Kyrkogården Runestones
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/U379%2C_Sigtuna%2C_surroundings.jpg/300px-U379%2C_Sigtuna%2C_surroundings.jpg)
The Kyrkogården Runestones are three Viking Age memorial runestones located at the cemetery of St. Mary's Church in Sigtuna, Stockholm County, Sweden, in the historic province of Uppland. One of the runic inscriptions documents the existence of a Viking Age mercantile guild in Sweden.
U 379
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Runsten_U379%2C_Sigtuna.jpg/200px-Runsten_U379%2C_Sigtuna.jpg)
The inscription on the runestone listed as U 379 in the
The runic text indicates that the stone was a memorial raised by members of a mercantile guild in memory of one of their members named Þorkell. U 379 is one of four runestones that mention guilds in Viking Age Sweden, the others being U 391 in Prästgatan,
U 379 is signed by a runemaster named Þorbjôrn, who may either be the runemaster with the normalized name Torbjörn or Torbjörn skald. The name Torbjörn skald is on U 29 in Hillersjö and U 532 in Roslags-Bro, and there are several stones signed only with Þorbjôrn. Of these, it is believed that the same runemaster named Þorbjôrn that carved U 379 also signed U 391 in Prästgatan, which also mentions a guild, and U 467 in Tibble.
Of the names in the inscription, Þorkell is a
Inscription
Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters
- + frisa : kiltar * letu * reisa * s(t)ein : þensa : ef(t)iʀ * (þ)(u)(r)--- ----a * sin : kuþ : hialbi : ant * hans : þurbiurn : risti[6]
Transcription into Old Norse
- Frisa gildaʀ letu ræisa stæin þennsa æftiʀ Þor[kel, gild]a sinn. Guð hialpi and hans. Þorbiorn risti.[6]
Translation in English
- The Frisian guild-brothers had this stone raised in memory of Þorkell, their guild-brother. May God help his spirit. Þorbjôrn carved.[6]
U 380
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/U_380%2C_Kyrkog%C3%A5rden_%28Mariakyrkan%29%2C_Sigtuna.jpg/200px-U_380%2C_Kyrkog%C3%A5rden_%28Mariakyrkan%29%2C_Sigtuna.jpg)
U 380 is the designation for a runestone with a very worn inscription, with two possible names read from the runes. The personal name Ásbjôrn from the inscription means "Devine Bear"[7] and has a name element related to the Æsir, the principal gods of Norse mythology.
Inscription
Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters
- ...s--arn ' auk * kus * li... ...[8]
Transcription into Old Norse
- [A]s[bi]orn ok Kuss(?)/Guss(?) le[tu] ...[8]
Translation in English
- Ásbjôrn and Kúss(?)/Guss(?) had ...[8]
U 381
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/U_381%2C_Kyrkog%C3%A5rden_%28Gernerska_gravkoret%29%2C_Sigtuna.jpg/200px-U_381%2C_Kyrkog%C3%A5rden_%28Gernerska_gravkoret%29%2C_Sigtuna.jpg)
U 381 is the designation for a runestone that is part of the outer wall of the Gerner family mausoleum near St. Mary's Church. Before the historical significance of runestones was understood, they were often re-used as materials in the construction of roads, bridges, and buildings like churches. The inscription on this stone is partial and only a few words that are part of a prayer can be clearly read.
Inscription
Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters
- ...-n * ui-... ... : ... ...n : resa : ... ...ita...a...u * kuþ : hiabi at * ...[8]
Transcription into Old Norse
- ... ... ... ... ... ræisa ... ... Guð hialpi and ...[8]
Translation in English
- ... ... ... ... ... raised ... ... May God help (his) spirit ...[8]
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 3-11-016978-9. p. 179.
- ISBN 0-8020-0803-8.
- ^ ISBN 90-6781-014-2, archived from the originalon 2006-04-04
- ^ Grimm, Jacob (1882). Teutonic Mythology. Vol. 1. Translated by Stallybrass, James Steven. George Bell & Sons. pp. 186–187.
- ^ Yonge, Charlotte Mary (1884). History of Christian Names. London: MacMillan & Company. pp. cxxx, 219, 301.
- ^ a b c Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk - Rundata entry for U 485.
- ^ Baring-Gould, Sabine (1910). Family Names and Their Story. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott. p. 347.
- ^ a b c d e f Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk - Rundata entry for U 485.