Södermanland Runic Inscription Fv1948;295
Encyclopedia
Sö Fv1948;295 is the Rundata
catalog number for a Viking Age
memorial runestone that is located in Prästgården, which is just west of Jönåker
, Södermanland County
, Sweden
. It commemorates two men who are described as being thegn
s.
at the Lunda church in 1947. The stone was repaired and raised in the nearby churchyard cemetery. The inscription consists of runic text in the younger futhark
carved on a serpent that encircles a Christian cross
. The runestone, which is 2.3 meters in height, is classified as being carved in runestone style Fp. This is the classification for inscriptions with text bands that end in serpent or beast heads depicted as seen from above. Runestones are often dated based upon comparative linguistic
and stylistic analysis, and the inscription on the stone at Prästgården has been dated to approximately the period of 1020 to 1050 C.E.
A portion of the runic text was damaged but was reconstructed based upon similar language on other runestones. The text states that Halfdan raised the stone in memory of his father Ragnvaldr and his brother Dan. Although it might seem unusual for one family to have two brothers that are named Dan and Halfdan, a similar situation in another family is documented on runestone U 511 in Mälsta. The father Ragnvaldr and the brother Dan are described as being Þegns or thegn
s. The exact status of thegns in Scandinavia
is unclear, although the term was borrowed from England, where it was used for royal or military retainers. Scandinavian thegns appear to have been powerful local landowners but it is unclear whether their status reflected royal sponsorship or power. The last portion of the runic text, sin þrutaR þiak(n)a, is located outside of the serpent. The runes sin þrutaR are located on each side of the base of the cross, with the final R rune
being represented in the shape of the tongue of the serpent. The runes þiak(n)a for þegna or "Þegns" are hidden in the base of the cross as "secret runes." The phrase þróttar þegna or "Þegns of strength" is also used on Sö 367
in Släbro and in its singular form on Sö 90 in Lövhulta, Sö 112 in Kolunda, Sö 151 in Lövsund, Sö 158
in Österberga, and Sö 170 in Nälberga.
The Rundata designation for this Södermanland inscription, Sö Fv1948;295, refers to the year and page number of the issue of Fornvännen
in which the runestone was first described.
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 runestone that is located in Prästgården, which is just west of Jönåker
Jönåker
Jönåker is a locality situated in Nyköping Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 610 inhabitants in 2005....
, Södermanland County
Södermanland County
Södermanland County is a county or län on the south east coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Östergötland, Örebro, Västmanland, Uppsala, Stockholm and to 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....
. It commemorates two men who are described as being thegn
Thegn
The term thegn , from OE þegn, ðegn "servant, attendant, retainer", is commonly used to describe either an aristocratic retainer of a king or nobleman in Anglo-Saxon England, or as a class term, the majority of the aristocracy below the ranks of ealdormen and high-reeves...
s.
Description
This runestone was found in two pieces during construction work at a rectoryRectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
at the Lunda church in 1947. The stone was repaired and raised in the nearby churchyard cemetery. The inscription consists of runic text in 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...
carved on a serpent that encircles a Christian 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...
. The runestone, which is 2.3 meters in height, is classified as being carved in runestone style Fp. This is the classification for inscriptions with text bands that end in serpent or beast heads depicted as seen from above. Runestones are often dated based upon comparative linguistic
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
and stylistic analysis, and the inscription on the stone at Prästgården has been dated to approximately the period of 1020 to 1050 C.E.
A portion of the runic text was damaged but was reconstructed based upon similar language on other runestones. The text states that Halfdan raised the stone in memory of his father Ragnvaldr and his brother Dan. Although it might seem unusual for one family to have two brothers that are named Dan and Halfdan, a similar situation in another family is documented on runestone U 511 in Mälsta. The father Ragnvaldr and the brother Dan are described as being Þegns or thegn
Thegn
The term thegn , from OE þegn, ðegn "servant, attendant, retainer", is commonly used to describe either an aristocratic retainer of a king or nobleman in Anglo-Saxon England, or as a class term, the majority of the aristocracy below the ranks of ealdormen and high-reeves...
s. The exact status of thegns 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,...
is unclear, although the term was borrowed from England, where it was used for royal or military retainers. Scandinavian thegns appear to have been powerful local landowners but it is unclear whether their status reflected royal sponsorship or power. The last portion of the runic text, sin þrutaR þiak(n)a, is located outside of the serpent. The runes sin þrutaR are located on each side of the base of the cross, with the final R rune
Yr rune
The Yr rune is a rune of the Younger Futhark. The name yr means "yew" in Old Norse.It developed out of the Algiz rune as the Younger Futhark gradually began to replace the Elder Futhark from around the 7th century....
being represented in the shape of the tongue of the serpent. The runes þiak(n)a for þegna or "Þegns" are hidden in the base of the cross as "secret runes." The phrase þróttar þegna or "Þegns of strength" is also used on Sö 367Södermanland 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 and in its singular form on Sö 90 in Lövhulta, Sö 112 in Kolunda, Sö 151 in Lövsund, Sö 158
Södermanland Runic Inscription 158
Södermanland Runic Inscription 158 or Sö 158 is the Rundata catalog number for a Viking Age memorial runestone located in Österberga, which is one kilometer southwest of Ärsta and three kilometers southwest of Runtuna, Södermanland, Sweden...
in Österberga, and Sö 170 in Nälberga.
The Rundata designation for this Södermanland inscription, Sö Fv1948;295, refers to the year and page number of the issue of Fornvännen
Fornvännen
Fornvännen is a Swedish academic journal in the fields of archaeology and Medieval art. It is published quarterly by the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters in Stockholm, Sweden. The journal's contributions are written in the Scandinavian languages, English, or German with summaries in English...
in which the runestone was first described.
Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters
- : halftan ÷ rasþi : st(a)- ...si : at : raknualt : faþur : sin : ouk : tan * bruþur sin þrutaR þiak(n)a
Transcription into Old Norse
- Halfdan reisti stei[n þenn]a at Ragnvald, fôður sinn, ok Dan, bróður sinn, þróttar þegna.
Translation in English
- Halfdan raised this stone in memory of Ragnvaldr, his father, and Dan, his brother, Þegns of strength.