Varangian runestones - Misplaced Pages

Runestones in Scandinavia that mention voyages to the East

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Stockholmclass=notpageimage| Clickable map of the geographic distribution of the Varangian Runestones in southern Scandinavia (modern administrative borders and cities are shown)

The Varangian Runestones are runestones in Scandinavia that mention voyages to the East (Old Norse: Austr) or the Eastern route (Old Norse: Austrvegr), or to more specific eastern locations such as Garðaríki in Eastern Europe.

There are also many additional runestones in Scandinavia that talk of eastward voyages such as the Greece Runestones, Italy Runestones, and inscriptions left by the Varangian Guard. Other runestones that deal with Varangian expeditions include the Serkland Runestones (dealing with expeditions to the Middle East) and the Ingvar Runestones (erected in honor or memory of those who travelled to the Caspian Sea with Ingvar the Far-Travelled). There is also a separate article for the Baltic expeditions runestones. In addition, there were also voyages to Western Europe mentioned on runestones that are treated in the articles Viking Runestones, England Runestones and Hakon Jarl Runestones.

Most of the runestones were raised during the Christianization of the 11th century when the making of runestones was fashionable, but notably, the Kälvesten Runestone Ög 8 was made in the 9th century when the Varangians played a central role in what would become Russia and Ukraine. This vast area was a rich source of pelts, hides and people, and it was an important component in the contemporary Swedish economy. Its Old Norse name meant 'land of fortresses' and was derived from the chains of fortresses that had been constructed along the trade routes.

All of the stones were engraved in Old Norse with the Younger Futhark and the message of many of the inscriptions can be summarized with a poem in the fornyrðislag style found on the Turinge Runestone Sö 338:

Brøðr vaʀu
þæiʀ bæzstra manna,
a landi
ok i liði uti,
heldu sina
huskarla ve.
Hann fioll i orrustu
austr i Garðum,
liðs forungi,
landmanna bæzstr.

These brothers were
the best of men
in the land
and abroad in the retinue,
held their housecarls well.
He fell in battle
in the east in Garðar (Russia),
commander of the retinue,
the best of landholders.

Below follows a presentation of the runestones based on the Rundata project. The transcriptions into Old Norse are mostly in the Swedish and Danish dialect to facilitate comparison with the inscriptions, while the English translation provided by Rundata gives the names in the de facto standard dialect (the Icelandic and Norwegian dialect):

Uppland

U 153

Main article: Hagby Runestones

This runestone in style Pr3 is one of the runestones in Hagby. It was discovered in 1930 in the basement under the main building of the old estate Lissby which had been demolished in the late 19th century. It had been inserted in the basement wall with the engraved side visible together with the runestones U 152 and U 154. When the basement collapsed, the runestone was splintered into a great number of minor and major pieces of which the top part was the largest one. A fragment of the stone was discovered in the field on the property of Lissby. All in all, no less than 70 pieces were reassembled, and in 1931, the repaired stone was raised in the garden of Hagby. The stone is in granite and it is 2.60 m tall and 1.5 m wide. The inscription is damaged and especially in its beginning and end. It refers to several stones and one of them was probably the runestone U 155.

The last runes may be reconstructed as either um ('in Garðar', i.e. 'in the lands of Rus'') or um ('among Greeks', i.e. 'in the Byzantine Empire').

The inscription reads:

...(a)i-

væi

ulf-

Ulf

litu

letu

raisa

ræisa

stai-(a)

stæia

e(f)tiʀ

æftiʀ

hlftan

Halfdan

auk

eftiʀ

æftiʀ

kunar

Gunnar,

bryþr

brøðr

sina

sina.

þaiʀ

Þæiʀ

antaþus

ændaðus

aust...

aust

...(u)m

...

...(a)i- × uk × ulf- litu × raisa × stai-(a) × e(f)tiʀ × hlftan · auk · eftiʀ × kunar × bryþr × sina × þaiʀ · antaþus × aust... ...(u)m

væi {} ok {} Ulf letu {} ræisa {} stæia {} æftiʀ {} Halfdan {} ok {} æftiʀ {} Gunnar, {} brøðr {} sina. {} Þæiʀ {} ændaðus {} aust ...

Sveinn and Ulfr had the stones raised in memory of Halfdan and in memory of Gunnarr, their brothers. They met their end in the east ...

U 154

Main article: Hagby Runestones

This runestone in style Pr3 and it is one of the runestones in Hagby. It was discovered together with U 151 and U 153 in a collapsed basement under the eastern part of the foundation of the main building of the farm Lissby. When it was discovered, it was still standing but it had been crushed and it crumbled into 50 pieces when it was removed from the wall. It was reassembled but the upper part had been lost and could not be retrieved. In 1931, it was raised in the garden of Hagby. The stone is dark and it is 1.23 m tall and 0.3 m wide. The inscription is damaged in several places.

The inscription reads:

...r

...

lit

let

rai...

ræi

...

...fast

auk

(k)aiʀbiarn

Gæiʀbiorn,

bruþ-

brøð

...

...i(ʀ)

iʀ

(t)o

dou

a(u)s...

aus.

...r × lit × rai... ... ...fast · auk × at × (k)aiʀbiarn × bruþ- ... ...i(ʀ) · (t)o a(u)s... ×

... {} let {} ræi ... ...fast {} ok {} at {} Gæiʀbiorn, {} brøð ... iʀ {} dou aus. {}

... had raised ... ...-fastr and in memory of Geirbjǫrn, (their) brothers ... They died in the east.

U 209

This is not properly a runestone but a runic inscription in style Pr4 that has been carved into flat bedrock at Veda. It is dated to the mid-11th century. It was ordered by Þorsteinn who enriched himself in the lands of Rus' in memory of his son. Omeljan Pritsak identifies this Þorsteinn with Þorsteinn, the former commander of a retinue, who is commemorated on the Turinge Runestone. He suggests that Þorsteinn was the commander of the retinue of Yaroslav the Wise and that his son Erinmundr may have died in Garðaríki while serving under his father.

The estate that was bought was probably the farm Veda, where the inscription is located. The inscription is of note as it indicates that the riches that were acquired in Eastern Europe had led to the new procedure of legally buying odal land.

The inscription reads:

þurtsain

Þorstæinn

kiarþi|

gærði

|if×tiʀ

æftiʀ

irinmunt

Ærinmund,

sun

sin

sinn,

auk|

|kaubti

køypti

þinsa

þennsa

auk

aflaþi

aflaði

austr

karþum

Garðum.

þurtsain × kiarþi| |if×tiʀ irinmunt × sun sin auk| |kaubti þinsa bu × auk × aflaþi × austr i karþum

Þorstæinn {} gærði æftiʀ Ærinmund, {} sun sinn, ok køypti þennsa by {} ok {} aflaði {} austr i Garðum.

Þorsteinn made (the stone) in memory of Erinmundr, his son, and bought this estate and earned (wealth) in the east in Garðar (Russia).

U 283

This runestone was located at the estate of Torsåker but it has disappeared. It was presumably in style Pr3 and made by the runemaster Fot. It was raised by three men in memory of a fourth who had died in the east.

The inscription reads:

Gismundaʀ.

{} Sibbi {} ok {} Ærnmundr {} ok {} Þoriʀ {} letu {} ræisa {} stæin {} æftiʀ {} ... ... ... Hann {} do {} austr, {} sunn {} Gismundaʀ.

Sibbi and Ernmundr and Þórir had the stone raised in memory of ... He, Gísmundr's son, died in the east.

U 366

This runestone was found as fragments at Gådersta and has disappeared but it was probably in style Pr4. It was raised in memory of a man who died on the eastern route.

The inscription reads:

...]

...

... vaʀ {} dauðr {} i austrveg ...

... died on the eastern route ...

U 504

This runestone is an early inscription in style RAK without ornamentations. It is located in Ubby and it was raised in memory of a father who had travelled both in the west and in the east.

The inscription reads:

kitil×fastr

Kætilfastr

risti

ræisti

stin

stæin

þina

þenna

iftiʀ

æftiʀ

askut

Asgaut,

faþur

faður

sin

sinn.

saʀ

Saʀ

uas

vas

uistr

vestr

ustr

austr.

kuþ

Guð

ialbi

hialpi

hans

salu

salu.

+ kitil×fastr × risti × stin + þina × iftiʀ × askut × faþur + sin × saʀ × uas × uistr × uk × ustr + kuþ ialbi × as × salu

{} Kætilfastr {} ræisti {} stæin {} þenna {} æftiʀ {} Asgaut, {} faður {} sinn. {} Saʀ {} vas {} vestr {} ok {} austr. {} Guð hialpi {} hans {} salu.

Ketilfastr raised this stone in memory of Ásgautr, his father. He was in the west and in the east. May God help his soul.

U 636

This stone is found at Låddersta and it is in the style Fp. It is raised in memory of a son named Arnfast who travelled to Garðaríki. Arnfast is also mentioned on the stone U 635.

There are two readings of i karþa. One interpretation is that it means "to Garðar" or "to Garðaríki", i.e. "to the lands of Rus'". In runic inscriptions, however, that toponym always appears in the plural dative form, suggesting that the singular form i karþa may have referred to a particular town Garðr, i.e. either to Constantinople or to Kiev.

The inscription reads:

alui

Alvi

lit

let

risa

ræisa

stn

stæin

þtin

þenna

arfast

Arnfast,

sun

sin

sinn.

Hann

fur

for

ausʀ

austr

karþa

Garða.

alui · lit · risa · stn · þtin · at · arfast · sun sin · hn · fur · ausʀ · i karþa

Alvi {} let {} ræisa {} stæin {} þenna {} at {} Arnfast, {} sun sinn. {} Hann {} for {} austr {} i Garða.

Ǫlvé had this stone raised in memory of Arnfastr, his son. He travelled to the east to Garðar (Russia).

U 687

This stone, signed by the runemaster Öpir, is found at Sjusta near Skokloster. It is in style Pr4 and it is raised by a woman named Rúna in memory of her four sons who had died. She had it made together with her daughter-in-law Sigríðr who was the widow of Spjallboði. They added that the place where Spjallboði had died was i olafs kriki, and several scholars have discussed the meaning of these runes.

In 1875, Richard Dybeck suggested that kriki represented Old Norse Grikk meaning 'Greece', but in 1891 Sophus Bugge read grið, which means 'retinue'. Later, in 1904, Adolf Noreen interpreted them as krikr, meaning 'hook', but in 1907, Otto von Friesen proposed that the runes read i olafs kirki, i.e. 'in Saint Olaf's Church in Novgorod'. Otto von Friesen's interpretation has since then been the accepted interpretation.

Omeljan Pritsak suggests that Spjallboði died in a fire that destroyed the church in c. 1070–1080. Jansson, on the other hand, attributes the death of Spjallboði in a church to the fact that many of the medieval churches were defensive structures.

The runic text is signed by the runemaster Öpir, who was active during the late 11th and early 12th centuries in Uppland.

The inscription reads:

runa

Runa

lit

let

kiara

gæra

mirki

mærki

sbialbuþa

Spiallbuða

suain

Svæin

antuit

Andvett

raknaʀ

Ragnar,

suni

syni

sin

sina

ekla

Hælga/Ægla/Ængla,

siri(þ)

Sigrið

sbialbuþa

Spiallbuða,

bonta

bonda

sin

sinn.

Hann

uaʀ

vaʀ

tauþr

dauðr

hulmkarþi

Holmgarði

olafs

Olafs

kriki

kirkiu.

ubiʀ

Øpiʀ

risti

runaʀ.

runa ' lit kiara ' mirki at ' sbialbuþa ' uk ' at ' suain ' uk ' at · antuit ' uk at ' raknaʀ ' suni ' sin ' uk ' ekla ' uk ' siri(þ) ' at ' sbialbuþa ' bonta sin an uaʀ ' tauþr ' i hulmkarþi ' i olafs · kriki ' ubiʀ · risti ' ru

Runa {} let gæra {} mærki at {} Spiallbuða {} ok {} at {} Svæin {} ok {} at {} Andvett {} ok at {} Ragnar, {} syni {} sina {} ok {} Hælga/Ægla/Ængla, {} ok {} Sigrið {} at {} Spiallbuða, {} bonda sinn. Hann vaʀ {} dauðr {} i Holmgarði {} i Olafs {} kirkiu. {} Øpiʀ {} risti {} runaʀ.

Rúna had the landmark made in memory of Spjallboði and in memory of Sveinn and in memory of Andvéttr and in memory of Ragnarr, sons of her and Helgi/Egli/Engli; and Sigríðr in memory of Spjallboði, her husbandman. He died in Holmgarðr in Ólafr's church. Œpir carved the runes.

U 898

This is not properly a runestone but a runic inscription on flat bedrock at Norby. It is in style Pr4 and it is raised in memory of three men, one of whom died in the East. The runic text is signed by the runemaster Öpir.

The inscription reads:

ali

Ali/Alli

iufurfast

Iofurfast

litu

letu

gera

gæra

merki

mærki

iftiʀ

æftiʀ

iarl

Iarl,

faþur

faður

sin

sinn,

kisl

Gisl

ikimunt

Ingimund.

han

Hann

uaʀ

vaʀ

trebin

drepinn

hustr

austr,

sun

sunn

iarls

Iarls.

ybiʀ

Øpiʀ

risti

risti.

ali ' uk ' iufurfast · litu ' gera ' merki ' iftiʀ iarl faþur sin ' uk ' at ' kisl ' uk ' at ' ikimunt han ' uaʀ ' trebin ' hustr ' sun ' iarls ybiʀ risti

Ali/Alli {} ok {} Iofurfast {} letu {} gæra {} mærki {} æftiʀ Iarl, faður sinn, {} ok {} at {} Gisl {} ok {} at {} Ingimund. Hann {} vaʀ {} drepinn {} austr, {} sunn {} Iarls. Øpiʀ risti.

Áli/Alli and Jǫfurfast had the landmark made in memory of Jarl, their father, and in memory of Gísl and in memory of Ingimundr. He, Jarl's son, was killed in the east. Œpir carved.

Södermanland

Sö 33

This runestone is located in Skåäng and it is the style Fp. It was raised in memory of a man who died in an assembly in the east. It is also possible that it says that the man died in a retinue in the east.

The inscription reads:

gnubha

Gnupa

liþ

let

raisa

ræisa

stain

stæin

þinsa

þennsa

hibtiʀ

æftiʀ

kulaif

Guðlæif,

bruþur

broður

sin

sinn.

han

Hann

antaþis

ændaðis

austr

þikum

þingum.

+ gnubha ~ liþ : raisa : stain : þinsa : hibtiʀ : kulaif : bruþur sin han : antaþis : austr : at þikum

{} Gnupa {} let {} ræisa {} stæin {} þennsa {} æftiʀ {} Guðlæif, {} broður sinn. Hann {} ændaðis {} austr {} at þingum.

Gnúpa had this stone raised in memory of Gulleifr, his brother. He met his end in the east at the Assembly.

Sö 34

Styrlaugʀ ok Holmbʀ stæina ræistu...

A reading of the runestone Sö 34's text in Old East Norse.

Problems playing this file? See media help.

This runestone is located at a path called Tjuvstigen ('thief trail') and is carved in runestone style KB. This is the classification for inscriptions with a cross that is bordered by the runic text. The runic text states that it was raised in memory of two brothers who were þiægnaʀ goðiʀ or 'good thegns', which was a class of retainer, and who died somewhere in the East. This same phrase is used in its singular form on runestones Vg 8 from Hjälstad and DR 143 from Gunderup. About fifty memorial runestones describe the deceased as being a thegn.

The inscription reads:

styrlaugʀ

Styrlaugʀ

auk

hulmbʀ

Holmbʀ

staina

stæina

raistu

ræistu

bryþr

brøðr

sina

sina,

brau(t)u

brautu

nesta

næsta.

þaiʀ

Þæiʀ

entaþus

ændaðus

austruiki

austrvegi,

þurkil

Þorkell

auk

sturbiarn

Styrbiorn,

þiaknaʀ

þiægnaʀ

kuþiʀ

goðiʀ.

styrlaugʀ · auk · hulmbʀ · staina · raistu · at · bryþr · sina · brau(t)u · nesta · þaiʀ · entaþus · i · austruiki · þurkil · auk sturbiarn þiaknaʀ · kuþiʀ

Styrlaugʀ {} ok {} Holmbʀ {} stæina {} ræistu {} at {} brøðr {} sina, {} brautu {} næsta. {} Þæiʀ {} ændaðus {} i {} austrvegi, {} Þorkell {} ok Styrbiorn, þiægnaʀ {} goðiʀ.

Styrlaugr and Holmr raised the stones next to the path in memory of their brothers. They met their end on the eastern route, Þorkell and Styrbjôrn, good Þegns.

Sö 92

This runestone is found at the cemetery of Husby. Its front side is completely covered in illustrations and it is attributed to style Pr3-Pr4. It was carved by the runemaster Balle in memory of someone's brother who died in the East.

The inscription reads:

...

lit

let

raisa

ræisa

st...

...

rysu

Rysiu(?),

br(o)...

bro

sin

sinn.

ha...

...

austr

austr.

bali

Balli

...

... · lit · raisa · st... ... rysu · br(o)... · sin · ha... ... austr · bali ...

... {} let {} ræisa {} st ... Rysiu(?), {} bro {} sinn. {} Ha ... austr. {} Balli ...

... had the stone raised ... Rysja(?), his brother. He ... east. Balli ...

Sö 121

This runestone has disappeared but was located in Bönestad. It was made in the style RAK in memory of a man who died in the East.

The inscription reads:

<asu>.

<sumuʀ> {} haggva {} stæin, {} sum eʀ {} dauð {} austr {} i {} <tuna> {} <asu>.

<sumuʀ> cut the stone, who died in the east in <tuna> ...

Sö 126

This runestone is a runic inscription on flat bedrock in Fagerlöt. It is in the style Pr2-Pr3 and it was made in memory of a man named Áskell who fell in battle in the East. The second sentence of the inscription is in the meter fornyrðislag, and it contains a virtually unique use of the Old Norse word grimmr ('cruel') in the sense "commander". Áskell's title folksgrimmr may be the title that the commander had in the druzhina of Yaroslav I the Wise in Novgorod.

The inscription reads:

hu(l)(m)(f)riþ

Holmfriðr,

ilin--r

<ilin--r>,

aʀ

þaʀ

litu

letu

hakua

haggva

stain

stæin

eftiʀ

æftiʀ

eskil

Æskel,

faþur

faður

sin

sinn.

han

Hann

trauh

draug

orustu

orrustu

austruhi

austrvegi,

aþaa

aðan

fulks·krimʀ

folksgrimʀ

fala

falla

orþi

orði.

hu(l)(m)(f)riþ · ilin--r · aʀ · litu · hakua · stain · eftiʀ eskil · faþur · sin · han · trauh · orustu · i · austruhi aþaa · fulks·krimʀ · fala · orþi

Holmfriðr, {} <ilin--r>, {} þaʀ {} letu {} haggva {} stæin {} æftiʀ Æskel, {} faður {} sinn. {} Hann {} draug {} orrustu {} i {} austrvegi, aðan {} folksgrimʀ {} falla {} orði.

Holmfríðr (and) <ilin--r>, they had the stone cut in memory of Áskell, their father. He engaged in battle on the eastern route, before the people's commander wrought his fall.

Sö 130

This runestone is found near a homestead named Hagstugan. It is either style Fp or possibly style Pr1 and it is raised in memory of a man who fell in what is today Russia. It is composed in fornyrðislag and the last line, which contains cipher runes, was decoded by Elias Wessén. It is from the first half of the 11th century.

The inscription reads:

§A

fiuriʀ

Fiuriʀ

kirþu

gærðu

faþur

faður

kuþan

goðan

tyrþ

dyrð

trikela

drængila

tumara

Domara/domara,

miltan

mildan

urþa

orða

mataʀ

kuþan

goðan,

þat

(u)-(h)---(u)--(u)(k)(þ)

...

fiuriʀ : kirþu : at : faþur : kuþan : tyrþ : trikela : at : tumara : miltan : urþa uk : mataʀ kuþan : þat · (u)-(h)---(u)--(u)(k)(þ)

Fiuriʀ {} gærðu {} at {} faður {} goðan {} dyrð {} drængila {} at {} Domara/domara, {} mildan {} orða ok {} mataʀ goðan, {} þat {} ...

Four (sons) made the magnificence in memory of (their) good father, valiantly in memory of Dómari/the judge, gentle in speech and free with food ...

§B

h^a

Hann(?)

l^f

fiall(?)

kirþu

Garðum(?)

<o>

...

h^a l^f {} kirþu <o>

Hann(?) fiall(?) Garðum(?) ...

He(?) fell(?) in(?) Garðar(?) (Russia) ..."

Sö 148

This runestone is found in Innberga and it was raised in memory of a man who died in what is today Russia. It is dated to the first half of the 11th century.

The inscription reads:

þiuþulfʀ

Þiuðulfʀ,

bui

Boi,

þaiʀ

þæiʀ

raisþu

ræisþu

stain

stæin

þansi

þannsi

farulf

Farulf,

faþur

faður

sin

sinn.

han

Hann

uas

vas

antaþ

ændaðr

austr

kaþ(u)(m)

Garðum.

þiuþulfʀ : bui : þaiʀ : raisþu : stain þansi : at : farulf : faþur : sin : han uas antaþ austr i kaþ(u)(m)

Þiuðulfʀ, {} Boi, {} þæiʀ {} ræisþu {} stæin þannsi {} at {} Farulf, {} faður {} sinn. {} Hann vas ændaðr austr i Garðum.

Þjóðulfr (and) Búi, they raised this stone in memory of Farulfr, their father. He met his end in the east in Garðar (Russia).

Sö 171

This runestone is a boulder that was found in Esta, and it was made in memory of the captain of a ship who died in Novgorod. The boulder is badly damaged due to weathering, but thanks to a 17th-century drawing scholars know what it said. Three parts of the stone are located in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm.

According to Jansson, the runestone testifies to the unrest that could appear in the important marketplace of Novgorod, and it was not only the captain who died, but also the entire crew. Omeljan Pritsak, on the other hand, thinks that the deceased had probably died in the service of the Novgorodian prince in the first half of the 11th century. The second half of the inscription is in the fornyrðislag meter.

The inscription reads:

(i)nk(i)f(a)tr

Ingifastr

l(t)

let

(h)(a)ku...

haggv

st(a)...n

stæn

eftiʀ

æftiʀ

sihuiþ

Sigvið,

faþ-r

faðr

siul(m)þ

með

ski...ra

skira.

(i)nk(i)f(a)tr · l(t) (h)(a)ku... st(a)...n · eftiʀ · sihuiþ · faþ-r · siul(m)þ · ski...ra

Ingifastr {} let haggv stæn {} æftiʀ {} Sigvið, {} faðr {} sinn. {} Hann {} fioll {} i Holmgarði, {} skæiðaʀ {} visi með {} skira.

Ingifastr had the stone cut in memory of Sigviðr, his father. He fell in Holmgarðr, the ship's leader with the seamen.

Sö 216

This runestone was found as a fragment in Aska, but it has disappeared. What remained said that it was made in memory of a man who died in the East.

The inscription reads:

ðis

a^ustr

austr

...uk-ma]

...

Ottarr {} ok {} ... ... ðis {} austr {} ...

Óttarr and ... met his end in the east ...

Sö 308

This runestone is a runic inscription by the runemaster Öpir in the style Pr5 on a large boulder. It is located outside the railroad station in Södertälje. It was made in memory of two men who were in the east. The runic text is signed by the runemaster Öpir, and uses a bind rune to combine the a-rune and s-rune in the word hua^str, which is tentatively translated as austr ('east'). Öpir used the same a^s bind rune in inscription U 485 in Marma.

The inscription reads:

hulmfastr

Holmfastr,

roþelfr

Roðælfʀ,

---u

sta

rista

run

runaʀ

...

(i)kifast

Ingifast,

suni

syni

sina

sina,

-iʀ

æiʀ

ua(ʀ)u

vaʀu

hua^str

austr(?)/vestr.

i(n)

ybir

Øpiʀ

risti

risti.

hulmfastr ' roþelfr ' ---u ' sta ' run ' a- ... ... (i)kifast ' suni : sina -iʀ ua(ʀ)u · hua^str · i(n) · ybir risti

Holmfastr, {} Roðælfʀ, {} u {} rista {} runaʀ {} a ... ... Ingifast, {} syni {} sina, {} æiʀ vaʀu {} austr(?)/vestr. {} En {} Øpiʀ risti.

Holmfastr (and) Hróðelfr had the runes carved in memory of ... Ingifastr, their sons. They were in the east(?)/west. And Œpir carved.

Sö 338

This is a runestone raised in the church of Turinge. It is in sandstone, in the style Pr4 and it was made in memory of the chieftain of a warband. It is the most verbose of all the Varangian stones, and it was probably made in the mid-11th century.

Omeljan Pritsak identifies this Þorsteinn with Þorsteinn of the Veda inscription, who bought an estate for his son with money earned in the lands of Rus'. He suggests that Þorsteinn was the commander of the retinue of Yaroslav I the Wise and that his son Erinmundr may have died in Garðaríki while serving under his father.

The inscription reads:

§A

ketil

Kætill

auk

biorn

Biorn

þaiʀ

þæiʀ

raistu

ræistu

stain

stæin

þin

þenna

þourstain

Þorstæin,

faþur

faður

sin

sinn,

anuntr

Anundr

bruþur

broður

sin

sinn

auk

hulaʀ

huskarlaʀ

hifiʀ

æftiʀ(?)

iafna

iafna,

ketilau

Kætiløy

buanta

boanda

sin

sinn.

bruþr

Brøðr

uaʀu

vaʀu

þaʀ

þæiʀ

bistra

bæstra

mana

manna,

lanti

landi

auk

liþi

liði

uti

uti,

h(i)(l)(t)u

heldu

sini

sina

huska(r)la

huskarla

ui-

ve.

· ketil : auk + biorn + þaiʀ + raistu + stain + þin + at + þourstain : faþur + sin + anuntr + at + bruþur + sin + auk : hulaʀ + hifiʀ + iafna + ketilau at + buanta sin · ¶ bruþr uaʀu þaʀ bistra mana : a : lanti auk : i liþi : uti : h(i)(l)(t)u sini huska(r)la : ui- +

{} Kætill {} ok {} Biorn {} þæiʀ {} ræistu {} stæin {} þenna {} at {} Þorstæin, {} faður {} sinn, {} Anundr {} at {} broður {} sinn {} ok {} huskarlaʀ {} æftiʀ(?) {} iafna, {} Kætiløy at {} boanda sinn. {} {} Brøðr vaʀu þæiʀ bæstra manna, {} a {} landi ok {} i liði {} uti, {} heldu sina huskarla {} ve. {}

Ketill and Bjǫrn, they raised this stone in memory of Þorsteinn, their father; Ǫnundr in memory of his brother and the housecarls in memory of the just(?) (and) Ketiley in memory of her husbandman. These brothers were the best of men in the land and abroad in the retinue, held their housecarls well.

§B

han

Hann

fial

fioll

urustu

orrustu

austr

garþum

Garðum,

lis

liðs

furugi

forungi,

lanmana

landmanna

bestr

bæstr.

han + fial + i + urustu + austr + i + garþum + lis + furugi + lanmana + bestr

Hann {} fioll {} i {} orrustu {} austr {} i {} Garðum, {} liðs {} forungi, {} landmanna {} bæstr.

He fell in battle in the east in Garðar (Russia), commander of the retinue, the best of landholders.

Västmanland

Vs 1

This runestone was discovered in 1938 in the ruins of the church of Stora Rytterne. It forms a monument together with image stone Vs 2, and it was raised in memory of a son who died either in what is today Russia or in Khwarezm in Persia.

Jansson, who was the first scholar to publish an analysis of the inscription, suggested in 1940 that i · karusm was a misspelling for i krþum (i garðum, 'in Gardariki'). However, in 1946, he discovered that it may refer to Khwarezm in Central Asia. He proposed that it may be one of the Ingvar Runestones and that it tells where the Ingvar expedition ultimately ended in 1041. The archaeologist Ture J. Arne criticized this analysis claiming that although a Viking chieftain could arrive to the Caspian Sea in 922, when Vikings met Ibn Fadlan, such a voyage would not have been possible in the 1040s. Arne instead accepted Jansson's first analysis of the inscription.

The Rundata project retains Khwarezm as an equal possibility, and Omeljan Pritsak notes that karusm agrees with *qarus-m which is what the Middle Turkic form of Khwarezm would have been. Moreover, Pritsak notes that Arne was wrong in his claim that it would have been impossible for Ingvar to go to Kwarezm at the time. On the contrary, there were no obstacles for such a voyage during the period 1035–1041.

The inscription is somewhat unusual in that the sponsor's name kuþlefʀ, which is the first word in the inscription, is preceded and followed by a cross, perhaps done to draw attention.

The inscription reads:

kuþlefʀ

Guðlæifʀ

seti

satti

stff

staf

auk

sena

stæina

þasi

uftiʀ

æftiʀ

slakua

Slagva,

sun

sia

sinn,

etaþr

ændaðr

austr

karusm

Garðum(?)/Chorezm(?).

+ kuþlefʀ + seti : stff : auk : sena : þasi : uftiʀ slakua : sun : sia : etaþr : austr · i · karusm ·

{} Guðlæifʀ {} satti {} staf {} ok {} stæina {} þasi {} æftiʀ Slagva, {} sun {} sinn, {} ændaðr {} austr {} i {} Garðum(?)/Chorezm(?). {}

Guðleifr placed the staff and these stones in memory of Slagvi, his son, (who) met his end in the east in Garðar(?)/Chorezm(?).

Vs Fv1988;36

This runestone is carved in runestone style Fp and was raised in memory of Grímmundr who travelled to the east. It was discovered in 1986 at Jädra near Västerås, when stones were removed from a field. It is a lightly reddish stone which is granular and finely textured. The surface of the inscription is even but it is damaged due to flaking, making parts of the inscription difficult to read. It is 2.27 m tall, 0.9 m wide and 0.33 m thick. It is of note that the inscription when discovered still carried traces of its original colouring, which was determined to be of iron oxide but without any noticeable traces of binding material. The nuance appears to have been the same the one used by the Department of Runes when repainting runes in modern days. The stone is of historic note as it mentions the construction of a bridge on the old trail from Badelunda and lake Mälaren to the district of Dalarna.

The Rundata designation for this Västmanland inscription, Vs Fv1988;36, refers to the year and page number of the issue of Fornvännen in which the runestone was first described.

The inscription reads:

taf

Taf(?)

lit

let

risa

ræisa

estn

stæin

þina

þenna

hitiʀ

æftiʀ

kri(m)ut

Grimmund.

uas

Vaʀ

farin

farinn,

sun

sunn

(u)iþfast--

Viðfast,

aust:arla

austarla.

ulfr

Ulfʀ

auk

uibiurn

Vibiorn

-...

...

kitilas

Kætilas(?)/Kætilhôss(?)

krþi

gærðu

b-...(u)

(o)

s---

...

taf : lit : risa : estn : þina : hitiʀ : kri(m)ut ~ uas : farin : sun : (u)iþfast-- : aust:arla ulfr : auk : uibiurn : -... kitilas : krþi : b-...(u) · (o) : s---

Taf(?) {} let {} ræisa {} stæin {} þenna {} æftiʀ {} Grimmund. {} Vaʀ {} farinn, {} sunn {} Viðfast, {} austarla. Ulfʀ {} ok {} Vibiorn {} ... Kætilas(?)/Kætilhôss(?) {} gærðu {} bu {} a {} ...

Taf(?) had this stone raised in memory of Grímmundr. The son of Viðfastr travelled to the east. Ulfr and Vébjǫrn ... Ketilas(?)/Ketilhǫss(?) made the bridge at ...

Östergötland

Ög 8

The Kälvesten stone in Östergötland is dated to the 9th century. It is the oldest inscription that mentions a Viking chieftain leading an expedition eastwards, and many other chieftains would follow in his wake. Unfortunately, it does not tell the exact destination of the Viking expedition.

In the inscription, the runes aukrimulfʀ are to be read as auk krimulfʀ and the k rune, , thus represents two letters at the same time. The runes represent the common Norse name Grímulfr, which was in use all over Scandinavia. It is of note that the name appears in such an old runestone as the other runic attestations of the name are considerably younger, and the name was common in medieval Norway. The name of the deceased, Eyvindr, is a common name in Swedish runic inscriptions, but not Eivísl, the name of the chieftain of the expedition. The only other secure attestation appears on the contemporary Sparlösa Runestone in Västergötland. Since the name appears on two runestones from roughly the same time and in two districts that were culturally closely connected, the name may refer to the same person on the two runestones. Unfortunately, the Sparlösa Runestone is damaged in several places and although it mentions a battle and although there are images like birds hovering above the rigging of a ship, scholars cannot be certain that it refers to a chieftain who had fallen in battle. The identification between the name Eivísl on the two runestones will remain a hypothesis.

The inscription reads:

§A

stikuʀ

Styguʀ/Stygguʀ

(')

karþi

gærði

kubl

kumbl

þ(a)^(u)

þau

aft

auint

Øyvind,

sunu

sin

sinn.

fial

fioll

austr

stikuʀ (') karþi kubl þ(a)^(u) aft auint sunu sin ' sa fial austr

Styguʀ/Stygguʀ {} gærði kumbl þau aft Øyvind, sunu sinn. {} Sa fioll austr

Stigr/Styggr made this monument in memory of Eyvindr, his son. He fell in the east

§B

miʀ

með

aiuisli

Æivisli.

uikikʀ

Vikingʀ

faþi

faði

auk|

|krimulfʀ

Grimulfʀ.

miʀ aiuisli ' uikikʀ faþi auk| |krimulfʀ

með Æivisli. {} Vikingʀ faði ok Grimulfʀ.

with Eivísl. Víkingr coloured and Grímulfr.

Ög 30

This runestone is found at Skjorstad. It is in the style Fp and it was raised in memory of a man named Ingvarr who died in the East.

The inscription reads:

siksten

Sigstæinn

let

rasti

ræisa

stain

stæin

þe(n)...

þenn

eftiʀ

æftiʀ

ikuar

Ingvar,

sun

sin

sinn.

han

Hann

uarþ

varð

austr

tauþr

dauðr.

: siksten : let : rasti : stain : þe(n)... : eftiʀ : ikuar : sun : sin : han : uarþ : austr : tauþr :

{} Sigstæinn {} let {} ræisa {} stæin {} þenn {} æftiʀ {} Ingvar, {} sun {} sinn. {} Hann {} varð {} austr {} dauðr. {}

Sigsteinn had this stone raised in memory of Ingvarr, his son. He died in the east.

Västergötland

Vg 135

This runestone has disappeared but was found in the village of Hassla. It was in the style RAK and it was raised in memory of a brother who died on the eastern route.

The inscription reads:

austrvegi(?).

Brandr {} ræisti {} stæin {} þennsi {} æftiʀ Asmund(?), {} broður sinn. {} Saʀ varð drepinn {} a austrvegi(?).

Brandr raised this stone in memory of Ásmundr(?), his brother; he was killed on the eastern route(?).

Vg 184

This runestone was raised in the cemetery of the church of Smula, but has been moved to the grounds of Dagsnäs Castle. It is carved in the style Fp and it is raised in memory of a brother who died as a warrior in the east. He may have been a member of the Varangian Guard.

The inscription reads:

kuli

Gulli/Kolli

rsþi

ræisti

stin

stæin

þesi

þennsi

eftiʀ

æftiʀ

rþr

brøðr

kunu

konu

sinaʀ

sinnaʀ,

esburn

Æsbiorn

iula

Iula,

treka

drængia

hrþa

harða

kuþa

goða.

ian

þiʀ

þæiʀ

urþu

urðu

tuþiʀ

dauðiʀ

lþi

liði

ustr

austr.

: kuli : rsþi : stin : þesi : eftiʀ : rþr : kunu : sinaʀ : esburn : ok : iula : treka : hrþa : kuþa : ian : þiʀ : urþu : tuþiʀ : i : lþi : ustr :

{} Gulli/Kolli {} ræisti {} stæin {} þennsi {} æftiʀ {} brøðr {} konu {} sinnaʀ, {} Æsbiorn {} ok {} Iula, {} drængia {} harða {} goða. {} En {} þæiʀ {} urðu {} dauðiʀ {} i {} liði {} austr. {}

Gulli/Kolli raised this stone in memory of his wife's brothers Ásbjǫrn and Juli, very good valiant men. And they died in the east in the retinue.

Vg 197

This runestone is raised on the cemetery of the church of Dalum. It was raised in memory of a two brothers, one of whom died in the west while the other one died in the east.

The inscription reads:

tuki

Toki

auk

þiʀ

þæiʀ

bryþr

brøðr

ristu

ræistu

stin

stæin

þesi

þennsi

eftiʀ

æftiʀ

bryþr

brøðr

sina

sina.

eʀ

Eʀ

uarþ

varð

tu(þ)r

dauðr

uestr

vestr,

anar

annarr

au(s)tr

austr.

tuki · auk · þiʀ · bryþr · ristu · stin · þesi · eftiʀ : bryþr : sina · eʀ : uarþ · tu(þ)r uestr : en · anar : au(s)tr :

Toki {} ok {} þæiʀ {} brøðr {} ræistu {} stæin {} þennsi {} æftiʀ {} brøðr {} sina. {} Eʀ {} varð {} dauðr vestr, {} en {} annarr {} austr. {}

Tóki and his brothers raised this stone in memory of their brothers. One died in the west, another in the east.

Öland

Öl 28 (58)

This runestone is raised on the cemetery of Gårdby and it is raised in memory of a man who either stayed in what is today Russia or in a nearby location. It is dated to the period 1020–1050.

The inscription reads:

harþruþr

Hærþruðr

raisti

ræisti

stain

stæin

þinsa

þennsa

aiftiʀ

æftiʀ

sun

sin

sinn

s(m)iþ

Smið,

trak

dræng

kuþan

goðan.

halfburin

Halfborinn,

bruþiʀ

broðiʀ

ans

hans,

sitr

kar¶þum

Garðum.

brantr

Brandr

rit-

rett

iak

hiogg,

þu

þy

raþa

raða

khn

kann.

harþruþr + raisti + stain + þinsa + aiftiʀ + sun + sin + s(m)iþ + trak + kuþan + halfburin + bruþiʀ ans + sitr + kar¶þum ¶ brantr + rit- × iak þu raþa + khn

Hærþruðr {} ræisti {} stæin {} þennsa {} æftiʀ {} sun {} sinn {} Smið, {} dræng {} goðan. {} Halfborinn, {} broðiʀ hans, {} sitr {} Garðum. {} Brandr {} rett {} hiogg, þy raða {} kann.

Herþrúðr raised this stone in memory of her son Smiðr, a good valiant man. Halfborinn, his brother, sits in Garðar (Russia). Brandr cut rightly, for whoever can interpret (the runes).

harþruþr

Hærþruðr

raisti

ræisti

stain

stæin

þinsa

þennsa

aiftiʀ

æftiʀ

sun

sin

sinn

s(m)iþ

Smið,

trak

dræng

kuþan

goðan.

halfburin

Halfborinn,

bruþiʀ

broðiʀ

ans

hans,

sitr

kar¶þum

Garðum

brantr

Brandr.

rit

Rett

iak

hiogg,

þu

þy

raþa

raða

khn

kann.

harþruþr + raisti + stain + þinsa + aiftiʀ + sun + sin + s(m)iþ + trak + kuþan + halfburin + bruþiʀ ans + sitr + kar¶þum ¶ brantr + rit - × iak þu raþa + khn

Hærþruðr {} ræisti {} stæin {} þennsa {} æftiʀ {} sun {} sinn {} Smið, {} dræng {} goðan. {} Halfborinn, {} broðiʀ hans, {} sitr {} Garðum {} Brandr. {} Rett {} hiogg, þy raða {} kann.

Herþrúðr raised this stone in memory of her son Smiðr, a good valiant man. His halfbrother Brandr sits in Garðir. Cut rightly into, for whoever can interpret (the runes).

Gotland

G 114

This runestone refers to a man who was in a place called karþum. One view holds that the place name is Garðar, i.e. Garðaríki (the lands of Rus'), and another view is that the name refers to Garda Parish not far from the stone. Omeljan Pritsak holds the first view to be the correct one, since having been to a neighbouring parish hardly merits a mention on a runestone. It is probably from the first half of the 11th century.

The inscription reads:

§A

syniʀ

Syniʀ

likna(t)(a)-

Liknhvata

...

...(a)rua

ærva

merki

mærki

kut

gott

ebtir

æftiʀ

ailikni

Æilikni,

kunu

konu

koþa

goða,

moþur

moður

: syniʀ : likna(t)(a)- ... ...(a)rua : merki : kut : ebtir : ailikni : kunu : koþa : moþur :

{} Syniʀ {} Liknhvata ... ærva {} mærki {} gott {} æftiʀ {} Æilikni, {} konu {} goða, {} moður {}

The sons of Líknhvatr ... the good landmark made in memory of Eilíkn, a good wife, mother ...

§B

...(s)

...

auk

kaiʀuataʀ

Gæiʀhvataʀ

auk

liknuiaʀ

Liknviaʀ.

...(s) : auk : kaiʀuataʀ : auk : liknuiaʀ :

... {} ok {} Gæiʀhvataʀ {} ok {} Liknviaʀ. {}

and Geirhvatr and Líknvé.

§C

kuþ

Guð

a-...

o(?)

...

...(n)

n(?)

heni

hænni

auk

kieruantum

gærvandum

merki

mærki

m-...

...

...ua

...

aʀ

eʀ

men

mænn

sin

sen

: kuþ a-... ... ...(n) : heni : auk : kieruantum : merki : m-... ...ua : aʀ : men : sin :

{} Guð o(?) ... n(?) {} hænni {} ok {} gærvandum {} mærki {} ... ... {} eʀ {} mænn {} sen {}

God ... be gracious to her and those making the landmark ... who men

§D

...(ʀ)

...

karþum

Garðum/Garde,

aʀ

eʀ

uaʀ

vaʀ

ui(u)(e)

Vivi(?)

meʀ

meðr

(h)...

...

...(ʀ) : i : karþum : aʀ : uaʀ : ui(u)(e) meʀ :: (h)...

... {} i {} Garðum/Garde, {} eʀ {} vaʀ {} Vivi(?) meðr {} ...

... in Garðir/Garde, he was with Vivi(?) ... ...

G 134

The stones G 134 and G 135 tell about the same family, and there is also an additional runestone about the same people, G 136. These runestones tell of a common situation for Scandinavian families in the 11th century: one son was killed through treason in the South, possibly as a member of the Varangian Guard, and another son died in Vindau (Ventspils, Latvia).

The men who betrayed Hróðfúss were according to the runestone blökumenn ('black men') and most scholars interpret them as Walachians, but others, such as Omeljan Pritsak, argue in favour of a theory that they were Polovtsians. This theory was proposed in 1929 by Akeksej I. Sobolevskij, and he suggested that blökumenn was connected to a Central European name for the Kipchak (Qipčaq) Polovcians (Qūmans), which was Blawen, Blauen and a translation of the Slavic Plavci. All the Old Norse information on the blökumenn date to the period 1016–1017 in the case of Eymundar þáttr and to 1122 concerning the Berroa battle (Saint Olaf's miracles), but the first mention of the Wallachians is in Niketas Choniates' Chronikē diēgesis and it concerns an event in 1164. Moreover, Pritsak notes that ON blakkr also had the meaning 'pale' which designated the first ruling horde of the Kipchaks who were one of the most important nomadic peoples in the 11th and 12th centuries.

The inscription reads:

roþuisl

Hroðvisl

auk

roþalf

Hroðælfʀ

þau

þaun

litu

letu

raisa

ræisa

staina

stæina

eftir

æftiʀ

sy-...

þria

þria.

þina

Þenna

eftir

æftiʀ

roþfos

Hroðfoss.

han

Hann

siku

sviku

blakumen

blakumenn

utfaru

utfaru.

kuþ

Guð

hialbin

hialpin

sial

roþfoaʀ

Hroðfosaʀ.

kuþ

Guð

suiki

sviki

þa

þa,

aʀ

eʀ

han

hann

suiu

sviku.

roþuisl : auk : roþalf : þau : litu : raisa : staina : eftir : sy-... ... þria : þina : eftir : roþfos : han : siku : blakumen : i : utfaru kuþ : hialbin : sial : roþfoaʀ kuþ : suiki : þa : aʀ : han : suiu :

Hroðvisl {} ok {} Hroðælfʀ {} þaun {} letu {} ræisa {} stæina {} æftiʀ {} sy þria. {} Þenna {} æftiʀ {} Hroðfoss. {} Hann {} sviku {} blakumenn {} i {} utfaru. Guð {} hialpin {} sial {} Hroðfosaʀ. Guð {} sviki {} þa, {} eʀ {} hann {} sviku. {}

Hróðvísl and Hróðelfr, they had the stones raised in memory of (their) three sons. This (one) in memory of Hróðfúss. Wallachians betrayed him on a voyage. May God help Hróðfúss' soul. May God betray those who betrayed him.

G 220

This runestone is found in a museum in Gotland. It is a fragment of a runestone made of limestone and it was made in memory of a man who died in Novgorod. The inscription testifies to the intense contacts that existed between Gotland and Novgorod, where the Gotlanders had a trading station of their own.

The inscription reads:

...

...tkaiʀ

ddgæiʀ/tgæiʀ.

aʀ

Eʀ

hulmka-...

Holmga

...iþ(i)

...

-...

...

... ...tkaiʀ : aʀ : to i : hulmka-... ...iþ(i) : -...

... ddgæiʀ/tgæiʀ. {} Eʀ {} do i {} Holmga ... {} ...

... Oddgeirr/Bótgeirr. He died in Holmgarðir ...

G 280

This runestone was found in Pilgårds, but is now located in a museum on Gotland. It was dated to the last half of the 10th century by Wolfgang Krause. The runestone was raised in memory of men led by Vífil who navigated the Dniepr cataracts, and tried to pass the most dangerous of them, the Nenasytec', the άειφόρ of Constantine Porphyrogenitus (Eifor). When they arrived at Rvanyj Kamin' (Rufstain), Rafn was killed and the crew raised stones in his memory south of it.

The inscription reads:

biarfaa

Biartfann

statu

staddu

sis

þenna(?)

stain

stæin

hakbiarn

Hægbiorn

bruþr

brøðr

ruþuisl

Roðvisl,

austain

Øystæinn,

imuar

<-muar>,

hafa

stn

stæina

stata

stadda

aft

raf

Rafn

suðr

furi

fyriʀ

rustaini

Rufstæini.

kuamu

Kvamu

uit

vitt

aifur

Æifur.

uifil

Vifill

uþ

bauð

...

biarfaa : statu : sis stain ¶ hakbiarn : bruþr ¶ ruþuisl : austain : imuar ¶ is af : stn : stata : aft : raf ¶ su furi : rustaini : kuamu ¶ uit i aifur : uifil ¶ uþ

Biartfann {} staddu {} þenna(?) stæin {} Hægbiorn brøðr Roðvisl, {} Øystæinn, {} <-muar>, {} es hafa {} stæina {} stadda {} aft {} Rafn {} suðr fyriʀ {} Rufstæini. {} Kvamu {} vitt i Æifur. {} Vifill {} bauð ...

Hegbjǫrn raised this stone glaring (and his) brothers Hróðvísl, Eysteinn, <-muar>, who have had stones raised in memory of Hrafn south of Rofstein. They came far and wide in Eifor. Vífill bade ...

Denmark

DR 108

This runestone is found in Kolind in Syddjurs Municipality, Denmark. It is in style RAK and it was raised in memory of a brother who died in the east.

The inscription reads:

tusti

Tosti

⁑

risþi

resþi

⁑

stin

sten

þonsi

þænsi

⁑

ift

æft

⁑

tufa

Tofa,

⁑

æs

uarþ

warþ

(:)

tuþr

døþr

ustr

østr,

burþu¶r

broþur

⁑

sin

sin,

⁑

smiþr

⁑

osuiþaʀ

Aswiþaʀ.

tusti ⁑ risþi ⁑ stin ¶ þonsi ⁑ ift ⁑ tufa ⁑ is ¶ uarþ (:) tuþr : ustr : burþu¶r ⁑ sin ⁑ smiþr ⁑ osuiþaʀ

Tosti {} resþi {} sten {} þænsi {} æft {} Tofa, {} æs {} warþ {} døþr {} østr, {} broþur {} sin, {} smiþr {} Aswiþaʀ.

Tosti, Ásviðr's smith, raised this stone in memory of Tófi, his brother, who died in the east.

Norway

N 62

This runic inscription is found on the same stone as N 61, and they tell of the same clan. Bjørn Hougen dated N 61 to 1000-1030 and Magnus Olsen dated N 62 to the 1060s. It is in short-twig runes.

It relates of a man who died in a location in Eastern Europe, and there has been some scholarly debate on exactly where. Olsen read the location as Vitaholmi, miðli Vitaholms ok Garða ('Vitaholm, between Vitaholm and Garðar'), but in 1933, Lis Jacobsen suggested that the second toponym was ustaulm. In 1961, an archaeological excavation in Vitičev, near Kiev, by B. A. Rybakov and Boris Kleiber, provided a solution. They discovered a beacon which had given fire signals to Kiev, and in Old Norse such a beacon was called a viti. The name Vitičev has no Slavic etymology, and so Kleiber suggested that its original name was Vitičev xolm, i.e. Vitaholmi. The name Vitičev would originally have been Vitiča, a suffixed borrowing of viti. Kleiber analysed the first part of the second Vitaholmi as usta, a genitive of an *usti which would have been how the Norse rendered the Slavic toponym Ustja (Zarub). Ustja was located on a hill near a ford across the Trubež, a tributary of the Dniepr. According to Kleiber, Garða is a shortened form of Kœnugarðar, the Old Norse name for Kiev. This solution reads the location of Þóraldr's death as "in Vitičev between Ustja and Kiev".

According to Judith Jesch, Vitaholm may be related either to Witland, a historical region on the east side of the River Vistula, or to Vindau on the coast of Courland.

Kleiber suggests that Engli was a member of Eymund's warband which fought in the lands of Rus' during the first half of the 11th century.

The inscription reads:

ikli

Engli

reisti

stein

þana

þenna

eftir

eptir

þoral(t)...

Þórald,

sun

son

sin

sinn,

uarþ

varð

tauþr

dauðr

uitahol(m)(i)

Vitaholmi,

miþli

miðli

ustaulms

Ustaholms

auk

karþa

Garða.

× ikli × reisti stein þana eftir × þoral(t)... sun sin is uarþ tauþr × i uitahol(m)(i) miþli ustaulms auk karþa ×

{} Engli {} reisti stein þenna eptir {} Þórald, son sinn, er varð dauðr {} í Vitaholmi, miðli Ustaholms ok Garða. {}

Engli raised this stone in memory of Þóraldr, his son, who died in Vitaholmr - between Ustaholmr and Garðar (Russia).

Notes

Garðar was the original name for the lands of Rus', particularly of Novgorodian Rus', in runic inscriptions, poetry of skalds and sagas. The name was then superseded by Garðaríki, which first appeared in Icelandic sagas in the twelfth century.

Citations

Jones 1968, p. 267: "This was that Yngvar the Widefarer whose exploits in the east entered Norse legend - and Norse history inasmuch as twenty-five east Swedish memorial stones of the early mid-eleventh century tell of men who took the eastern road to Serkland and fell with Yngvar's host".
Thunberg 2010, p. 6.
Thunberg 2011, p. 56.
^ Jansson 1980, p. 31.
Runor Sö 338, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Brøðr vaʀu þæiʀ bæztra manna, a landi ok i liði uti, heldu sina huskarla ve. Hann fioll i orrustu austr i Garðum, liðs forungi, landmanna bæztr."
Runor Sö 338, section Inscription, English: "These brothers were the best of men in the land and abroad in the retinue, held their housecarls well. He fell in battle in the east in Garðar (Russia), commander of the retinue, the best of landholders."
Runor U 153.
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 232: "Stenen anträffades liksom den föregående år 1930 i en källare under östra delen av grunden till den gamla mangårdsbyggnaden i Lissby, som skall ha rivits vid slutet av 1800-talet. "
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 232: "Liksom U 152 och U 154 har även denna runsten varit inbyggd i källarväggen med ristningen synlig. "
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 232: "Då källaren rasade samman, krossades stenen i en mängd större och mindre stycken. Fotstycket stod ännu kvar på sin plats; det största stycket var därjämte toppen. "
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 232: "Ett fragment av stenen hittades i åkern invid Lissby. "
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 232: "Sammanlagt ha icke mindre än o. 70 stycken av stenen hopplockats och sammanfogats. Stenen restes 1931 på gårdsplanen i Hagby. "
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 232: "Granit. Höjd 2,60 m., bredd 1,50 m. "
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 232: "Ristningen är nedtill svårt skadad, bitar av stenen fattas, och skärvor av ytan ha slagits av. Inskriftens början och slut äro därför fördärvade. "
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 233: "I inskriften talas om »stenar». Den andra stenen har sannolikt varit U 155, varav tyvärr endast fragment äro bevarade. "
Gade & Whaley 2009, p. 279: "Garðar or Garðaríki is Novgorod (Hólmgarðr) and its territory in north-west Russia."
Duczko 2004, p. 60: "These two original centres of Rus were Staraja Ladoga and Rurikovo Gorodishche, two points on the ends of an axis, the Volkhov, a river running for 200 km between two lakes, from the Ilmen in the south to the Ladoga in the north. This was the territory that most probably was originally called by the Norsemen Gardar, a name that long after Viking Age was given much wider content and become Gardariki, a denomination for whole Old Russian State."
Jackson 2003, p. 37: "In the skaldic poetry of the tenth through the twelfth century, Old Rus is called only by its earliest Old Norse name Garðar. In the runic inscriptions of the eleventh century, the toponym Garðar is used nine times."
Pritsak 1981, p. 366: "In the older sources, such as the scaldic poetry and the King's sagas, the usual ON name for Rus’ (especially Novgorodian Rus’) was Garðar, the plural form of Garðr."
Jackson 2003, p. 38: "... in the late tenth century the place-name Garðar was spread in Old Norse, while in the thirteenth century it was practically no longer used having been substituted by Garðaríki."
Jackson 2003, p. 37: "According to Braun, the name Garðaríki was created by those Icelanders who wrote down sagas from the late twelfth century."
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 233: "Slutet av inskriften kan förmodas ha varit: þaiʀ · antaþus × austum (jfr U 136 och 140) eller möjligen þaiʀ · antaþus × austum (jfr Sö 338 och D 2:116 Veda, Ångarns sn). um (cf. U 136 and 140) or possibly þaiʀ · antaþus × austum (cf. Sö 338 and D 2:116 Veda, Ångarns parish).]"
Pritsak 1981, p. 368: "There are two equally likely possibilities for the reconstruction of Halfdan's place of death: um, “in Garðar” (Rus’), and um “among Greeks,” i.e. in Byzantium."
Runor U 153, section Inscription, Rune reading: "…(a)i- × uk × ulf- litu × raisa × stai-(a) × e(f)tiʀ × hlftan · auk · eftiʀ × kunar × bryþr × sina × þaiʀ · antaþus × aust… …(u)m"
Runor U 153, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "væi ok Ulf letu ræisa stæia æftiʀ Halfdan ok æftiʀ Gunnar, brøðr sina. Þæiʀ ændaðus aust …"
Runor U 153, section Inscription, English: "Sveinn and Ulfr had the stones raised in memory of Halfdan and in memory of Gunnarr, their brothers. They met their end in the east..."
Runor U 154.
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 233: "Liksom U 151 och U 153 anträffades denna runsten år 1930 i en hoprasad källare under östra delen av grunden till den gamla mangårdsbyggnaden i Lissby. "
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 233: "Denna runsten stod vid anträffandet ännu upprätt i den forna källarväggen, men var krossad och föll, då den togs fram, sönder i o. 50 större och mindre delar, som sedan måste sammanfogas. "
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 233: "Upptill på v. sidan saknades ett större stycke med inskrift, som icke har kunnat återfinnas. "
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 233: "Stenen lagades och restes 1931 i parken till Hagby, o. 40 m. bakom flygelbyggnaden. "
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 233: "Mörk stenart. Höjd 1,23 m., bredd 0,80 m. "
Wessén & Jansson 1943, p. 233: "Ristningsytan är på flera ställen svårt skadad. "
Runor U 154, section Inscription, Rune reading: "…r × lit × rai… … …fast · auk × at × (k)aiʀbiarn × bruþ- … …i(ʀ) · (t)o a(u)s… ×"
Runor U 154, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "… let ræi … …fast ok at Gæiʀbiorn, brøð … iʀ dou aus."
Runor U 154, section Inscription, English: "… had raised … …-fastr and in memory of Geirbjǫrn, (their) brothers … They died in the east."
Pritsak 1981, p. 367: "... (Sö 338 and U 209) from the middle of the 11th century..."
Pritsak 1981, p. 396: "Þōrstæinn, then, was a commander (forungi) of a retinue (lið) in Rus’ (i garþum)"
Pritsak 1981, p. 367: "Two stones with the name Garðar (Sö 338 and U 209) from the middle of the 11th century refer to the activity of a retinue commander Þōrstæinn, active in Rus’"
Pritsak 1981, p. 396: "Þōrstæinn must have spent a long time in Rus’ since he managed to accumulate a sizable fortune there (as witnessed by his huge monument, Sö 338)"
^ Pritsak 1981, p. 396: "It is regrettable that we do not know how the son died; it is possible that he had been in Rus' together with his father."
Harrison & Svensson 2007, p. 35.
Runor U 209, section Inscription, Rune reading: "þurtsain × kiarþi| |if×tiʀ irinmunt × sun sin auk| |kaubti þinsa bu × auk × aflaþi × austr i karþum"
Runor U 209, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Þorstæinn gærði æftiʀ Ærinmund, sun sinn, ok køypti þennsa by ok aflaði austr i Garðum."
Runor U 209, Inscription, English: "Þorsteinn made (the stone) in memory of Erinmundr, his son, and bought this estate and earned (wealth) in the east in Garðar (Russia)."
Runor U 283, section Inscription, Rune reading: ""
Runor U 283, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Sibbi ok Ærnmundr ok Þoriʀ letu ræisa stæin æftiʀ … … … Hann do austr, sunn Gismundaʀ."
Runor U 283, section Inscription, English: "Sibbi and Ernmundr and Þórir had the stone raised in memory of … He, Gísmundr's son, died in the east."
Runor U 366, section Inscription, Rune reading: ""
Runor U 366, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "… vaʀ dauðr i austrveg …"
Runor U 366, section Inscription, English: "… died on the eastern route …"
Runor U 504, section Inscription, Rune reading: "+ kitil×fastr × risti × stin + þina × iftiʀ × askut × faþur + sin × saʀ × uas × uistr × uk × ustr + kuþ ialbi × as × salu"
Runor U 504, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Kætilfastr ræisti stæin þenna æftiʀ Asgaut, faður sinn. Saʀ vas vestr ok austr. Guð hialpi hans salu."
Runor U 504, section Inscription, English: "Ketilfastr raised this stone in memory of Ásgautr, his father. He was in the west and in the east. May God help his soul."
Runor U 636.
Pritsak 1981, p. 366: "In the Swedish inscriptions Garðar “Rus’” always appears in the plural dative form (karþum), usually preceded by the preposition i, “in” and by the word explaining the direction: austr, east"
Jackson 2003, p. 38: "...Garðr (singular) and Garðar (plural), the first being a shortening from Miklagarðr ‘Constantinople’, the second serving as a designation of Rus."
Pritsak 1981, p. 371: "Only one Swedish inscription (from about 1020-1060) has the singular form Garðr (U 636) which probably was used for Kiev"
Runor U 636, section Inscription, Rune reading: "alui · lit · risa · stn · þtin · at · arfast · sun sin · hn · fur · ausʀ · i karþa"
Runor U 636, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Alvi let ræisa stæin þenna at Arnfast, sun sinn. Hann for austr i Garða."
Runor U 636, section Inscription, English: "Ǫlvé had this stone raised in memory of Arnfastr, his son. He travelled to the east to Garðar (Russia)."
Pritsak 1981, p. 370: "The place of Spjallbuðis’ death, specified in the inscription as i olafs kriki has been the subject of scholarly speculation"
Pritsak 1981, p. 370: "Richard Dybeck (1857) explained kriki as Grikk- “Greece,” while Sophus Bugge (1891) read the word as grið, “retinue,”"
Pritsak 1981, p. 370: "... Adolf Noreen (1904) connected it with ON krikr “hook,” “bend,” “corner,”"
Pritsak 1981, p. 370: "Otto von Friesen first propounded the reading i olafs kirki, “in Ólafr's church,” in 1907, and this has since been accepted."
Pritsak 1981, p. 371.
^ Jansson 1980, p. 23.
Runor U 687, section Inscription, Rune reading: "runa ' lit kiara ' mirki at ' sbialbuþa ' uk ' at ' suain ' uk ' at · antuit ' uk at ' raknaʀ ' suni ' sin ' uk ' ekla ' uk ' siri(þ) ' at ' sbialbuþa ' bonta sin an uaʀ ' tauþr ' i hulmkarþi ' i olafs · kriki ' ubiʀ · risti ' ru"
Runor U 687, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Runa let gæra mærki at Spiallbuða ok at Svæin ok at Andvett ok at Ragnar, syni sina ok Hælga/Ægla/Ængla, ok Sigrið at Spiallbuða, bonda sinn. Hann vaʀ dauðr i Holmgarði i Olafs kirkiu. Øpiʀ risti runaʀ."
Runor U 687, section Inscription, English: "Rúna had the landmark made in memory of Spjallboði and in memory of Sveinn and in memory of Andvéttr and in memory of Ragnarr, sons of her and Helgi/Egli/Engli; and Sigríðr in memory of Spjallboði, her husbandman. He died in Holmgarðr in Ólafr's church. Œpir carved the runes."
Runor U 898, section Inscription, Rune reading: "ali ' uk ' iufurfast · litu ' gera ' merki ' iftiʀ iarl faþur sin ' uk ' at ' kisl ' uk ' at ' ikimunt han ' uaʀ ' trebin ' hustr ' sun ' iarls ybiʀ risti"
Runor U 898, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Ali/Alli ok Iofurfast letu gæra mærki æftiʀ Iarl, faður sinn, ok at Gisl ok at Ingimund. Hann vaʀ drepinn austr, sunn Iarls. Øpiʀ risti."
Runor U 898, section Inscription, English: "Áli/Alli and Jǫfurfast had the landmark made in memory of Jarl, their father, and in memory of Gísl and in memory of Ingimundr. He, Jarl's son, was killed in the east. Œpir carved."
Pritsak 1981, p. 358: "... “he met his end in the east during the thing” (or: “in the retinue,” Sö 33). Unfortunately we do not know in which “east” the given thing (þing assembly)(cf. OR сънемъ) took place or what its character was."
Runor Sö 33, section Inscription, Rune reading: "+ gnubha ~ liþ : raisa : stain : þinsa : hibtiʀ : kulaif : bruþur sin han : antaþis : austr : at þikum"
Runor Sö 33, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Gnupa let ræisa stæin þennsa æftiʀ Guðlæif, broður sinn. Hann ændaðis austr at þingum."
Runor Sö 33, section Inscription, English: "Gnúpa had this stone raised in memory of Gulleifr, his brother. He met his end in the east at the Assembly."
Runor Sö 34, section Inscription, Rune reading: "styrlaugʀ · auk · hulmbʀ · staina · raistu · at · bryþr · sina · brau(t)u · nesta · þaiʀ · entaþus · i · austruiki · þurkil · auk sturbiarn þiaknaʀ · kuþiʀ"
Runor Sö 34, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Styrlaugʀ ok Holmbʀ stæina ræistu at brøðr sina, brautu næsta. Þæiʀ ændaðus i austrvegi, Þorkell ok Styrbiorn, þiagnaʀ goðiʀ."
Runor Sö 34, section Inscription, English: "Styrlaugr and Holmr raised the stones next to the path in memory of their brothers. They met their end on the eastern route, Þorkell and Styrbjǫrn, good Þegns."
Runor Sö 92, section Inscription, Rune reading: "… · lit · raisa · st… … rysu · br(o)… · sin · ha… … austr · bali · …"
Runor Sö 92, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "… let ræisa st … Rysiu(?), bro sinn. Ha … austr. Balli …"
Runor Sö 92, section Inscription, English: "… had the stone raised … Rysja(?), his brother. He … east. Balli …"
Runor Sö 121, section Inscription, Rune reading: ""
Runor Sö 121, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "<sumuʀ> haggva stæin, sum eʀ dauð austr i <tuna> <asu>."
Runor Sö 121, section Inscription, English: "<sumuʀ> cut the stone, who died in the east in <tuna> …"
Pritsak 1981, p. 366: "This inscription preserves an interesting term for the designation of the commander of the retinue (guard = pъlkъ): folks grimmR “prince of the people” (“people” meaning company or retinue)."
^ Pritsak 1981, p. 366.
Runor Sö 126, section Inscription, Rune reading: "hu(l)(m)(f)riþ · ilin--r · aʀ · litu · hakua · stain · eftiʀ eskil · faþur · sin · han · trauh · orustu · i · austruhi aþaa · fulks·krimʀ · fala · orþi"
Runor Sö 126, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Holmfriðr, <ilin--r>, þaʀ letu haggva stæin æftiʀ Æskel, faður sinn. Hann draug orrustu i austrvegi, aðan folksgrimʀ falla orði."
Runor Sö 126, section Inscription, English: "Holmfríðr (and) <ilin--r>, they had the stone cut in memory of Áskell, their father. He engaged in battle on the eastern route, before the people's commander wrought his fall."
Pritsak 1981, p. 367: "The entire inscription from Hagstuga (Sö 130) is composed in fornyrðislag meter and is in honor of a drængR active in Rus’ in the first half of the eleventh century".
Runor Sö 130, section Inscription, Rune reading: "§A fiuriʀ : kirþu : at : faþur : kuþan : tyrþ : trikela : at : tumara : miltan : urþa uk : mataʀ kuþan : þat · (u)-(h)---(u)--(u)(k)(þ)"
Runor Sö 130, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "§A Fiuriʀ gærðu at faður goðan dyrð drængila at Domara/domara, mildan orða ok mataʀ goðan, þat …"
Runor Sö 130, section Inscription, English: "§A Four (sons) made the magnificence in memory of (their) good father, valiantly in memory of Dómari/the judge, gentle in speech and free with food … "
Runor Sö 130, section Inscription, Rune reading: "§B h^a l^f kirþu <o>"
Runor Sö 130, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "§B Hann(?) fiall(?) Garðum(?) …"
Runor Sö 130, section Inscription, English: "§B He(?) fell(?) in(?) Garðar(?) (Russia) …
Pritsak 1981, p. 366: "The stones Sö 148 and G 114 are also old (surely before 1050)"
Runor Sö 148, section Inscription, Rune reading: "þiuþulfʀ : bui : þaiʀ : raisþu : stain þansi : at : farulf : faþur : sin : han uas antaþ austr i kaþ(u)(m)"
Runor Sö 148, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Þiuðulfʀ, Boi, þæiʀ ræisþu stæin þannsi at Farulf, faður sinn. Hann vas ændaðr austr i Garðum."
Runor Sö 148, section Inscription, English: "Þjóðulfr (and) Búi, they raised this stone in memory of Farulfr, their father. He met his end in the east in Garðar (Russia)."
Jones 1968, p. 267: "A stone from Estaberg, Södermanland, records of Sigvid: ‘He fell in Holmgard (Novgorod), the ship’s captain with his crew’;"
Jansson 1987, p. 47.
Jansson 1980, p. 28.
Pritsak 1981, p. 369: "The Södermanlander Sigviðr from Esta, captain of a skæið, “longship,” probably died in the service of the Novgorodian prince (before 1050)."
Pritsak 1981, p. 369: "The following is in fornyrðislag meter: He fell in Hōlmgarðr (Novgorod), the ship's captain with crew."
Runor Sö 171, section Inscription, Rune reading: "(i)nk(i)f(a)tr · l(t) (h)(a)ku… st(a)…n · eftiʀ · sihuiþ · faþ-r · siul(m)þ · ski…ra"
Runor Sö 171, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Ingifastr let haggv stæn æftiʀ Sigvið, faðr sinn. Hann fioll i Holmgarði, skæiðaʀ visi með skira."
Runor Sö 171, section Inscription, English: "Ingifastr had the stone cut in memory of Sigviðr, his father. He fell in Holmgarðr, the ship's leader with the seamen."
Runor Sö 216, section Inscription, Rune reading: ""
Runor Sö 216, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Ottarr ok … … ðis austr …"
Runor Sö 216, section Inscription, English: "Óttarr and … met his end in the east …"
MacLeod 2002, p. 135.
MacLeod 2002, p. 135: "Of the 46 inscriptions signed by Uppland's most prolific rune-carver, Œpir, only three evidence binds. Interestingly enough, the same bind-rune of a^s is found twice in his work (U 485: ‘inkifa^st’; Sö 338: ‘hua^str’)..."
Runor Sö 308, section Inscription, Rune reading: "hulmfastr ' roþelfr ' ---u ' sta ' run ' a- … … (i)kifast ' suni : sina -iʀ ua(ʀ)u · hua^str · i(n) · ybir risti"
Runor Sö 308, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Holmfastr, Roðælfʀ, u rista runaʀ a … … Ingifast, syni sina, æiʀ vaʀu austr(?)/vestr. En Øpiʀ risti."
Runor Sö 308, section Inscription, English: "Holmfastr (and) Hróðelfr had the runes carved in memory of … Ingifastr, their sons. They were in the east(?)/west. And Œpir carved."
Jones 1968, p. 267: "The memorial can be full and verse-adorned, like this to Thorstein at Turinge, Södermanland..."
Pritsak 1981, p. 367: "Two stones with the name Garðar (Sö 338 and U 209) from the middle of the 11th century..."
Pritsak 1981, p. 367: "The same Þōrstæinn bought an estate in Uppland for fis son Ærinmundr. Ærinmundr died and his father erected a memorial for him in Veda"
Pritsak 1981, p. 396: "Þōrstæinn must have spent a long time in Rus’ since he managed to accumulate a sizable fortune there (as witnessed by his huge monument, Sö 338)."
Pritsak 1981, p. 396: "He must also have been the one who bought the estate of Veda in Uppland (Angarns sn, Vallentuna hd) that he later gave to his son."
Pritsak 1981, p. 396: "Certain characteristics of the Old Swedish language (e.g. biorn) used in this inscription assign it to sometime around the middle of the eleventh century, probably just after 1050 (cf. R 79). Þōrstæinn must therefore have been the commander of Jaroslav's retinue and died in the early fifties of the eleventh century."
Runor Sö 338, section Inscription, Rune reading: "§A · ketil : auk + biorn + þaiʀ + raistu + stain + þin + at + þourstain : faþur + sin + anuntr + at + bruþur + sin + auk : hulaʀ + hifiʀ + iafna + ketilau at + buanta sin · ¶ bruþr uaʀu þaʀ bistra mana : a : lanti auk : i liþi : uti : h(i)(l)(t)u sini huska(r)la : ui- + "
Runor Sö 338, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "§A Kætill ok Biorn þæiʀ ræistu stæin þenna at Þorstæin, faður sinn, Anundr at broður sinn ok huskarlaʀ æftiʀ(?) iafna, Kætiløy at boanda sinn. Brøðr vaʀu þæiʀ bæztra manna, a landi ok i liði uti, heldu sina huskarla ve."
Runor Sö 338, section Inscription, English: "§A Ketill and Bjǫrn, they raised this stone in memory of Þorsteinn, their father; Ǫnundr in memory of his brother and the housecarls in memory of the just(?) (and) Ketiley in memory of her husbandman. These brothers were the best of men in the land and abroad in the retinue, held their housecarls well."
Runor Sö 338, section Inscription, Rune reading: "§B han + fial + i + urustu + austr + i + garþum + lis + furugi + lanmana + bestr"
Runor Sö 338, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "§B Hann fioll i orrustu austr i Garðum, liðs forungi, landmanna bæztr."
Runor Sö 338, section Inscription, English: "§B He fell in battle in the east in Garðar (Russia), commander of the retinue, the best of landholders."
Pritsak 1981, p. 443: "In one of the eleventh-century stones discovered in 1938 in the church ruins at Stora Rytten (Västmanland) (but which does not mention Ingvarr), the word karusm appears, a term hitherto unknown in the runic inscriptions (Vs 1-2)..."
Jansson 1964, p. 6: "Stenarna kommo i dagen sommaren 1938 i samband med att Stora Rytterns kyrkoruin restaurerades. Vs 1 upptäcktes den 22 juni och Vs 2 ett par veckor senare. "
Pritsak 1981, p. 443: "This theory was criticized by the eminent Swedish archaeologist Ture J. Arne, who declared that a Viking cheftain would have been incapable making the journey to Khwārizm, south of the estuary of the Amu Darya at the Aral Sea as late as about 1040. Such an enterprise would have been possible only during the time of Ibn Fadlān’s expedition of 922."
Pritsak 1981, p. 443.
Runor Vs 1.
Pritsak 1981, pp. 443–445.
Pritsak 1981, p. 450.
Pritsak 1981, p. 451: "Contrary to a statement by T. J. Arne, it was only during the years 1035-1041 that a Varangian could have sailed to Khwārizm."
Meijer 2007, p. 86: "A special case is Stora Ryttern (Vs 1), where the sponsor's name is preceded and followed by a cross: + kuþlefʀ + . As is to be expected, this name is the first word of the inscription. It is tempting to think that this sponsor proudly drew attention to himself in this way."
Runor Vs 1, section Inscription, Rune reading: "+ kuþlefʀ + seti : stff : auk : sena : þasi : uftiʀ slakua : sun : sia : etaþr : austr · i · karusm ·"
Runor Vs 1, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Guðlæifʀ satti staf ok stæina þasi æftiʀ Slagva, sun sinn, ændaðr austr i Garðum(?)/Chorezm(?)."
Runor Vs 1, section Inscription, English: "Guðleifr placed the staff and these stones in memory of Slagvi, his son, (who) met his end in the east in Garðar(?)/Chorezm(?)."
Runor Vs Fv1988;36.
Strid 1988, pp. 35–38.
Runor Vs Fv1988;36, section Inscription, Rune reading: "taf : lit : risa : estn : þina : hitiʀ : kri(m)ut ~ uas : farin : sun : (u)iþfast-- : aust:arla ulfr : auk : uibiurn : -… kitilas : krþi : b-…(u) · (o) : s---"
Runor Vs Fv1988;36, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Taf(?) let ræisa stæin þenna æftiʀ Grimmund. Vaʀ farinn, sunn Viðfast, austarla. Ulfʀ ok Vibiorn … Kætilas(?)/Kætilhǫss(?) gærðu bu a …"
Runor Vs Fv1988;36, section Inscription, English: "Taf(?) had this stone raised in memory of Grímmundr. The son of Viðfastr travelled to the east. Ulfr and Vébjǫrn … Ketilas(?)/Ketilhǫss(?) made the bridge at …"
^ Jansson 1987, p. 39.
^ Jansson 1987, p. 41.
Jansson 1987, p. 42.
Jansson 1987, p. 40.
Runor Ög 8, section Inscription, Rune reading: "§A stikuʀ (') karþi kubl þ(a)^(u) aft auint sunu sin ' sa fial austr"
Runor Ög 8, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "§A Stiguʀ/Stygguʀ gærði kumbl þau aft Øyvind, sunu sinn. Sa fioll austr"
Runor Ög 8, section Inscription, English: "§A Stigr/Styggr made these monuments in memory of Eyvindr, his son. He fell in the east"
Runor Ög 8, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "§B með Æivisli. Vikingʀ faði ok Grimulfʀ."
Runor Ög 8, section Inscription, Rune reading: "§B miʀ aiuisli ' uikikʀ faþi auk| |krimulfʀ"
Runor Ög 8, section Inscription, English: "§B with Eivísl. Víkingr coloured and Grímulfr."
Runor Ög 30, section Inscription, Rune reading: ": siksten : let : rasti : stain : þe(n)… : eftiʀ : ikuar : sun : sin : han : uarþ : austr : tauþr :"
Runor Ög 30, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Sigstæinn let ræisa stæin þenn æftiʀ Ingvar, sun sinn. Hann varð austr dauðr."
Runor Ög 30, section Inscription, English: "Sigsteinn had this stone raised in memory of Ingvarr, his son. He died in the east."
Runor Vg 135, section Inscription, Rune reading: ""
Runor Vg 135, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Brandr ræisti stæin þennsi æftiʀ Asmund(?), broður sinn. Saʀ varð drepinn a austrvegi(?)."
Runor Vg 135, section Inscription, English: "Brandr raised this stone in memory of Ásmundr(?), his brother; he was killed on the eastern route(?)."
Pritsak 1981, p. 353.
Runor Vg 184, section Inscription, Rune reading: ": kuli : rsþi : stin : þesi : eftiʀ : rþr : kunu : sinaʀ : esburn : ok : iula : treka : hrþa : kuþa : ian : þiʀ : urþu : tuþiʀ : i : lþi : ustr :"
Runor Vg 184, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Gulli/Kolli ræisti stæin þennsi æftiʀ brøðr konu sinnaʀ, Æsbiorn ok Iula, drængia harða goða. En þæiʀ urðu dauðiʀ i liði austr."
Runor Vg 184, section Inscription, English: "Gulli/Kolli raised this stone in memory of his wife's brothers Ásbjǫrn and Juli, very good valiant men. And they died in the east in the retinue."
Runor Vg 197, section Inscription, Rune reading: "tuki · auk · þiʀ · bryþr · ristu · stin · þesi · eftiʀ : bryþr : sina · eʀ : uarþ · tu(þ)r uestr : en · anar : au(s)tr :"
Runor Vg 197, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Toki ok þæiʀ brøðr ræistu stæin þennsi æftiʀ brøðr sina. Eʀ varð dauðr vestr, en annarr austr."
Runor Vg 197, section Inscription, English: "Tóki and his brothers raised this stone in memory of their brothers. One died in the west, another in the east."
Runor Öl 28, section Inscription, Rune reading: "harþruþr + raisti + stain + þinsa + aiftiʀ + sun + sin + s(m)iþ + trak + kuþan + halfburin + bruþiʀ ans + sitr + kar¶þum ¶ brantr + rit - × iak þu raþa + khn"
Runor Öl 28, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Hærþruðr ræisti stæin þennsa æftiʀ sun sinn Smið, dræng goðan. Halfborinn, broðiʀ hans, sitr Garðum. Brandr rett hiogg, þy raða kann."
Runor Öl 28, section Inscription, English: "Herþrúðr raised this stone in memory of her son Smiðr, a good valiant man. Halfborinn, his brother, sits in Garðar (Russia). Brandr cut rightly, therefore (one) can interpret (the runes)."
Runor Öl 28, section Inscription, , Rune reading: "harþruþr + raisti + stain + þinsa + aiftiʀ + sun + sin + s(m)iþ + trak + kuþan + halfburin + bruþiʀ ans + sitr + kar¶þum ¶ brantr + rit - × iak þu raþa + khn"
Runor Öl 28, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Hærþruðr ræisti stæin þennsa æftiʀ sun sinn Smið, dræng goðan. Halfborinn broðiʀ hans, sitr Garðum Brandr. Rett hiogg, þy raða kann."
Runor Öl 28, section Inscription, English: "Herþrúðr raised this stone in memory of her son Smiðr, a good valiant man. His halfbrother Brandr sits in Garðir. Cut rightly into, therefore (one) can interpret (the runes)."
^ Pritsak 1981, p. 344.
^ Pritsak 1981, p. 346.
Runor G 114, section Inscription, Rune reading: "§A : syniʀ : likna(t)(a)- … …(a)rua : merki : kut : ebtir : ailikni : kunu : koþa : moþur :"
Runor G 114, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "§A Syniʀ Liknhvata … ærva mærki gott æftiʀ Æilikni, konu goða, moður"
Runor G 114, section Inscription, English: "§A The sons of Líknhvatr … the good landmark made in memory of Eilíkn, a good wife, mother …"
Runor G 114, section Inscription, Rune reading: "§B …(s) : auk : kaiʀuataʀ : auk : liknuiaʀ :"
Runor G 114, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "§B … ok Gæiʀhvataʀ ok Liknviaʀ."
Runor G 114, section Inscription, English: "§B and Geirhvatr and Líknvé."
Runor G 114, section Inscription, Rune reading: "§C : kuþ a-… … …(n) : heni : auk : kieruantum : merki : m-… …ua : aʀ : men : sin :"
Runor G 114, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "§C Guð o(?) … n(?) hænni ok gærvandum mærki … … eʀ mænn sen"
Runor G 114, section Inscription, English: "§C God … be gracious to her and those making the landmark … who men"
Runor G 114, section Inscription, Rune reading: "§D …(ʀ) : i : karþum : aʀ : uaʀ : ui(u)(e) meʀ :: (h)…"
Runor G 114, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "§D … i Garðum/Garde, eʀ vaʀ Vivi(?) meðr …"
Runor G 114, section Inscription, English: "§D … in Garðir/Garde, he was with Vivi(?) …"
Pritsak 1981, p. 345.
^ Pritsak 1981, p. 373.
Pritsak 1981, pp. 344, 345, 373.
Runor G 134, section Inscription, Rune reading: "roþuisl : auk : roþalf : þau : litu : raisa : staina : eftir : sy-… … þria : þina : eftir : roþfos : han : siku : blakumen : i : utfaru kuþ : hielbin : sial : roþfoaʀ kuþ : suiki : þa : aʀ : han : suiu :"
Runor G 134, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Hroðvisl ok Hroðælfʀ þau letu ræisa stæina æftiʀ sy þria. Þenna æftiʀ Hroðfos. Hann sviku blakumenn i utfaru. Guð hialpin sial Hroðfosaʀ. Guð sviki þa, eʀ hann sviku."
Runor G 134, section Inscription, English: "Hróðvísl and Hróðelfr, they had the stones raised in memory of (their) three sons. This (one) in memory of Hróðfúss. Wallachians betrayed him on a voyage. May God help Hróðfúss' soul. May God betray those who betrayed him."
Jansson 1980, p. 30.
Runor G 220, section Inscription, Rune reading: "… …tkaiʀ : aʀ : to i : hulmka-… …iþ(i) : -…"
Runor G 220, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "… ddgæiʀ/tgæiʀ. Eʀ do i Holmga … …"
Runor G 220, section Inscription, English: "… Oddgeirr/Bótgeirr. He died in Holmgarðir …"
Pritsak 1981, p. 326: "The expedition succeeded in penetrating far into this cataract, but in struggling over the first level - the so-called Rvanyj Kamin’ (Rufstain) - one of the members of the expedition, Rafn, lost his life. South of the Rvanyj Kamin’ the “brothers” erected a gravemarker for this man, and upon their return home they had a memorial stone erected in their Gotland fatherland in his memory."
Runor G 280, section Inscription, Rune reading: "biarfaa : statu : sis stain ¶ hakbiarn : bruþr ¶ ruþuisl : austain : imuar ¶ is af : stn : stata : aft : raf ¶ su furi : rustaini : kuamu ¶ uit i aifur : uifil ¶ uþ "
Runor G 280, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Biartfann staddu þis(?) stæin Hægbiorn brøðr Roðvisl, Øystæinn, <-muar>, es hafa stæin stadda aft Rafn suðr fyriʀ Rustæini. Kvamu vitt i Æifur. Vifill bauð …"
Runor G 280, section Inscription, English: "Hegbjǫrn raised this stone glaring (and his) brothers Hróðvísl, Eysteinn, <-muar>, who have had stones raised in memory of Hrafn south of Rofstein. They came far and wide in Eifor. Vífill bade …"
Runor DR 108, section Inscription, Rune reading: "tusti ⁑ risþi ⁑ stin ¶ þonsi ⁑ ift ⁑ tufa ⁑ is ¶ uarþ (:) tuþr : ustr : burþu¶r ⁑ sin ⁑ smiþr ⁑ osuiþaʀ"
Runor DR 108, section Inscription, Runic Swedish: "Tosti resþi sten þænsi æft Tofa, æs warþ døþr østr, broþur sin, smiþr Aswiþaʀ."
Runor DR 108, section Inscription, English: "Tosti, Ásviðr's smith, raised this stone in memory of Tófi, his brother, who died in the east."
^ Runor N 62.
Pritsak 1981, p. 371: "The stone of Alstad in Opland fylke has two inscriptions placed there at different times by members of the same clan."
Pritsak 1981, p. 371: "Bjørn Hougen established that the first inscription (NYR 61) was made about 1000-1030..."
Pritsak 1981, p. 372: "... according to Magnus Olsen the second inscription (NYR 62) was made in the sixties of the eleventh century."
Pritsak 1981, p. 372: "Kleiber connects viti with the name Vitičev (xolm), for which there is no Slavic etymology, and identifies the first Vitaholm with Vitičev xolm."
Pritsak 1981, p. 372: "In his opinion, the Scandinavian term viti was adapted in Slavic in a suffixed form as *vitiča."
Pritsak 1981, p. 372: "As to the second Vitaholm, Kleiber suggests that the first part of the name has to be read as usta, a genitive of *usti which is the supposed Old Norse rendition of the Slavic name Ustia (or Zarub) located on a hill at the mouth of the river Trubež, where a major ford over the Dnieper was situated."
Pritsak 1981, p. 372: "Kleiber interprets Garðar, the well-known Old Norse designation for Rus', as Kiev (probably a short form of Kœnugarðar)."
Pritsak 1981, p. 372: "Due to this proposition the second inscription can be now fully understood: Þóraldr found death in Vitičev, located between Ustja (Zarub) and Kiev."
Jesch 2001, p. 90: "The secondary inscription on the Alstad stone (N 62) records the death of a man i uitahol(m)(i) ‘in Vitaholmr’, on his way to Russia (see also below). It has been conjectured that this otherwise unidentified place-name has some connection with the Witland, on the east side of the mouth of the River Vistula (NlyR I, 155-7), that is mentioned by Wulfstan in the late ninth century (Lund 1984, 23)."
Jesch 2001, p. 90: "There may or may not be some connection between this and the place called Vindau, on the coast of Kúrland, directly opostite Gotland (SR XI, 271), which is probably mentioned in G 135, in which it is said of the commemorated that he --rþ tauþr a ui(t)au ‘died in Vindau’."
Pritsak 1981, p. 373: "Kleiber Suggests that Engli may have been a member of Eymundr’s force in Rus’ in the first half of the eleventh century, and was fortunate enough to return home."
Runor N 62, section Inscription, Rune reading: "× ikli × reisti stein þana eftir × þoral(t) sun sin is uarþ tauþr × i uitahol(m)(i) miþli ustaulms auk karþa ×"
Runor N 62, section Inscription, Old West Norse: "Engli reisti stein þenna eptir Þórald, son sinn, er varð dauðr í Vitaholmi, miðli Ustaholms ok Garða."
Runor N 62, section Inscription, English: "Engli raised this stone in memory of Þóraldr, his son, who died in Vitaholmr - between Ustaholmr and Garðar (Russia)."

References

Duczko, Wladyslaw (2004). Viking Rus: Studies on the Presence of Scandinavians in Eastern Europe. The Northern World. North Europe and the Baltic c. 400-1700 AD. Peoples, Economies and Cultures. Leiden, Boston: Brill. ISBN 9789004138742.
Gade, Kari Ellen; Whaley, Diana, eds. (2009). "Arnórr jarlaskáld Þórðarson, Haraldsdrápa 17'". Poetry from the Kings' Sagas 2: From c. 1035 to c. 1300. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages. Vol. 2. Turnhout: Brepols N.V. pp. 279–280. ISBN 978-2503518978.
Harrison, Dick; Svensson, Kristina (2007). Vikingaliv (in Swedish). Oxford, Philadelphia: Natur och Kultur. ISBN 9789127357259.
Jackson, Tatjana (2003). "The Image of Old Rus in Old Norse Literature". Middelalderforum (1–2). Oslo. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
Jansson, Sven Birger Fredrik (1964). "Sveriges Runinskrifter". Sveriges Runinskrifter (in Swedish). XIII: Västmanlands Runinskrifter. Stockholm: Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien.
Jansson, Sven Birger Fredrik (1980). Runstenar (in Swedish). Stockholm: Svenska turistföreningen. ISBN 9171560157.
Jansson, Sven Birger Fredrik (1987). Runes in Sweden. Stockholm: Gidlund. ISBN 917844067X.
Jones, Gwyn (1968). A History of the Vikings. New York, Toronto: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780192158826.
Jesch, Judith (2001). Ships and Men in the Late Viking Age: The Vocabulary of Runic Inscriptions and Skaldic Verse. Woodbrige: The Boydell Press. ISBN 0851158269.
MacLeod, Mindy (2002). Bind-Runes: an Investigation of Ligatures in Runic Epigraphy. Uppsala: Uppsala Universitet: Institutionen för Nordiska Språk. ISBN 9150615343.
Meijer, Jan (2007). "Punctuation Marks on Viking Age Rune Stones". In Langbroek, Erika; Quak, Arend; Roeleveld, Annelies; Vermeyden, Paula (eds.). Amsterdamer Beiträge Zur älteren Germanistik (in German and English). Amsterdam, New York: Rodopi. ISBN 9789042022560.
Pritsak, Omeljan (1981). The Origin of Rus': Old Scandinavian Sources Other than the Sagas. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-64465-4.
"U 153". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"U 154". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"U 209". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"U 283". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"U 366". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"U 504". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"U 636". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"U 687". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"U 898". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Sö 33". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Sö 34". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Sö 92". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Sö 121". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Sö 126". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Sö 130". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Sö 148". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Sö 171". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Sö 216". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Sö 308". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Sö 338". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"G 114". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
"G 134". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"G 220". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"G 280". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"DR 108". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"N 62". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Vs 1". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Vs Fv1988;36". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Ög 8". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Ög 30". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Öl 28". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Vg 135". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Vg 184". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
"Vg 197". Runor (in Swedish and English). Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. Retrieved 2023-09-17.

Strid, Jan Paul (1988). "Runfynd 1986" (PDF). Fornvännen. 83. Swedish National Heritage Board: 34–38. ISSN 1404-9430. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
Thunberg, Carl L. (2010). Ingvarståget och dess monument (in Swedish). Stockholm: Göteborgs universitet, CLTS. ISBN 9789198185928.
Thunberg, Carl L. (2011). Särkland och dess källmaterial (in Swedish). Stockholm: Göteborgs universitet, CLTS. ISBN 9789198185935.
Wessén, Elias; Jansson, Sven Birger Fredrik (1943). "Sveriges Runinskrifter". Sveriges Runinskrifter (in Swedish). VI: Upplands Runinskrifter del 1. Stockholm: Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien. ISSN 0562-8016.

General References

Larsson, Mats G. (2002). Götarnas riken: upptäcktsfärder till Sveriges enande (in Swedish). Stockholm: Atlantis. ISBN 9789174866414.
Peterson, Lena (2002). "Nordisk Runnamnslexikon" (in Swedish). Swedish Institute for Linguistics and Heritage (Institutet för språk och folkminnen). Archived from the original on 2011-02-25.
"Samnordisk runtextdatabas". Uppsala University, Department of Scandinavian Languages (in Swedish and English).

External links

An English Dictionary of Runic Inscriptions of the Younger Futhark, at the university of Nottingham

Runestones

Western route and unspecified expeditions abroad

Eastern route

Other journeys

Jomsvikings and the Battle of Fýrisvellir

Viking Age women

Gerlög and Inga

Estrid

Norse mythology and Old Norse religion

"May Thor hallow"	Vg 150 Sö 140 (?) DR 110 DR 209 DR 220
Thor's hammer	U 1161 Vg 113 Sö 86 Sö 111 DR 26 DR 48 DR 120
Cursed stones	Vg 67 DR 81 DR 83 DR 209 DR 230 DR 338 DR 357 DR 360
Other	Sö 154 Ög 136 Ög 181 Öl 1 Vg 63 Vg 119 Thorwald's Cross

Runestone monuments

Other

Sö 113

Resources

Categories:

Uppland

U 153

U 154

U 209

U 283

U 366

U 504

U 636

U 687

U 898

Södermanland

Sö 33

Sö 34

Sö 92

Sö 121

Sö 126

Sö 130

Sö 148

Sö 171

Sö 216

Sö 308

Sö 338

Västmanland

Vs 1

Vs Fv1988;36

Östergötland

Ög 8

Ög 30

Västergötland

Vg 135

Vg 184

Vg 197

Öland

Öl 28 (58)

Gotland

G 114

G 134

G 220

G 280

Denmark

DR 108

Norway

N 62

See also

Notes

Citations

References

General References

External links