The Risbyle Runestones are two runestones found near the western shore of Lake Vallentunasjön in Uppland, Sweden, dating from the Viking Age.
Description
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The Risbyle Runestones, listed in the Rundata catalog as U 160 and U 161, were engraved in Old Norse with the Younger Futhark in the early 11th century by the Viking Ulf of Borresta (Báristaðir) who had partaken three times in the danegeld in England and raised the runestone U 336 in the same region. They were raised in memory of Ulf of Borresta's kinsman-by-marriage Ulf in Skolhamarr (Skålhammar).
One of the runestones, U 161, has the Eastern cross which shows the influence of Byzantine culture on Sweden at this time through the Varangians who returned after having served the Emperor in Constantinople (see also the Greece Runestones and the Italy Runestones). The cross is today the coat-of-arms of Täby Municipality. Both runestones are in the style Pr1,[1][2] and they have a pronounced Ringerike character.[3]
The Skålhamra clan who asked Ulf of Borresta to make the runestones also had another couple of runestones made at Arkils tingstad across the lake, in addition to the runestone U 100 at a path in the forest.
U 160
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This runestone was raised after Ulfr of Skolhamarr by his children Ulfke(ti)ll, Gýi and Un(n)i. The runemaster is considered to be Ulfr of Báristaðir himself. The Norse word salu for soul in the prayer was imported from English and is first recorded during the tenth century.[4]
The first normalization is Old West Norse, the second is Runic Swedish.
ulfkitil
Ulfketill
Ulfkætill
·
uk
ok
ok
·
kui
Gýi
Gyi
uk
ok
ok
+
uni
Uni/Unni
Uni/Unni
+
þiʀ
þeir
þæiʀ
×
litu
létu
letu
·
rhisa
reisa
ræisa
×
stin
stein
stæin
þina
þenna
þenna
·
iftiʀ
eptir
æftiʀ
·
ulf
Ulf,
Ulf,
·
faþur
fǫður
faður
·
sin
sinn
sinn
·
kuþan
góðan.
goðan.
on
Hann
Hann
·
buki
bjó
byggi
·
i
í
i
skul(o)bri
Skolhamri.
Skulhambri.
·
kuþ
Guð
Guð
·
ilbi
hjalpi
hialpi
·
ons
hans
hans
·
at
ǫnd
and
·
uk
ok
ok
·
salu
sálu
salu
·
uk
ok
ok
·
kusþ
Guðs
Guðs
muþiʀ
móðir,
moðiʀ,
·
li
lé
le
anum
honum
hanum
lus
ljós
lius
·
uk
ok
ok
baratis
paradís.
paradis.
Ulfketill and Gýi and Uni/Unni, they had this stone raised in memory of Ulfr, their good father. He lived in Skolhamarr. May God and God's mother help his spirit and soul; grant him light and paradise. [1]
U 161
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This runestone was made by Ulfr of Báristaðir in memory of Ulfr in Skolhamarr, his kinsman-by-marriage, on the request of the latter Ulf's son Ulfke(ti)ll. The design of the inscription is very similar to that of U 226 at Arkils tingstad except that two crosses have been added in the area enclosed by the two serpents.[3]
The first normalization is Old West Norse, the second is Runic Swedish.
ulfʀ
Ulfr
Ulfʀ
·
iuk
hjó
hiogg
i
í
i
barstam
Báristǫðum
Baristam
·
iftiʀ
eptir
æftiʀ
·
ulf
Ulf
Ulf
·
i
í
i
skulobri
Skolhamri,
Skulhambri,
·
mak
mág
mag
·
sin
sinn
sinn
·
kuþan
góðan.
goðan.
·
ulfkil
Ulfkell
Ulfkell
lit
lét
let
akua
hǫggva.
haggva.
Ulfr of Báristaðir cut (the stone) in memory of Ulfr in Skolhamarr, his good kinsman-by-marriage. Ulfkell had (it) cut. [2]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b "Runic inscription U 160". Scandinavian Runic-text Database (2020 ed.). Uppsala University: Department of Scandinavian Languages. Retrieved Feb 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "Runic inscription U 161". Scandinavian Runic-text Database (2020 ed.). Uppsala University: Department of Scandinavian Languages. Retrieved Feb 25, 2024.
- ^ a b Fuglesang, Signe Horn (1998). "Swedish Runestones of the Eleventh Century: Ornament and Dating". In Düwel, Klaus; Hoops, Johannes; et al. (eds.). Runeninschriften als Quellen Interdisziplinärer Forschung. Walter de Gruyter. pp. 197–218. ISBN 3-11-015455-2. p. 202-203.
- ^ Spurkland, Terje (2005). Norwegian Runes and Runic Inscriptions. Translated by van der Hoek, Betsy. Woodbridge: Boydell Press. pp. 133–135. ISBN 1-84383-186-4.
Sources
edit- Rundata
- The article 5. Runriket - Risbyle on the website of the Stockholm County Museum, retrieved July 7, 2007.