Södermanland Runic Inscription 86
Encyclopedia
Sö 86 is the Rundata
catalog number for a Viking Age
memorial runic inscription located in Åby, Södermanland
, Sweden
. The inscription features a depiction of the hammer of the Norse pagan
god Thor
named Mjöllnir and a facial mask.
and the image is approximately 1.8 meters in height. Above the hammer is a facial mask of a man with a moustache and beard. The face represented by the mask is typically interpreted as being that of Thor due to its proximity to the hammer, although there are some who have suggested that the image represents the face of Christ
above a cross
. A mask was a motif common on inscriptions and is found on several other surviving runestones in Scandinavia
including DR 62 in Sjelle, DR 66 in Århus, DR 81
in Skern, DR 258 in Bösarp, the now-lost DR 286
in Hunnestad, DR 314
in Lund, DR 335
in Västra Strö, Vg 106 in Lassegården, Sö 112 in Kolunda, Sö 167 in Landshammar, Sö 367
in Släbro, Nä 34
in Nasta, U 508 in Gillberga, U 670 in Rölunda, U 678 in Skokloster, U 824 in Holms, U 1034
in Tensta, and U 1150 in Björklinge, and on the Sjellebro Stone
. The Sö 86 inscription is numbered among several in Scandinavia
that have a dedication to Thor. The image of Thor's hammer was used on several other memorial runestones in Sweden and Denmark, perhaps as a parallel to or a pagan
reaction to the use of the cross
by Christians. Other surviving runestones depicting Thor's hammer include runestones U 1161
in Altuna, Sö 111
in Stenkvista, Sö 140 in Jursta, Vg 113 in Lärkegapet, Öl 1
in Karlevi, DR 26
in Laeborg, DR 48
in Hanning, DR 120 in Spentrup, and DR 331 in Gårdstånga
.
The runic text indicates that Ásmundr and Freybjôrn raised the stone as a memorial their father Herbjôrn. Of the personal names mentioned in the text, Freybjôrn contains the Norse god Freyr
as a theophoric name element and means "Freyr Bear." The name Ásmundr means "Devine Hand" and has a first element that refers to the Æsir
, the name of the principal group of Norse gods. The names in the text also reflect a common practice of that time in Scandinavia
of repeating an element in a parent's name in the names of the children. Here the bjôrn from the father's name, Herbjôrn, is repeated in the name one of the sons, Freybjôrn, to show the family relationship.
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 number for a Viking Age
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
memorial runic inscription located in Åby, Södermanland
Södermanland
', sometimes referred to under its Latin form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a historical province or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västmanland and Uppland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea.In Swedish, the province name is...
, 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....
. The inscription features a depiction of the hammer of the Norse pagan
Norse paganism
Norse paganism is the religious traditions of the Norsemen, a Germanic people living in the Nordic countries. Norse paganism is therefore a subset of Germanic paganism, which was practiced in the lands inhabited by the Germanic tribes across most of Northern and Central Europe in the Viking Age...
god Thor
Thor
In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
named Mjöllnir and a facial mask.
Description
This runic inscription has the runic text within a band that circles an image of Thor's hammer which is supported by two serpents. The inscription is carved on an outcropping of graniteGranite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
and the image is approximately 1.8 meters in height. Above the hammer is a facial mask of a man with a moustache and beard. The face represented by the mask is typically interpreted as being that of Thor due to its proximity to the hammer, although there are some who have suggested that the image represents the face of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
above a cross
Christian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
. A mask was a motif common on inscriptions and is found on several other surviving runestones 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,...
including DR 62 in Sjelle, DR 66 in Århus, DR 81
Skern Runestone
The Skern Runestone, designated as Danish Runic Inscription 81 or DR 81 in the Rundata catalog, is a Viking Age memorial runestone located in Skjern, Denmark. The stone features a facial mask and an inscription which ends in a curse...
in Skern, DR 258 in Bösarp, the now-lost DR 286
Hunnestad Monument
The Hunnestad Monument , listed as DR 282 through 286 in the Rundata catalog, were once located at Hunnestad in Marsvinsholm north-west of Ystad, Sweden. It was the largest and most famous of the Viking Age monuments in Scania, and in Denmark, only comparable to the Jelling stones...
in Hunnestad, DR 314
Lund 1 Runestone
The Lund 1 Runestone, designated as DR 314 in the Rundata catalog, is a Viking Age memorial runestone originally located on the grounds of the Allhelgona church in Lund, Scania, Sweden.-Description:...
in Lund, DR 335
Västra Strö 2 Runestone
The Västra Strö 2 Runestone, listed as DR 335 in the Rundata catalog, is a Viking Age memorial runestone located at the Västra Strö Monument, which is at a church that is about four kilometers northwest of Eslöv, Skåne County, Sweden.-Description:...
in Västra Strö, Vg 106 in Lassegården, Sö 112 in Kolunda, Sö 167 in Landshammar, Sö 367
Södermanland Runic Inscription 367
Södermanland Runic Inscription 367 or Sö 367 is the Rundata catalog designation for a Viking Age memorial runestone located in Släbro, which is one kilometer north of Nyköping, Södermanland County, Sweden, which was in the historic province of Södermanland...
in Släbro, Nä 34
Nasta Runestone
The Nasta Runestone, listed as Nä 34 in the Rundata catalog, is a Viking Age memorial runestone located in Nasta, which is 3 kilometers northwest of Glanshammar, Örebro County, Sweden, which was in the historic province of Närke.-Description:...
in Nasta, U 508 in Gillberga, U 670 in Rölunda, U 678 in Skokloster, U 824 in Holms, U 1034
Uppland Runic Inscription 1034
Uppland Runic Inscription 1034 or U 1034 is the Rundata catalog number for a runic inscription on a runestone located at the Tensta church in Uppland, Sweden, that was carved in the late 11th or early 12th century...
in Tensta, and U 1150 in Björklinge, and on the Sjellebro Stone
Sjellebro Stone
The Sjellebro Stone is a Viking Age image stone located at Sjellbro, which is about 12 kilometers southeast of Randers, Denmark. The stone is inscribed with a facial mask.-Description:...
. The Sö 86 inscription is numbered among several 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 have a dedication to Thor. The image of Thor's hammer was used on several other memorial runestones in Sweden and Denmark, perhaps as a parallel to or a pagan
Norse paganism
Norse paganism is the religious traditions of the Norsemen, a Germanic people living in the Nordic countries. Norse paganism is therefore a subset of Germanic paganism, which was practiced in the lands inhabited by the Germanic tribes across most of Northern and Central Europe in the Viking Age...
reaction to the use of the cross
Christian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
by Christians. Other surviving runestones depicting Thor's hammer include runestones U 1161
Altuna Runestone
The Altuna Runestone , 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 :...
in Altuna, Sö 111
Stenkvista runestone
thumb|250px|right|The Stenkvista runestone in Södermanland, Sweden, with its Thor's hammer.The Stenkvista runestone, designated as runic inscription Sö 111 in the Rundata catalog, is a memorial runestone located near the church at Stenkvista, which is two kilometers east of Skogstorp, Södermanland...
in Stenkvista, Sö 140 in Jursta, Vg 113 in Lärkegapet, Öl 1
Karlevi Runestone
The Karlevi Runestone, designated as Öl 1 by Rundata, is commonly dated to the late 10th century and located near the Kalmarsund straight in Karlevi on the island of Öland, Sweden...
in Karlevi, DR 26
Laeborg Runestone
The Læborg or Laeborg Runestone, listed as DR 26 in the Rundata catalog, is a Viking Age memorial runestone located outside of the village hall or Forsamlinghus in Læborg, which is about 3 kilometers north of Vejen, Denmark...
in Laeborg, DR 48
Danish Runic Inscription 48
Danish Runic Inscription 48 or DR 48 is the Rundata catalog number for a Viking Age memorial runestone from Hanning, which is about eight kilometers north of Skjern, Denmark...
in Hanning, DR 120 in Spentrup, and DR 331 in Gårdstånga
Gårdstånga
Gårdstånga is a locality situated in Eslöv Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 339 inhabitants in 2005. Route E66 ran straight through the village until 1984 when the road routed was outside the community....
.
The runic text indicates that Ásmundr and Freybjôrn raised the stone as a memorial their father Herbjôrn. Of the personal names mentioned in the text, Freybjôrn contains the Norse god Freyr
Freyr
Freyr is one of the most important gods of Norse paganism. Freyr was highly associated with farming, weather and, as a phallic fertility god, Freyr "bestows peace and pleasure on mortals"...
as a theophoric name element and means "Freyr Bear." The name Ásmundr means "Devine Hand" and has a first element that refers to the Æsir
Æsir
In Old Norse, áss is the term denoting a member of the principal pantheon in Norse paganism. This pantheon includes Odin, Frigg, Thor, Baldr and Tyr. The second pantheon comprises the Vanir...
, the name of the principal group of Norse gods. The names in the text also reflect a common practice of that time 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,...
of repeating an element in a parent's name in the names of the children. Here the bjôrn from the father's name, Herbjôrn, is repeated in the name one of the sons, Freybjôrn, to show the family relationship.
Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters
- : asmuhtr : auk : fraybiurn * litu kera : meki * siRun * at * herbiurn * faþur : sin :
Transcription into Old Norse
- Ásmundr ok Freybjôrn létu gera merki sírún/sírýn at Herbjôrn, fôður sinn.
Translation in English
- Ásmundr and Freybjôrn had the rune-decorated landmark made in memory of Herbjôrn, their father.
External links
- Photograph of Åby inscription
- Maskesten - Billedsten fra Vikingtiden - Arild Hauge webpage on mask stones
