ)
...
:
i
i
:
karþum
Garðum/Garde,
:
aʀ
eʀ
:
uaʀ
vaʀ
:
ui(u)(e)
Vivi(?)
meʀ
meðr
::
(h)...
...
... in Garðir/Garde, he was with Vivi(?) ... ...
G 134
The stones G 134 and G 135 tell about the same family, and there is also an additional runestone about the same people, G 136. These runestones tell of a common situation for Scandinavian families in the 11th century: one son was killed through treason in the South, possibly as a member of the Varangian Guard, and another son died in Vindau (Ventspils, Latvia).[190]
The men who betrayed Hróðfúss were according to the runestone blökumenn ('black men') and most scholars interpret them as Walachians,[191] but others, such as Omeljan Pritsak, argue in favour of a theory that they were Polovtsians.[192] 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. All the Old Norse information on the blökumenn date to the period 1016–1017 in the case of Eymundar þáttr and to 1122 concerning the Berroa battle (Saint Olaf's miracles), but the first mention of the Wallachians is in Niketas Choniates' Chronikē diēgesis and it concerns an event in 1164. Moreover, Pritsak notes that ON blakkr also had the meaning 'pale' which designated the first ruling horde of the Kipchaks who were one of the most important nomadic peoples in the 11th and 12th centuries.[191]
The inscription reads:[193][194][195]
roþuisl
Hroðvisl
:
auk
ok
:
roþalf
Hroðælfʀ
:
þau
þaun
:
litu
letu
:
raisa
ræisa
:
staina
stæina
:
eftir
æftiʀ
:
sy-...
sy[ni
...
sina]
þria
þria.
:
þina
Þenna
:
eftir
æftiʀ
:
roþfos
Hroðfoss.
:
han
Hann
:
siku
sviku
:
blakumen
blakumenn
:
i
i
:
utfaru
utfaru.
kuþ
Guð
:
hialbin
hialpin
:
sial
sial
:
roþfoaʀ
Hroðfosaʀ.
kuþ
Guð
:
suiki
sviki
:
þa
þa,
:
aʀ
eʀ
:
han
hann
:
suiu
sviku.
:
Hróðvísl and Hróðelfr, they had the stones raised in memory of (their) three sons. This (one) in memory of Hróðfúss. Wallachians betrayed him on a voyage. May God help Hróðfúss' soul. May God betray those who betrayed him.
G 220
This runestone is found in a museum in Gotland. It is a fragment of a runestone made of limestone and it was made in memory of a man who died in Novgorod. The inscription testifies to the intense contacts that existed between Gotland and Novgorod, where the Gotlanders had a trading station of their own.[196]
The inscription reads:[197][198][199]
...
...
...tkaiʀ
[U]ddgæiʀ/[Bo]tgæiʀ.
:
aʀ
Eʀ
:
to
do
i
i
:
hulmka-...
Holmga[rði]
...iþ(i)
...
:
-...
...
... Oddgeirr/Bótgeirr. He died in Holmgarðir ...
G 280
This runestone was found in Pilgårds, but is now located in a museum on Gotland. It was dated to the last half of the 10th century by Wolfgang Krause. 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). When they arrived at Rvanyj Kamin' (Rufstain), Rafn was killed and the crew raised stones in his memory south of it.[200]
The inscription reads:[201][202][203]
biarfaa
Biartfann
:
statu
staddu
:
sis[o]
þenna(?)
stain
stæin
¶
hakbiarn
Hægbiorn
:
[ok]
bruþr
brøðr
¶
[hans]
ruþuisl
Roðvisl,
:
austain
Øystæinn,
:
imuar
<-muar>,
¶
is
es
af[a]
hafa
:
st[ai]n[a]
stæina
:
stata
stadda
:
aft
aft
:
raf[a]
Rafn
¶
su[þ]
suðr
furi
fyriʀ
:
ru[f]staini
Rufstæini.
:
kuamu
Kvamu
¶
uit
vitt
i
i
aifur
Æifur.
:
uifil
Vifill
¶
[ba]uþ
bauð
[u^m]
...
Hegbjǫrn raised this stone glaring (and his) brothers Hróðvísl, Eysteinn, <-muar>, who have had stones raised in memory of Hrafn south of Rofstein. They came far and wide in Eifor. Vífill bade ...
Denmark
DR 108
This runestone is found in Kolind in Syddjurs Municipality, Denmark. It is in style RAK and it was raised in memory of a brother who died in the east.
The inscription reads:[204][205][206]
tusti
Tosti
⁑
risþi
resþi
⁑
stin
sten
¶
þonsi
þænsi
⁑
ift
æft
⁑
tufa
Tofa,
⁑
is
æs
¶
uarþ
warþ
(:)
tuþr
døþr
:
ustr
østr,
:
burþu¶r
broþur
⁑
sin
sin,
⁑
smiþr
smiþr
⁑
osuiþaʀ
Aswiþaʀ.
Tosti, Ásviðr's smith, raised this stone in memory of Tófi, his brother, who died in the east.
Norway
Summarize
Perspective
N 62
This runic inscription is found on the same stone as N 61,[207] and they tell of the same clan.[208] Bjørn Hougen dated N 61 to 1000-1030[207][209] and Magnus Olsen dated N 62 to the 1060s.[210] It is in short-twig runes.
It relates of a man who died in a location in Eastern Europe, and there has been some scholarly debate on exactly where. Olsen read the location as Vitaholmi, miðli Vitaholms ok Garða ('Vitaholm, between Vitaholm and Garðar'), but in 1933, Lis Jacobsen suggested that the second toponym was ustaulm. In 1961, an archaeological excavation in Vitičev, near Kiev, by B. A. Rybakov and Boris Kleiber, provided a solution. They discovered a beacon which had given fire signals to Kiev, and in Old Norse such a beacon was called a viti. The name Vitičev has no Slavic etymology, and so Kleiber suggested that its original name was Vitičev xolm, i.e. Vitaholmi.[211] The name Vitičev would originally have been Vitiča, a suffixed borrowing of viti.[212] Kleiber analysed the first part of the second Vitaholmi as usta, a genitive of an *usti which would have been how the Norse rendered the Slavic toponym Ustja (Zarub). Ustja was located on a hill near a ford across the Trubež, a tributary of the Dniepr.[213] According to Kleiber, Garða is a shortened form of Kœnugarðar, the Old Norse name for Kiev.[214] This solution reads the location of Þóraldr's death as "in Vitičev between Ustja and Kiev".[215]
According to Judith Jesch, Vitaholm may be related either to Witland, a historical region on the east side of the River Vistula,[216] or to Vindau on the coast of Courland.[217]
Kleiber suggests that Engli was a member of Eymund's warband which fought in the lands of Rus' during the first half of the 11th century.[218]
The inscription reads:[219][220][221]
×
ikli
Engli
×
reisti
reisti
stein
stein
þana
þenna
eftir
eptir
×
þoral(t)...
Þórald,
sun
son
sin
sinn,
is
er
uarþ
varð
tauþr
dauðr
×
i
í
uitahol(m)(i)
Vitaholmi,
miþli
miðli
ustaulms
Ustaholms
auk
ok
karþa
Garða.
×
Engli raised this stone in memory of Þóraldr, his son, who died in Vitaholmr - between Ustaholmr and Garðar (Russia).
See also
Notes
Citations
References
General References
External links
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