Edinburgh's Runestone

Last updated
Edinburgh's Runestone
"Princess Street Gardens" runestone in it's new location at 50 George Street, Edinburgh.jpg
"Princes Street Gardens" runestone
Created1010–1050
DiscoveredLilla Ramsjö, Morgongåva, Vittinge parish, Uppland, Sweden
Present location50 George Square, Edinburgh, Scotland
Coordinates 55°56′38″N3°11′12″W / 55.943863°N 3.186608°W / 55.943863; -3.186608
Rundata IDU 1173
Runemaster Erik (A)
Text – Native
Old Norse: Ari ræisti stæin æftiR Hialm, faður sinn. Guð hialpi and hans.
Translation
Ari raised the stone in memory of Hjalmr, his father. May God help his spirit.

The Swedish Runestone, designated U 1173 in the Rundata catalogue, is an 11th-century [1] Swedish Viking Age runestone which was located in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, below Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, within a fenced enclosure adjacent to Ramsay Garden. [2] Due to security concerns it was removed from there on 19 December 2017 and in the Autumn of 2020 was re-located at 50 George Square, Edinburgh just outside the University of Edinburgh's Department of Scandinavian Studies. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

On 22 March 2023 the runestone was officially unveiled, [6] after delays due to restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of Coronovirus. [4]

Originally from Lilla Ramsjö in present-day Morgongåva, Heby Municipality, it was donated to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 1787 by Sir Alexander Seton of Preston and Ekolsund (né Baron 1738–1814), [7] and was presented to the Princes Street Proprietors by the Society in 1821. [8] It is one of three Swedish runestones in Britain; the other two (U 104 & U 1160) are in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford in England. [9] [10] [11]

Carving

Swedish Runestone U 1173 being removed from Princes Street Gardens Edinburgh.jpg

The carving on the stone features a centrally located cross, encircled by a serpent. The runic inscription is carved within the serpent, whose head and tail are linked with the cross' shaft. There are 18 runestones in Sweden which bear similar features and are believed to have been carved by a runemaster called Erik. [4] [12]

There are two additional crosses carved into the runestone – one on the right-hand edge of the stone, and one at the front of the stone, above the inscription, on the right-hand side. They do not exhibit the same level of craftsmanship and are believed to have been added later, perhaps in the 19th century. [13] [12]

Inscription

Transliteration and transcription:

ari

Ari

+

 

rasti

reisti

+

 

stain

stein

+

 

aftir

eptir

+

 

(h)ialm

Hjalm,

+

 

faþur

fǫður

sin

sinn.

+

 

kuþ

Guð

+

 

hialbi

hjalpi

+

 

ant

ǫnd

hans

hans.

ari + rasti + stain + aftir + (h)ialm + faþur sin + kuþ + hialbi + ant hans

Ari {} reisti {} stein {} eptir {} Hjalm, {} fǫður sinn. {} Guð {} hjalpi {} ǫnd hans.

"Ari raised the stone in memory of Hjalmr, his father. May God help his spirit." [14]

Replica Runestone in Morgongåva

In 2014 a replica of stone U 1173 was made in Sweden and placed where the original would have come from, at Morgongåva in Uppsala, by a group called Hebys "nya" runsten, [15] led by project manager Mats Köben, an amateur archaeologist and enthusiast. This replica was carved by runemaster Kalle Dahlberg (Runistare) [16] who visited Edinburgh in 2013 to measure the stone and record the design, before carving it from pink granite, sourced from Vätö Stenhuggeri at Adelsö Island. [17] [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

The Funbo runestones constitute a group of four runestones originally from Funbo in the province of Uppland, Sweden, which were raised by members of the same family during the eleventh century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Östergötland Runic Inscription 179</span>

The runestone known as Östergötland Rune Inscription 179 or Ög 179, as listed in the Rundata catalog, stands on the east side of the Vadstena Abbey in Vadstena, Sweden. The stone is tinted red and is about 193 cm in height. The inscription is classified as being carved in runestone style Fp. This is the classification for runic bands that have attached serpent or beast heads depicted as seen from above.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snottsta and Vreta stones</span>

The Snottsta and Vreta stones are individual runestones known as U 329, U 330, U 331 and U 332. They are found on the homesteads of Snottsta and Vreta, and they tell in Old Norse with the younger futhark about the family story of Gerlög and Inga in 11th century Uppland, Sweden, together with the Hillersjö stone and the runestone U 20/21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lingsberg Runestones</span>

The Lingsberg Runestones are two 11th-century runestones, listed as U 240 and U 241 in the Rundata catalog, and one fragment, U 242, that are engraved in Old Norse using the younger futhark. They are at the Lingsberg farm about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) east of Vallentuna, which is about 24 kilometres (15 mi) north of the center of Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden, which was part of the former province of Uppland.

The England runestones are a group of about 30 runestones in Scandinavia which refer to Viking Age voyages to England. They constitute one of the largest groups of runestones that mention voyages to other countries, and they are comparable in number only to the approximately 30 Greece Runestones and the 26 Ingvar Runestones, of which the latter refer to a Viking expedition to the Caspian Sea region. They were engraved in Old Norse with the Younger Futhark.

The Viking runestones are runestones that mention Scandinavians who participated in Viking expeditions. This article treats the runestone that refer to people who took part in voyages abroad, in western Europe, and stones that mention men who were Viking warriors and/or died while travelling in the West. However, it is likely that all of them do not mention men who took part in pillaging. The inscriptions were all engraved in Old Norse with the Younger Futhark. The runestones are unevenly distributed in Scandinavia: Denmark has 250 runestones, Norway has 50 while Iceland has none. Sweden has as many as between 1,700 and 2,500 depending on definition. The Swedish district of Uppland has the highest concentration with as many as 1,196 inscriptions in stone, whereas Södermanland is second with 391.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adelsö Church</span>

Adelsö Church is a church located on the Lake Mälaren island of Adelsö, in Ekerö Municipality in central eastern Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uppland Runic Inscription Fv1986 84</span>

Runic inscription U Fv1986;84 is the Rundata catalog number for a Viking Age memorial that is located at Bo gård on the island of Lidingö in Uppland, Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uppland Runic Inscription 1043</span>

U 1043 is the Rundata designation for a runic inscription on a memorial runestone located in Onslunda, Tensta parish, and about four kilometers west of Vattholma, Sweden, which was in the historic province of Uppland. While the tradition of carving inscriptions into boulders began in the 4th century and lasted into the 12th century, most runestones date from the late Viking Age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Södermanland Runic Inscription 194</span>

Sö 194 is the Rundata designation for a runic inscription on a memorial runestone located in Brössike, which is about 12 kilometers northeast of Strängnäs, Södermanland County, Sweden, which was in the historic province of Södermanland. There are many such memorial runestones in Scandinavia. While the tradition of carving inscriptions into boulders began in the 4th century and lasted into the 12th century, most runestones date from the late Viking Age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lovö Runestones</span>

The Lovö Runestones are five Viking Age memorial runestones outside the Lovö church on the island of Lovön in Lake Mälaren, which is in Stockholm County, Sweden, and in the historic province of Uppland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Södermanland Runic Inscription 109</span> Swedish runic inscription

Sö 109 is the Rundata designation for a runic inscription on a Viking Age memorial runestone that is located in Gredby, which is near Eskilstuna, Södermanland County, Sweden, which was in the historic province of Södermanland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skårby Runestones</span>

The Skårby Runestones are two Viking Age memorial runestones originally located in Skårby, which is about ten kilometers northwest of Ystad, Scania, Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uppland Runic Inscription 448</span>

This runic inscription, designated as U 448 in the Rundata catalog, is on a Viking Age memorial runestone located in Harg, which is about 4 kilometers north of Märsta, Stockholm County, Sweden, which was in the historic province of Uppland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uppland Runic Inscription 1144</span>

Uppland Runic Inscription 1144 or U 1144 is the Rundata catalog designation of a Viking Age memorial runestone in a churchyard that is located five kilometers southwest of Tierp, Uppsala County, Sweden, which was in the historic province of Uppland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gamla Turingevägen Inscriptions</span> Swedish runic inscriptions

The Holmfast Inscriptions are two Viking Age memorial runic inscriptions and one image that are designated as Sö 311, Sö 312, and Sö 313 in the Rundata catalog. They are located in Södertälje, Stockholm County and the province of Södermanland, Sweden by the eponymous road Holmfastvägen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uppland Runic Inscription 1113</span>

Runic inscription U 1113 is the Rundata catalog number for a fragmentary Viking Age runestone that is located at Häggeby, which is about 1 kilometer west of Björklinge, Uppland, Sweden. The inscription is classified, based on the remaining evidence, as being carved in runestone style Pr4, also known as Urnes style. This runestone style is characterized by slim and stylized animals that are interwoven into tight patterns. The animal heads are typically seen in profile with slender almond-shaped eyes and upwardly curled appendages on the noses and the necks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Södermanland Runic Inscription Fv1948;295</span>

Sö Fv1948;295 is the Rundata catalog number for a Viking Age memorial runestone that is located in Prästgården, which is just west of Jönåker, Södermanland County, Sweden. It commemorates two men who are described as being thegns.

The Norrtil Runestones are two monuments listed in Rundata as U 410 and U 411, standing at Norrtil, Saint Olovs parish, Uppland, Sweden. Both runestones were erected at the second part of 11th century along the ancient road leading from Sigtuna to already existed at that time settlement of Til.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyrkogården Runestones</span> Viking memorial runestones in Stockholm County, Sweden

The Kyrkogården Runestones are three Viking Age memorial runestones located at the cemetery of St. Mary's Church in Sigtuna, Stockholm County, Sweden, in the historic province of Uppland. One of the runic inscriptions documents the existence of a Viking Age mercantile guild in Sweden.

References

  1. Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas SvenskRundata entry for U 1173.
  2. "Edinburgh, Princes Street Garden (Rune Inscribed Stone)". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.
  3. "Edinburgh's forgotten Viking stone to get new home". The Scotsman. November 15, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 "Runestone Project | Society of Antiquaries of Scotland" . Retrieved 2019-03-21.
  5. "» Ancient stone moves". ewh.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
  6. "Runes, Runestones, and U1173 - 'The Edinburgh Runestone'". University of Edinburgh Research Explorer.
  7. Gyllenhammar, Gyllenhammar (2015-07-03). "Alexander Seton (Baron)". GENi.
  8. McNaughton, Adam (1980). "Edinburgh's Runestone" (PDF). Northern Studies: 29, 31.
  9. Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas SvenskRundata entry for U 104.
  10. Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas SvenskRundata entry for U 1160.
  11. McNaughton, Adam (1980). "Edinburgh's Runestone" (PDF). Northern Studies: 29.
  12. 1 2 "Runestone U 1173 – a missing runestone recreated". www.runristare.se. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
  13. "Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
  14. "Runic Dictionary". skaldic.org.
  15. "Hebys "nya" runsten". www.facebook.com.
  16. "Log into Facebook". Facebook.{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  17. Dahlberg, Kalle. "2014 Rune stone U 1173". Kalle Runristare.
  18. Gilmour, Simon (2019-02-12). "Update on the Edinburgh Runestone". Scottish Society for Northern Studies.

Further reading