Uppland Runic Inscription 308

Last updated April 02, 2019

Uppland Runic Inscription 308 or U 308 is the Rundata catalog designation for a memorial runestone that is located in Ekeby, Stockholm County, 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.

The Scandinavian Runic-text Data Base is a project involving the creation and maintenance of a database of runic inscriptions. The project's goal is to comprehensively catalog runestones in a machine-readable way for future research. The database is freely available via the Internet with a client program, called Rundata, for Microsoft Windows and ASCII text files for other operating systems.

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for the memory of something, usually a deceased person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains and parks.

A runestone is typically a raised stone with a runic inscription, but the term can also be applied to inscriptions on boulders and on bedrock. The tradition began in the 4th century and lasted into the 12th century, but most of the runestones date from the late Viking Age. Most runestones are located in Scandinavia, but there are also scattered runestones in locations that were visited by Norsemen during the Viking Age. Runestones are often memorials to dead men. Runestones were usually brightly coloured when erected, though this is no longer evident as the colour has worn off. Most Runestones are found in present day Sweden.

Description

This inscription is carved on a rock that is north-west of Skånela Church and consists of a Christian cross surrounded by a runic text within a serpent band. The inscription is about 1.2 meters tall by 1 meters wide. The runic text indicates that it was carved by Þorgautr, which is often normalized as Torgöt, and states that he is the son of the runemaster Fot, who was an active runemaster in southern Uppland during the late Viking Age.^[1] Two other surviving runestones listed in the Rundata catalog, U 746 in Hårby and U 958 in Villinge, are listed as being signed by Þorgautr, and several others are attributed either to him based on stylistic analysis. This runestone is considered to be similar in style to those carved by Þorgautr's father, Fot,^[2] and is classified as being carved in runestone style Pr4, which is also known as the 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.

Skånela Church is a medieval Lutheran church in the Archdiocese of Uppsala in Stockholm County, Sweden. It is one of the oldest churches in Stockholm County.

The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus, is the best-known symbol of Christianity. It is related to the crucifix and to the more general family of cross symbols, the term cross itself being detached from the original specifically Christian meaning in modern English.

The orthography of the Old Norse language was diverse, being written in both Runic and Latin alphabets, with many spelling conventions, variant letterforms, and unique letters and signs. In modern times, scholars established a standardized spelling for the language. When Old Norse names are used in texts in other languages, modifications to this spelling are often made. In particular, the names of Old Norse mythological figures often have several different spellings.

The runic text states that that stone was raised by a man named Gunni in memory of himself. There are over twenty other runestones in which the sponsor states that the stone was raised in memory of himself, including Sö 55 in Bjudby, U 127 in Danderyds, the now-lost U 149 in Hagby, U 164 and U 165 in Täby, U 171 in Söderby, U 194 in Väsby, U 212 in Vallentuna, U 261 in Fresta, the now-lost U 345 in Yttergärde, U 433 in Husby-Ärlinghundra, U 734 in Linsunda, U 739 in Gådi, U 803 in Långtora, U 962 in Vaksala, U 1011 in Örby, U 1040 in Fasma, the now-lost U 1114 in Myrby, U 1181 in Lilla Runhällen, U Fv1958;250 in Sigtuna, Vs 17 in Råby, Vs 32 in Prästgården, and DR 212 in Tillitse. Of these, five stones known as the Jarlabanke Runestones were sponsored by the same person in memory of himself. The name Þorgautr contains the Norse pagan god Thor as a theophoric name element and means "Thor-Goth."^[3]

Uppland Runic Inscription 171 Rundata catalog listing for a Viking Age memorial runestone that is located in Söderby

Uppland Runic Inscription 171 or U 171 is the Rundata catalog listing for a Viking Age memorial runestone that is located in Söderby, which is four kilometers west of Vaxholm, Stockholm County, Sweden, and in the historic province of Uppland.

This runestone, listed in Rundata as runic inscription U 1011, was carved in the 11th century and was originally located at Örby, Rasbo, Sweden.

Västmanland Runic Inscription 17 or Vs 17 is the Rundata designation for a Viking Age memorial runestone with an image of a ship that is located in Råby, which is about two kilometers east of Tortuna, Västmanland County, Sweden, which was in the historic province of Västmanland.

Inscription

Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters

kuni lit rista runaʀ þisar eftʀ sik * kuikhan þurhkutr * risti runa þisar fots arfi^[1]

Transcription into Old Norse

Gunni lét rista rúnar þessar eptir sik kvikvan. Þorgautr risti rúnar þessar, Fóts arfi.^[1]

Translation in English

Gunni had these runes carved in memory of himself while alive. Þorgautr, Fótr's heir, carved these runes.^[1]

Related Research Articles

The Hillersjö stone, listed in the Rundata catalog as U 29 and located at Hillersjö, which is about four kilometers north of Stenhamra on Färingsö, is a runic Younger Futhark inscription that tells, in Old Norse, the tragic real life family saga of Gerlög and her daughter Inga. It is the longest runic inscription in Uppland and the second longest one in Sweden after the Rök Runestone.

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The Hargs bro runic inscriptions, or U 309, U 310 and U 311, are 11th century Younger Futhark inscriptions in Old Norse on bedrock in Skånela Parish, Uppland, Sweden.

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Fot was a runemaster who flourished in mid-11th century Sweden. He is sometimes known as Foto.

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The Gällsta Runestones from the 11th century commemorate four generations of the same family in Viking Age Sweden. There are three runestones and a raised stone which is only inscribed with a cross. The runestones are located at the northern outskirts of Stockholm, just northwest of the lake Vallentunasjön, around which is found the world's greatest concentration of runestones. All the Gällsta Runestones are attributed to Öpir, the most productive of all the old runemasters.

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Uppland Runic Inscription 1034 or U 1034 is the Rundata catalog number for a runic inscription on a runestone located at the Tensta Church, which is three kilometers northwest of Vattholma, Uppsala County, Sweden, and in the historic province of Uppland, that was carved in the late 11th or early 12th century. 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.

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.

This runic inscription, designated as U Fv1948;168 in the Rundata catalog, is on a Viking Age memorial runestone to two sons that is located in Alsike, Uppsala County, Sweden, which is in the historic province of Uppland.

This runic inscription, designated as U Fv1976;104 in the Rundata catalog, is on a Viking Age memorial runestone that is located at the Uppsala Cathedral, Uppland, Sweden.

The Lilla Vilunda runestones are three Viking Age memorial runestones that were erected by members of the same family and which are located at Lilla Vilunda in Upplands Väsby, Stockholm County, Sweden, and in the historic province of Uppland.

Uppland Runic Inscription 80 or U 80 is the Rundata catalog listing for a Viking Age memorial runic inscription that is located in Sundby, which is in Solna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden, and in the historic province of Uppland.

Uppland Runic Inscription 181 or U 181 is the Rundata catalog number for a Viking Age memorial runestone located at Össeby-Garn, which is about one kilometer east of Karby, Uppsala 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.

Uppland Runic Inscription Fv1953;263 or U Fv1953;263 is the Rundata catalog listing for a Viking Age memorial runestone that was discovered at Helenelund, which is in Sollentuna, Stockholm County, Sweden, which was in the historic province of Uppland.

Uppland Runic Inscription 541 or U 541 is the Rundata catalog listing for a Viking Age memorial runestone which is located at the Husby-Sjuhundra church, which is five kilometers west of Norrtälje, Stockholm County, Sweden, and in the historic province of Uppland. The inscription is signed by the runemaster Öpir.

References

1 2 3 4 Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk - Rundata entry for U 308.
↑ Thompson, Clairborne W. (1972). "Öpir's Teacher" (PDF). Fornvännen . Swedish National Heritage Board. 67: 17. Retrieved 2010-01-12.
↑ Ferguson, Robert (1883). Surnames as a Science. London: George Routledge & Sons. p. 63.

External links

Photograph of U 308 in 1985 - Stockholm Läns Museum

Stockholm County Museum is a museum located in Sickla, covering the history of Stockholm County in central-eastern Sweden except central Stockholm.

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[Rundata-1] 1 2 3 4 Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk - Rundata entry for U 308.

[Thompson-2] Thompson, Clairborne W. (1972). "Öpir's Teacher" (PDF). Fornvännen . Swedish National Heritage Board. 67: 17. Retrieved 2010-01-12.

[3] Ferguson, Robert (1883). Surnames as a Science. London: George Routledge & Sons. p. 63.