Snottsta and Vreta stones
Encyclopedia
The Snottsta and Vreta stones are individual runestones known as U 329, U 330, U 331 and U 332. They are found on the homesteads of Snottsta (also spelled Snåttsta) and Vreta, and they tell in Old Norse
with the younger futhark
about the family story of Gerlög and Inga
in 11th century Uppland
, Sweden
, together with the Hillersjö stone (U 29) and the runestone U 20/21.
The inscriptions are classified as being carved in the runestone style
Pr3, which suggests that they were carved in the period 1050-1080. They were carved first, then U 20/21
, and last Gerlög's Hillersjö stone.
The four runestones say that Ragnfast, Inga's husband has died. Ragnfast was the sole inheritor of the homestead Snottsta after his father Sigfast. The runestone standing at Vreta gives the central information "she inherited her child". This statement agrees with what is said on the Hillersjö stone (U 29), which is that Inga inherited her son, a son who was not named, probably because he was very young. The central message of these runestones is that Inga inherited Snottsta after Ragnfast died.
Further information which is provided by the runestones is that Ragnfast had a housecarl
named Assur. Why this is important is not mentioned, but it is likely that Assur had a strong position in the clan
and may have inherited some of Ragnfast's property.
Furthermore, the runestone U 329 contains some information about a third and a fourth woman, Estrid
and Gyrid. It says that Ragnfast is the brother of Gyrid and Estrid, and the reason why this is mentioned is possibly because there was a disagreement about the inheritance. What is clear is that they are mentioned to explain how they relate to Inga.
Estrid is probably the same person as the Estrid who is mentioned on a number of the Jarlabanke Runestones
in Täby
and other locations (Broby bro Runestones
, Hargs bro runic inscriptions
and Uppland Rune Inscriptions 101, 143 and 147
). This Estrid was the maternal ancestor of a great clan called the Jarlabanke clan, and she was the maternal grand-mother of the powerful Jarlabanke who claimed to own all of Täby. The inscription on U 329, where Ragnfast's sister Estrid is mentioned, has been attributed to the runemaster
named Fot
who also made the runestones for the Jarlabanke clan. This strongly suggests that Estrid was born in Snottsta, married Östen of Täby and married for the second time in Harg near Snottsta.
(a professional warrior), and it is probably to show visitors that Assurr was an important and valued person at the estate, and who probably had rights of inheritance. Assurr is identified with Andsvarr (an allomorph
of Özurr and Assur) who was commemorated by his daughter Guðlaug on U 328
, and Guðlaug may be the same Guðlaug as the one who raised the runestones U 133 and U 141 in memory of her son Holmi who fell in Italy, and who would be Assur's son.
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
with the younger futhark
Younger 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...
about the family story of Gerlög and Inga
Gerlög and Inga
Gerlög or Geirlaug and her daughter Inga were two powerful and rich women in 11th century Uppland, Sweden. Gerlög and Inga had their dramatic and tragic family saga documented for posterity on several runestones...
in 11th century Uppland
Uppland
Uppland is a historical province or landskap on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea...
, 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....
, together with the Hillersjö stone (U 29) and the runestone U 20/21.
The inscriptions are classified as being carved in the runestone style
Runestone styles
The runestone styles varied during the Viking Age. The early runestones were simple in design, but towards the end of the runestone era they became increasingly complex and made by travelling runemasters such as Öpir and Visäte....
Pr3, which suggests that they were carved in the period 1050-1080. They were carved first, then U 20/21
Färentuna Runestones
The Färentuna runestones are 11th century runestones labelled U 20, U 21, and U 22 in the Rundata catalog that are located in Färentuna, Uppland, Sweden. Runestones U 20 and U 21 were registered separately although they come from the same original runestone and consequently are called U 20/21...
, and last Gerlög's Hillersjö stone.
The four runestones say that Ragnfast, Inga's husband has died. Ragnfast was the sole inheritor of the homestead Snottsta after his father Sigfast. The runestone standing at Vreta gives the central information "she inherited her child". This statement agrees with what is said on the Hillersjö stone (U 29), which is that Inga inherited her son, a son who was not named, probably because he was very young. The central message of these runestones is that Inga inherited Snottsta after Ragnfast died.
Further information which is provided by the runestones is that Ragnfast had a housecarl
Housecarl
In medieval Scandinavia, housecarls and sometimes spelled huscarle or houscarl) were either non-servile manservants, or household troops in personal service of someone, equivalent to a bodyguard to Scandinavian lords and kings. This institution also existed in Anglo-Saxon England after its...
named Assur. Why this is important is not mentioned, but it is likely that Assur had a strong position in the clan
Norse clans
The Scandinavian clan or ætt was a social group based on common descent or on the formal acceptance into the group at a þing.-History:...
and may have inherited some of Ragnfast's property.
Furthermore, the runestone U 329 contains some information about a third and a fourth woman, Estrid
Estrid
Estrid was a rich and powerful 11th century Swedish woman whose long family saga has been recorded on five or six runestones in Uppland, Sweden. This Estrid was the maternal grandmother of the chieftain Jarlabanke of the Jarlabanke clan...
and Gyrid. It says that Ragnfast is the brother of Gyrid and Estrid, and the reason why this is mentioned is possibly because there was a disagreement about the inheritance. What is clear is that they are mentioned to explain how they relate to Inga.
Estrid is probably the same person as the Estrid who is mentioned on a number of the Jarlabanke Runestones
Jarlabanke Runestones
The Jarlabanke Runestones is the name of c. 20 runestones written in Old Norse with the Younger Futhark in 11th century, Uppland, Sweden.They were ordered in the by what appears to have been a chieftain named Jarlabanke Ingefastsson and his clan , in Täby...
in Täby
Täby
Täby is a trimunicipal locality and the seat of Täby Municipality in Stockholm County, Sweden, with 58,593 inhabitants in 2005. It is also partly located in Danderyd Municipality and Sollentuna Municipality...
and other locations (Broby bro Runestones
Broby bro Runestones
At Broby bro in Uppland, Sweden there are six runestones. U 139, U 140 and U 151 still stand by the road, but U 135, U 136 and U 137 have been moved a distance away from the road....
, Hargs bro runic inscriptions
Hargs bro runic inscriptions
The Hargs bro runic inscriptions, or U 309, U 310 and U 311, are 11th century Younger Futhark inscriptions in Old Norse on bedrock in Skånela Parish, Uppland, Sweden....
and Uppland Rune Inscriptions 101, 143 and 147
Uppland Rune Inscriptions 101, 143 and 147
The runestones known as U 101, U 143 and U 147, are located in south-western Täby, in the parishes of Sollentuna and Täby, in Uppland, Sweden. They are all in the style Pr4 and thus dated to the period 1060-1100 during which they were carved in connection with the construction of a road from Hagby...
). This Estrid was the maternal ancestor of a great clan called the Jarlabanke clan, and she was the maternal grand-mother of the powerful Jarlabanke who claimed to own all of Täby. The inscription on U 329, where Ragnfast's sister Estrid is mentioned, has been attributed to the runemaster
Runemaster
A runemaster or runecarver is a specialist in making runestones.Most early medieval Scandinavians were probably literate in runes, and most people probably carved messages on pieces of bone and wood. However, it was difficult to make runestones, and in order to master it one also needed to be a...
named Fot
Fot
Fot was a runemaster who flourished in mid-11th century Sweden.-Career:Most early medieval Scandinavians were probably literate in runes, and most people probably carved messages on pieces of bone and wood. However, it was difficult to make runestones, and in order to master it one also needed to...
who also made the runestones for the Jarlabanke clan. This strongly suggests that Estrid was born in Snottsta, married Östen of Täby and married for the second time in Harg near Snottsta.
U 329
This rune stone is raised beside a field along a dirt road. It was raised by Inga in memory of her husband Ragnfastr, and it mentions his two sisters Gyríðr and Ástríðr. This should be compared to U 331, below, which says that Ragnfastr was the only heir of the property and U 332 which says that Inga inherited her and Ragnfastr's children. Among the three women, it was Inga who eventually owned Snottsta.Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters
× inka × lit × raisa × staina × þasi × eftiR × raknfast × bonta × sin × han × uaR × broþiR × kuriþaR × auk × estriþaR ×Transcription into Old Norse
Inga let ræisa stæina þasi æftiR Ragnfast, bonda sinn. Hann vaR broðiR GyriðaR ok ÆstriðaR.Translation in English
Inga had these stones raised in memory of Ragnfastr, her husbandman. He was Gyríðr's and Ástríðr's brother.U 330
This rune stone is raised at the foot of a hill in the centre of a field. It tells that Inga had it made together with a bridge and other stones (U 329 and possibly others that have disappeared) in honour of her husband Ragnfastr. It adds Assurr/Özurr, who was Ragnfastr's housecarlHousecarl
In medieval Scandinavia, housecarls and sometimes spelled huscarle or houscarl) were either non-servile manservants, or household troops in personal service of someone, equivalent to a bodyguard to Scandinavian lords and kings. This institution also existed in Anglo-Saxon England after its...
(a professional warrior), and it is probably to show visitors that Assurr was an important and valued person at the estate, and who probably had rights of inheritance. Assurr is identified with Andsvarr (an allomorph
Allomorph
In linguistics, an allomorph is a variant form of a morpheme. The concept occurs when a unit of meaning can vary in sound without changing meaning. The term allomorph explains the comprehension of phonological variations for specific morphemes....
of Özurr and Assur) who was commemorated by his daughter Guðlaug on U 328
Uppland Runic Inscription 328
The Uppland Runic Inscription 328 stands on a hill in a paddock at the farm Stora Lundby, which is about four kilometers west of Lindholmen, Stockholm County, Sweden, in the historic province of Uppland...
, and Guðlaug may be the same Guðlaug as the one who raised the runestones U 133 and U 141 in memory of her son Holmi who fell in Italy, and who would be Assur's son.
Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters
× inka × lit × raisa × staina × auk × bro × kiara × eftiR × raknfast × bont×a sin × asur × uaR × huskarl × hans ×Transcription into Old Norse
Inga let ræisa stæina ok bro gærva æftiR Ragnfast, bonda sinn. Assurr vaR huskarl hans.Translation in English
Inga had the stones raised and the bridge made in memory of Ragnfastr, her husbandman. Ôzurr was his housecarl.U 331
U 331 is not a rune stone, but a flat rock on which the inscription has been written down. In this inscription Inga told that her husband Ragnfastr had died and that he was the sole inheritor of his father Sigfastr. This should be compared with U 329, where his sisters are mentioned, sisters who consequently did not inherit their father.Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters
× inka × lit × rista × runaR × eftiR × raknfast × bonta × sin + han × at[i +] ain ×× by × þina × eftiR × sikfast × faþur × sin × kuþ × hialbi × ant þaiRa ×Transcription into Old Norse
Inga let rista runaR æftiR Ragnfast, bonda sinn. Hann atti æinn by þenna æftiR Sigfast, faður sinn. Guð hialpi and þæiRa.Translation in English
Inga had the runes carved in memory of Ragnfastr, her husbandman. He alone owned this estate after Sigfastr, his father. May God help their spirits.U 332
The runestone at Vreta, U 332, has disappeared. Its inscription and designs are, however, known thanks to an 18th century drawing. This rune stone was also raised by Inga, and it adds that both her husband Ragnfastr and their children were dead, as she had inherited them. The Hillersjö stone (U 29) ends the family saga by telling that Inga had died without living children and that the property had passed to her mother Gerlög on the island of Färingsö.Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters
inka * raisti * staf * auk * staina * at * raknfast * bonta * sin * han * kuam * at * arfi barn * sins *Transcription into Old Norse
Inga ræisti staf ok stæina at Ragnfast, bonda sinn. H[o]n kvam at arfi barns sins.Translation in English
Inga raised the staff and stones in memory of Ragnfastr, her husbandman. She came to inherit from her children.Sources
- Pritsak, OmeljanOmeljan PritsakOmeljan Pritsak was the first Mykhailo Hrushevsky Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University and the founder and first director of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute.-Career:Pritsak began his academic career at the University of Lvov in interwar Poland where he...
(1981). The Origin of Rus' . Cambridge, Mass.: Distributed by Harvard University Press for the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. ISBN 0-674-64465-4 - Inga och Estrid - en såpa för tusen år sedan: Människor, händelser och platser i Ingas och Estrids liv. A webpage of the Museum of Stockholm County.