Noleby Runestone
Encyclopedia
The Noleby Runestone, which is also known as the Fyrunga Runestone or Vg 63 for its Rundata
catalog listing, is a runestone in Proto-Norse which is engraved with the Elder Futhark
. It was discovered in 1894 at the farm of Stora Noleby in Västergötland
, Sweden
.
to about 600 AD, and cannot be dated any younger than about 450 AD due to its language and rune forms. It is notable because of its inscription runo [...] raginakundo which means "runes of divine origin" and which also appears in the later Sparlösa Runestone
and the eddic poem Hávamál
. This is of importance for the study of Norse mythology
since it indicates that the expressions and the contents of the Poetic Edda
are indeed of pre-historic Scandinavian origin.
The runic inscription consists of three lines of text between bands, with the second line considered untranslatable and often listed as being a "meaningless formula." The Noleby is the only runestone in Scandinavia
that uses the star rune form
for the j sound, all other runestones in Scandinavia use it during the younger futhark
period for either an a or h sound or for ornamentation. The name Hakoþuz in the last line of the inscription is believed to mean "crooked one," although other interpretations have been suggested.
The Noleby Runestone is presently located in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities
in Stockholm
.
Rundata
The Scandinavian Runic-text Data Base is a project involving the creation and maintenance of a database of runic inscriptions. The project's goal is to comprehensively catalog runestones in a machine-readable way for future research...
catalog listing, is a runestone in Proto-Norse which is engraved with the Elder Futhark
Elder Futhark
The Elder Futhark is the oldest form of the runic alphabet, used by Germanic tribes for Northwest Germanic and Migration period Germanic dialects of the 2nd to 8th centuries for inscriptions on artifacts such as jewellery, amulets, tools, weapons and runestones...
. It was discovered in 1894 at the farm of Stora Noleby in Västergötland
Västergötland
', English exonym: West Gothland, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden , situated in the southwest of Sweden. In older English literature one may also encounter the Latinized version Westrogothia....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
Description
The Noleby Runestone was dated by Sophus BuggeSophus Bugge
Sophus Bugge was a noted Norwegian philologist and linguist. His scientific work was directed to the study of runic inscriptions and Norse philology. Bugge is best known for his theories and his work on the runic alphabet and the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda. -Background:Elseus Sophus Bugge was...
to about 600 AD, and cannot be dated any younger than about 450 AD due to its language and rune forms. It is notable because of its inscription runo [...] raginakundo which means "runes of divine origin" and which also appears in the later Sparlösa Runestone
Sparlösa Runestone
The Sparlösa Runestone, listed as Vg 119 in the Rundata catalog, is located in Västergötland and is the second most famous Swedish runestone after the Rök Runestone.-Description:...
and the eddic poem Hávamál
Hávamál
Hávamál is presented as a single poem in the Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse poems from the Viking age. The poem, itself a combination of different poems, is largely gnomic, presenting advice for living, proper conduct and wisdom....
. This is of importance for the study of Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
since it indicates that the expressions and the contents of the Poetic Edda
Poetic Edda
The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval manuscript Codex Regius. Along with Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, the Poetic Edda is the most important extant source on Norse mythology and Germanic heroic legends, and from the early 19th century...
are indeed of pre-historic Scandinavian origin.
The runic inscription consists of three lines of text between bands, with the second line considered untranslatable and often listed as being a "meaningless formula." The Noleby is the only runestone in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
that uses the star rune form
for the j sound, all other runestones in Scandinavia use it during the younger futharkYounger Futhark
The Younger Futhark, also called Scandinavian runes, is a runic alphabet, a reduced form of the Elder Futhark, consisting of only 16 characters, in use from ca. 800 CE...
period for either an a or h sound or for ornamentation. The name Hakoþuz in the last line of the inscription is believed to mean "crooked one," although other interpretations have been suggested.
The Noleby Runestone is presently located in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities
Swedish Museum of National Antiquities
Swedish Museum of National Antiquities is a museum located in Stockholm, Sweden that covers Swedish cultural history and art from the Stone Age to the 16th century...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
Transcription of the runes into Latin letters
- runo fahi raginakudo toj-a ¶ unaþou ÷ suhurah : susi(h)---tin ¶ hakuþo
Other sources
- The article Fyrungastenen in Nordisk familjebokNordisk familjebokNordisk familjebok is a Swedish encyclopedia, published between 1876 and 1957.- History :The first edition was published in 20 volumes between 1876 and 1899. The first edition is known as the "Iðunn edition" because of the picture of Iðunn on the cover...
(1908).