Uppland Runic Inscription 328
Encyclopedia
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
. The runestone is one of several runestones that have permitted scholars to trace family relations among some powerful Viking clans in Sweden during the 11th century.
. The runestone is an example of the Ringerike style
, and it is categorized as being carved in runestone style Pr1. The runestone was raised by two women named Gyrið and Guðlaug in memory of the master of the homestead whose name was Andsvarr and in memory of their father whose name was engraved as unif. These runes are interpreted as Ónæm, the accusative case of Ónæmr, a name which means "Slow Learner." A man having this rare name, Ónæmr, is also mentioned on two nearby runestones, U 112 in Kyrkstigen and U 336 in Orkesta, and so the three runestones are held to refer to the same person.
The other runestones tell of the family of the two women, their father and the runemaster
who made it. The runemaster Ulf of Borresta
declared on U 336 that he was Ónæmr's paternal nephew, and consequently he was Gyrið and Guðlaug's first cousin. Ulf is notable in himself since the runestone U 344 in Yttergärde declares that Ulf had taken three danegeld
s in England. The first one was with Skagul Toste
in 991, the second one with Thorkel the High in 1012 and the last one with Canute the Great
in 1018.
The runestone U 112 in Kyrkstigen informs that a maternal nephew of Ónæmr was Ragnvaldr
who was the commander of the Varangian Guard
in Constantinople
. Ragnvaldr had the runestone U 112 made in memory of himself and his mother, Ónæmr's daughter.
Ónæmr's daughter Guðlaug appears to have had the son Holmi who fell in Italy
which is mentioned on the runestone U 133 in Täby. It is likely that Holmi fell in battle as a member of the Varangian Guard in southern Italy
.
Andsvarr (an allomorph
of Özurr and Assur), in memory of whom the runestone also was raised, may be the same man as the housecarl
who is mentioned on the runestone U 330 in Snottsta. Gyríðr is also mentioned on U 100
in Skälby and U 226 in Bällsta.
The runic text ends with the imperitive Rað þessi! which is translated as "Interpret these!" Other runestones with similar imperitive exclamations in their runic texts include U 29 in Hillersjö and Sö 158
in Österberga. The runes for this phrase, raþisi, are carved on the serpent's tail and follow the rule that double consonants are represented with only a single consonant, even if one of the two consonants are at the end of one word and the second is at the beginning of the next word. The transliteration
of the runic text for this phrase, raþ| |þisi, shows a separate þ-rune for each of the two words.
Lindholmen
Lindholmen is a locality situated in Vallentuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 810 inhabitants in 2005....
, Stockholm County
Stockholm County
Stockholm County is a county or län on the Baltic sea coast of Sweden. It borders Uppsala County and Södermanland County. It also borders Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city of Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Stockholm County is divided by the historic provinces of Uppland and Södermanland...
, 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....
, in the historic province of 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...
. The runestone is one of several runestones that have permitted scholars to trace family relations among some powerful Viking clans in Sweden during the 11th century.
Description
The inscription consists of runic text on two intertwined serpents that form an oval aound a Christian crossChristian 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 is an example of the Ringerike style
Ringerike 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...
, and it is categorized as being carved in runestone style Pr1. The runestone was raised by two women named Gyrið and Guðlaug in memory of the master of the homestead whose name was Andsvarr and in memory of their father whose name was engraved as unif. These runes are interpreted as Ónæm, the accusative case of Ónæmr, a name which means "Slow Learner." A man having this rare name, Ónæmr, is also mentioned on two nearby runestones, U 112 in Kyrkstigen and U 336 in Orkesta, and so the three runestones are held to refer to the same person.
The other runestones tell of the family of the two women, their father and 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...
who made it. The runemaster Ulf of Borresta
Ulf of Borresta
Ulf of Borresta was not only a runemaster in eleventh century Uppland, Sweden, but also a successful Viking who returned from England three times with a share of the Danegeld...
declared on U 336 that he was Ónæmr's paternal nephew, and consequently he was Gyrið and Guðlaug's first cousin. Ulf is notable in himself since the runestone U 344 in Yttergärde declares that Ulf had taken three danegeld
Danegeld
The Danegeld was a tax raised to pay tribute to the Viking raiders to save a land from being ravaged. It was called the geld or gafol in eleventh-century sources; the term Danegeld did not appear until the early twelfth century...
s in England. The first one was with Skagul Toste
Skagul Toste
Skoglar Toste or Skoglar Tosti was a chieftain from the Swedish province of West Götaland. According to Snorri Sturluson, he was the father of Sigrid the Haughty. For some time he gave refuge to Harald Grenske, who later came back to woo Sigrid, only to be killed by her for his persistence...
in 991, the second one with Thorkel the High in 1012 and the last one with Canute the Great
Canute the Great
Cnut the Great , also known as Canute, was a king of Denmark, England, Norway and parts of Sweden. Though after the death of his heirs within a decade of his own and the Norman conquest of England in 1066, his legacy was largely lost to history, historian Norman F...
in 1018.
The runestone U 112 in Kyrkstigen informs that a maternal nephew of Ónæmr was Ragnvaldr
Ragnvald Ingvarsson
Ragnvaldr was a captain of the Varangian Guard in the first half of the 11th century. He may appear on several runestones, some of which suggest that he was the son of an Ingvar connecting him to the Jarlabanke clan....
who was the commander of the Varangian Guard
Varangian Guard
The Varangian Guard was an elite unit of the Byzantine Army in 10th to the 14th centuries, whose members served as personal bodyguards of the Byzantine Emperors....
in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. Ragnvaldr had the runestone U 112 made in memory of himself and his mother, Ónæmr's daughter.
Ónæmr's daughter Guðlaug appears to have had the son Holmi who fell in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
which is mentioned on the runestone U 133 in Täby. It is likely that Holmi fell in battle as a member of the Varangian Guard in southern Italy
Catapanate of Italy
The Catepanate of Italy was a province of the Byzantine Empire, comprising mainland Italy south of a line drawn from Monte Gargano to the Gulf of Salerno. Amalfi and Naples, although north of that line, maintained allegiance to Constantinople through the catepan...
.
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), in memory of whom the runestone also was raised, may be the same man as the 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...
who is mentioned on the runestone U 330 in Snottsta. Gyríðr is also mentioned on U 100
Uppland Runic Inscription 100
Uppland Runic Inscription 100 is the Rundata designation for a memorial runestone that is located in the forest where a path meets a bog near Skälby, which is about two kilometers northeast of Sollentuna, Stockholm County, Sweden, which was part of the historical province of...
in Skälby and U 226 in Bällsta.
The runic text ends with the imperitive Rað þessi! which is translated as "Interpret these!" Other runestones with similar imperitive exclamations in their runic texts include U 29 in Hillersjö and 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. The runes for this phrase, raþisi, are carved on the serpent's tail and follow the rule that double consonants are represented with only a single consonant, even if one of the two consonants are at the end of one word and the second is at the beginning of the next word. The transliteration
Runic transliteration and transcription
Runic transliteration and transcription are part of analysing a runic inscription which involves transliteration of the runes into Latin letters, transcription into a normalized spelling in the language of the inscription, and translation of the inscription into a modern language...
of the runic text for this phrase, raþ| |þisi, shows a separate þ-rune for each of the two words.
Latin transliteration
- kuriþ * uk * kuþluk * þaR * litu * risa * stin * þina iftiR unif * faþur * sin * uk * iftiR * onsur * bunta * sin * raþ| |þisi
Old Norse transcription
- Gyrið ok Guðlaug þaR letu ræisa stæin þenna æftiR Onæm(?), faður sinn, ok æftiR Ansur, bonda sinn. Rað þessi!
English translation
- Gyríðr and Guðlaug, they had this stone raised in memory of Ónæmr(?), their father and in memory of Andsvarr, their husbandman. Interpret these!