The Karlevi Runestone, designated as Öl 1 by

Rundata The Scandinavian Runic-text Data Base ( sv, Samnordisk runtextdatabas) 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 ...

, is commonly dated to the late 10th century and located near the Kalmarsund straight in Karlevi on the island of

Öland Öland (, ; ; sometimes written ''Øland'' in other Scandinavian languages, and often ''Oland'' internationally; la, Oelandia) is the second-largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...

. It is one of the most notable and prominent runestones and constitutes the oldest record of a stanza of skaldic verse.

Description

The

runic inscription A runic inscription is an inscription made in one of the various runic alphabets. They generally contained practical information or memorials instead of magic or mythic stories. The body of runic inscriptions falls into the three categories of ...

on the Karlevi Runestone is partly in prose, partly in verse. It is the only example of a complete scaldic stanza preserved on a runestone and is composed in the "lordly meter" the dróttkvætt. It is notable for mentioning

Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, ...

's daughter Þrúðr and Viðurr, one of the names for

Odin Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, victory, ...

, in kennings for "chieftain." In the second half of the stanza a reference is made to

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

, but it is not clear what exactly this means in this poetic context. The stone is contemporary with the

Battle of the Fýrisvellir A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

and it is consequently possible that the stone was raised by warriors who partook in it, in memory of their lord. The inscription, which is on a granite stone that is 1.4 meters in height, is classified as being in runestone style RAK. This is the classification with inscriptions with runic text in bands that have no attached dragon or serpent heads and the ends of the runic bands are straight. The non-runic inscription on the reverse side appears to be accompanied by a small Christian cross and a Norse pagan

's hammer, or Mjöllnir. Other surviving runestones or inscriptions depicting Thor's hammer include runestones U 1161 in Altuna, Sö 86 in Åby, Sö 111 in Stenkvista, Vg 113 in Lärkegapet, DR 26 in Laeborg, DR 48 in Hanning, DR 120 in Spentrup, and DR 331 in Gårdstånga.

Inscription

''Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters:'' :+ s-a... --(s)- i(a)s * satr * aiftir * si(b)(a) * kuþa * sun * fultars * in hons ** liþi * sati * at * u * -ausa-þ-... +: fulkin : likr : hins : fulkþu : flaistr (:)* uisi * þat * maistar * taiþir : tulka * þruþar : traukr : i : þaimsi * huki * munat : raiþ:uiþur : raþa : ruk:starkr * i * tanmarku : --ntils : iarmun**kruntar : urkrontari : lontiProject Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk
-

entry for Öl 1. A more idiomatic English translation of the poetic stanza is provided by Foote & Wilson: :Tree of Thrúd of hostilities, the man whom the greatest virtues accompanied - most men know that - lies buried in this mound; a more upright chariot-Vidur of wondrous-wide ground of Endil will not rule, strife-strong, land in Denmark.Foote & Wilson, p. 329. The reverse side of the stone also has a non-runic inscription In nomin (?) Ie u(?) which may mean "In the name of Jesus."

Notes

External links

A presentation with pictures
at the

Foteviken Museum The Foteviken Museum ( sv, Fotevikens Museum) is an archaeological open-air museum on the Höllviken peninsula in southern Skåne, Sweden. It contains a reconstruction of a large Viking Age settlement and a "viking reservation", and visitors pa ...

website.

Bibliography

*Foote, Peter & Wilson, David M.: ''The Viking Achievement''. 1989 . *Jansson Sven B. F.: ''Runinskrifter i Sverige''. 1984. 201 pages. *Salberger, Evert: "Dedikationen på Karlevi-Stenen, Mansnamn och Versform." ''Sydsvenska Ortnamnssällskapets Årsskrift'' 1997. pp. 88–115. * Strid, Jan Paul: ''Runstenar''. Malmö 1991. 119 pages. *Söderberg, Sven: ''Sveriges Runinskrifter''. Bd 1, "Ölands Runinskrifter." Stockholm 1900–1906. {{Runestones Runestones in memory of Viking warriors Skaldic poems Runestones in Öland 10th-century poems 10th-century inscriptions