Jonas Lau Markussen

The Olsbro Stone Vg 181

The carvings of the stone are in the runestone style Pr 1 (c. 1010-1040) pertaining to the Ringerike style.

The inscription is signed by the runemaster Hávarðr.

The granite stone is c. 2,1 m tall and 1,6 m wide (across the centre of the cross).

 

Runic inscription

The rune text begins at the head end of the animal. The signature of the runemaster is carved outside of the rune ribbon at the left side of the stone.

 

Runes

[1] ᚴᚢᚠᛁ ᛬ ᚱᛋᚦᛁ ᛬ ᛋᛏᛁᚾ ᛬ ᚦᛂᛋᛁ ᛬ ᛂᚠᛏᛁᛦ ᛬ ᚢᛚᛅᚠ ᛬ ᛋᚢᚾ ᛬ ᛋᛁᚾ ᛫ ᛏᚱᚴ ᛫ ᚼᚱᚦᛅ ᛫ ᚴᚢᚦᛅᚾ ᛫ ᚼᚾ ᛫ ᚢᛅᚱᚦ ᛫ ᛏᚱᛒᛁᚾ ᛫ ᛁ ᛫ ᛂᛋᛏᛚᛅᛏᚢᛘ ᛫ [2] ᚼᚢ(ᛅ)ᚱᚦ(ᚱ) ᛫ ᛁᚢᚴ ᛫ ᛋ(ᛏᛁᚾ)

 

Transliteration

kufi : rsþi : stin : þesi : eftʀ : ulaf : sun : sin * trk * hrþa * kuþan * hn * uarþ * trbin * i * estlatum * hu(a)rþ(r) * iuk * s—

 

Old Norse

Gufi ræisti stæin þennsi æftiR Olaf, sun sinn, dræng harða goðan. Hann varð drepinn i Æistlandum. Havarðr(?) hiogg s[tæin].

 

English

Gufi raised this stone in memory of Ólafr, his son, a very good valiant man. He was killed in Estonia. Hávarðr(?) cut the stone.

 

Notes

This is the only mention of the full name of Estonia on a runestone.

 

———

Frugården, Norra Åsarp, Västergötland, Sweden

Vg 181

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