Runestone U 661
February 13, 2020
The carvings of the stone are in the runestone style B-e-v (c. 1010-1050) pertaining to the Ringerike style and contemporary with Pr 1 and Pr 2.
The inscription is not signed, but it is likely the same runemaster as U 664 and U 654.
The granite stone is c. 2 m tall and 0,73 m wide. The inscription is c. 1,34 m tall and 0,67 m wide.
Runic inscription
The first part of the rune text begins at the head end of the serpent to the left. The second part of the rune text begins at the head end of the serpent to the right.
Runes
[1] ᚴᛅᛁᚱᚢᛁ × ᛅᚢᚴ × ᚴᚢᛚᛅ × ᚱᛁᛋᛏᚢ × ᛋᛏᛅᛁᚾ ᚦᛁᚾᛅ × ᛅᚠᛏᛁᚱ × ᚯᚾᚢᚾᛏ × ᚠᚯᚦᚢᚱ ᛋᛁᛅ [2] ᛁᛋ ᚢᛅᛋ × ᛅᚢᛋᛏᚱ × ᛏᛅᚢᚦᚱ × ᛘᛁᚦ × ᛁᚴᚢᛅᚱᛁ × ᚴᚢᚦ ᚼᛁᛅᛚᛒᛁ ᚯᛏ × ᚯᚾᚢᛏᛅᚱ
Transliteration
kairui × auk × kula × ristu × stain þina × aftir × onunt × foþur sia is uas × austr × tauþr × miþ × ikuari × kuþ × hialbi ot × onutar
Old Norse
GæiRvi ok Gulla ræistu stæin þenna æftiR Anund, faður sinn. Es vas austr dauðr með Ingvari. Guð hialpi and AnundaR.
English
Geirvé and Gulla raised this stone in memory of Ônundr, their father, who died in the east with Ingvarr. May God help Ônundr’s spirit.
Notes
Geirvé and Gulla are both female names.
U 661 is one of c. 30 so-called Ingvar Runestones commemorating those who died following Ingvar the Far-Travelled on a viking expedition going far down the eastern trade routes of Europe.
Learn more about Ingvar and his fatal viking expedition here:
———
Råby, Uppland, Sweden
U 661