Altuna Runestone

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Altuna Runestone
Old Norse
 : See article.
Translation
See article

The Altuna Runestone (Altunastenen), listed as U 1161 in the Rundata catalog, is a Viking Age memorial runestone with images from Norse mythology that is located in Altuna, Uppland, Sweden.

Description

The Altuna Runestone is a granite stone 1.95 metres (6 ft 5 in) in height that was discovered in 1918 by a local historian in the wall of a chapel located near its current location. Before the historical significance of runestones was recognized, they were often used as materials in the construction of roads, bridges, walls, and buildings. It is one of few surviving runestones with exclusively

pagan illustrations from Norse mythology. Most surviving runestones were raised during the 11th century after the Christianization of Sweden
, and they were raised by people who wanted to show that they too adhered to the new faith, at least outwardly so, due to the fact that at least half of the runestones have inscriptions related to Christianity.

One side of the Altuna Runestone, however, illustrates a legend recorded in the

Norse art. Three other picture stones that have been linked with the myth are the Ardre VIII image stone, the Hørdum stone, and the Gosforth Cross.[4] A stone slab that may be a portion of a second cross at Gosforth also shows a fishing scene using an ox head.[5]

The runic inscription suggests that those to whom the stone is dedicated, the father Holmfastr and his son Arnfastr, were burned,

quickfire, a method commonly used in Scandinavian feuds. Arnfastr and his brother Véfastr share the common name element fastr with their father, Holmfastr. A common practice at that time in Scandinavia was the repeating of one of the name elements from a parent's name in the names of the children to show the family connection.[7]

The inscription is classified as being carved in

Urnes style. This runestone style is characterized by slim and stylized animals that are interwoven into tight patterns. The animal heads are typically seen in profile with slender almond-shaped eyes and upwardly curled appendages on the noses and the necks. The inscription is signed by the runemasters with the normalized names Frösten and Balle and perhaps by Livsten. Balle was active in south-western Uppland and northern Södermanland
during the second half of the eleventh century.

Other runestones depicting Thor's hammer include runestones

DR 331 in Gårdstånga.[8][9]

Inscription

First line is transliteration; second is transcription in Old Norse.

Side A:

uifasþtr

Vifastr,

fulkahþr

Folkaðr,

kuþar

Guðvarr(?)

litu

letu

resa

ræisa

sþten

stæin

ʀþti

æftiʀ

sen

sinn

faþur

faður

ulfasþ

Holmfast,

arfast

Arnfast.

uifasþtr fulkahþr kuþar litu resa sþten ʀþti sen faþur ulfasþ arfast

Vifastr, Folkaðr, Guðvarr(?) letu ræisa stæin æftiʀ sinn faður Holmfast, Arnfast.

Véfastr, Folkaðr, Guðvarr(?) had the stone raised in memory of their father Holmfastr, (and in memory of) Arnfastr.

Side B:

beþi

Baðiʀ

feþrkag

fæðrgaʀ

burnu

brunnu,

e(n)

en

...

[þæiʀ]

bali

Balli,

fresþen

Frøystæinn,

liþ

lið

lifsþen...

Lifstæin[s

...

ristu].

beþi feþrkag burnu e(n) ... bali fresþen liþ lifsþen... ...

Baðiʀ fæðrgaʀ brunnu, en [þæiʀ] Balli, Frøystæinn, lið Lifstæin[s ristu].

(version 1): Both father and son were burned, and Balli (and) Freysteinn, of Lífsteinn's retinue, carved.
(version 2): Both father and son were burned, and Balli (and) Freysteinn (and) Lífsteinn (carved?).[10]

Gallery

  • The three other sides of the stone.
    The three other sides of the stone.
  • Detail showing Thor's foot going through the boat as he struggles to pull up Jörmungandr.
    Detail showing Thor's foot going through the boat as he struggles to pull up Jörmungandr.

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 0-203-40850-0
    .
  2. ^ Bellows, Henry Adams (transl.) (1936). "Hymiskviða". The Poetic Edda. pp. 144–47.
  3. ^ a b Snorri Sturluson; Brodeur, Arthur Gilchrist (transl.) (1916). "Gylfaginning". The Prose Edda. The American-Scandinavian Foundation. pp. 69–70.
  4. ISBN 0-8153-1660-7
    . pp. 122-23.
  5. ISBN 0-19-513479-6
    .
  6. ISBN 0-19-926221-7
    .
  7. ISBN 3-11-014876-5
    . p. 750.
  8. ISBN 3110154552. Archived
    from the original on 10 November 2015.
  9. ISBN 3900538816. Archived
    (PDF) from the original on 2011-07-18.
  10. ^ Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk - Rundata entry for U 1161.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Altuna runestone (U 1161).
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