Uppland Runic Inscription 541
Uppland Runic Inscription 541 or U 541 is the Rundata catalog listing for a Viking Age memorial runestone which is located at the Husby-Sjuhundra church, which is five kilometers west of Norrtälje, Stockholm County, Sweden, and in the historic province of Uppland. The inscription is signed by the runemaster Öpir.
Description
The inscription on U 541 consists of runic text in the
The runic text does not follow the memorial formula typically used in runestones carved in the late Viking Age, but states "here lies" followed by the name Sigreifr or Særeifr, who was the brother of the unnamed sponsor of the stone. The use of "here lies" indicates that the stone originally stood over the grave of the deceased, perhaps in a consecrated graveyard since there is a cross on the inscription. It has been noted that the phrase "here lies" is a direct translation of the Latin phrase "HIC IACET" that was often used on medieval graves and followed by the name of the deceased.[2] Another Viking Age runestone with an inscription that begins with this phrase is U 559 in Malsta. The inscription was signed by the runemaster Öpir using the Old Norse phrase en Øpiʀ risti runaʀ, which means "and Öpir carved the runes." This exact phrase was also used by Öpir when signing inscriptions on U 118 in Älvsunda, U 181 in Össeby-Garns, the now-lost U 262 in Fresta, U 287 in Vik, U 462 in Prästgården, and U 566 in Vällingsö.
Inscription
Runic text
Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters
- iar likr ' serifr ' broþir ' þ-... ... in ' ybir risti ru-iʀ[3]
Transcription into Old Norse
- Hiar liggʀ Sigræifʀ/Særæifʀ, broðiʀ ... ... En Øpiʀ risti ru[n]iʀ.[3]
Translation in English
- Here lies Sigreifr/Særeifr, brother ... ... And Öpir carved the runes.[3]
See also
References
- ISBN 87-635-0428-6. p. 33.
- ISBN 87-635-0428-6. p. 445.
- ^ a b c Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk - Rundata entry for U 541.