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Risbyle Runestones

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The Eastern cross on U 161, today the coat-of-arms of Täby Municipality

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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Risbyle overlooking the runestones

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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U 160

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

le

anum

honum

hanum

lus

ljós

lius

·

 

 

uk

ok

ok

baratis

paradís.

paradis.

ulfkitil · uk · kui uk + uni + þiʀ × litu · rhisa × stin þina · iftiʀ · ulf · faþur · sin · kuþan on · buki · i skul(o)bri · kuþ · ilbi · ons · at · uk · salu · uk · kusþ muþiʀ · li anum lus · uk baratis

Ulfketill {} ok {} Gýi ok {} Uni/Unni {} þeir {} létu {} reisa {} stein þenna {} eptir {} Ulf, {} fǫður {} sinn {} góðan. Hann {} bjó {} í Skolhamri. {} Guð {} hjalpi {} hans {} ǫnd {} ok {} sálu {} ok {} Guðs móðir, {} lé honum ljós {} ok paradís.

Ulfkætill {} ok {} Gyi ok {} Uni/Unni {} þæiʀ {} letu {} ræisa {} stæin þenna {} æftiʀ {} Ulf, {} faður {} sinn {} goðan. Hann {} byggi {} i Skulhambri. {} Guð {} hialpi {} hans {} and {} ok {} salu {} ok {} Guðs moðiʀ, {} le hanum lius {} ok 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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U 161

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.

ulfʀ · iuk i barstam · iftiʀ · ulf · i skulobri · mak · sin · kuþan · ulfkil lit akua

Ulfr {} hjó í Báristǫðum {} eptir {} Ulf {} í Skolhamri, {} mág {} sinn {} góðan. {} Ulfkell lét hǫggva.

Ulfʀ {} hiogg i Baristam {} æftiʀ {} Ulf {} i Skulhambri, {} mag {} sinn {} goðan. {} Ulfkell let 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

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b "Runic inscription U 160". Scandinavian Runic-text Database (2020 ed.). Uppsala University: Department of Scandinavian Languages. Retrieved Feb 25, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Runic inscription U 161". Scandinavian Runic-text Database (2020 ed.). Uppsala University: Department of Scandinavian Languages. Retrieved Feb 25, 2024.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ 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

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