Tullstorp Runestone
Encyclopedia
The Tullstorp Runestone is a Viking Age
memorial runestone, listed as DR 271 in the Rundata
catalog, that is located in Tullstorp, Scania
, Sweden
.
.
The original site of the Tullstorp Runestone is unknown. It was first noted in 1624 when it was installed in the wall of a church, and rediscovered when the old church in Tullstorp was torn down in 1846. Before the historical significance of runestones was understood, they were often used as materials in the construction of buildings, walls, and roads. The stone first ended up in the wall surrounding the church yard, later it was moved to the current position inside the church yard. It is dated from about 1000 AD.
The ship and the wolf in the central image probably reflects the Ragnarök
myth, which would make the wolf Fenrir and the ship Naglfar
. The ship is shaped like an ancient galley, suggesting from its archaic form that it is a symbolic ship associated with ritual. Other inscriptions with similar features which may depict ancient, symbolic ships include DR 77 in Hjermind, DR 119 in Spentrup, DR 258 in Bösarp, and DR 328
in Holmby. The wolf has a mane and pointed ears similar to the depiction of the wolf on inscription DR 284 of the Hunnestad Monument
and the two wolves on DR 314, the Lund 1 Runestone
.
The runic text indicates that the stone was raised as a memorial to a man named Ulfr. Besides the Ragnorok myth discussed above, it may be that the image of the wolf was inspired by this man's name, which in Old Norse
means "Wolf." It has been pointed out that the Old Norse phrase in the runic text, reistu kuml ("raised this monument"), is somewhat rare, but does appear on seven other runestones, Sm 27 in Berga, Ög 94 in Harstads, DR 13 in Skivum, DR 383 in Vester Marie, Sö 173 in Tystberga, U 735 in Långarnö (where the wording is reversed), and U 1066 in Åkerby.
Locally the stone is known as the Tullstorpstenen.
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, listed as DR 271 in the Rundata
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, that is located in Tullstorp, Scania
Scania
Scania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
, 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 inscription on the Tullstorp Runestone consists of runic text on a serpent band that frames a central image consisting of a ship and a beast, which has been described as being a wolf. The stone is granite and 1.7 meters in height, and the inscription is classified as being carved in runestone style Pr1, which is also known as Ringerike styleRingerike style
The Ringerike style is a Scandinavian animal style from the late 10th century and the 11th century, which evolved out of the earlier Mammen style. It has received its name from a group of runestones with animal and plant motifs in the Ringerike district north of Oslo. The most common motifs are...
.
The original site of the Tullstorp Runestone is unknown. It was first noted in 1624 when it was installed in the wall of a church, and rediscovered when the old church in Tullstorp was torn down in 1846. Before the historical significance of runestones was understood, they were often used as materials in the construction of buildings, walls, and roads. The stone first ended up in the wall surrounding the church yard, later it was moved to the current position inside the church yard. It is dated from about 1000 AD.
The ship and the wolf in the central image probably reflects the Ragnarök
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, Ragnarök is a series of future events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures , the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water...
myth, which would make the wolf Fenrir and the ship Naglfar
Naglfar
In Norse mythology, Naglfar or Naglfari is a boat made entirely from the fingernails and toenails of the dead. During the events of Ragnarök, Naglfar is foretold to sail to Vígríðr, ferrying hordes that will there battle with the gods...
. The ship is shaped like an ancient galley, suggesting from its archaic form that it is a symbolic ship associated with ritual. Other inscriptions with similar features which may depict ancient, symbolic ships include DR 77 in Hjermind, DR 119 in Spentrup, DR 258 in Bösarp, and DR 328
Holmby Runestone
The Holmby Runestone, listed as DR 328 in the Rundata catalog, is a Viking Age memorial runestone with an image of a ship that is located in Holmby, which is about 2 kilometers southeast of Flyinge, Scania, Sweden.-Description:...
in Holmby. The wolf has a mane and pointed ears similar to the depiction of the wolf on inscription DR 284 of the Hunnestad Monument
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...
and the two wolves on DR 314, the Lund 1 Runestone
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:...
.
The runic text indicates that the stone was raised as a memorial to a man named Ulfr. Besides the Ragnorok myth discussed above, it may be that the image of the wolf was inspired by this man's name, which in Old Norse
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....
means "Wolf." It has been pointed out that the Old Norse phrase in the runic text, reistu kuml ("raised this monument"), is somewhat rare, but does appear on seven other runestones, Sm 27 in Berga, Ög 94 in Harstads, DR 13 in Skivum, DR 383 in Vester Marie, Sö 173 in Tystberga, U 735 in Långarnö (where the wording is reversed), and U 1066 in Åkerby.
Locally the stone is known as the Tullstorpstenen.
Transliteration into Latin characters
- × klibiR × auk × osa × ¶ × risþu × kuml + ¶ þusi × uftiR × ulf +