The two Sigtrygg Runestones, designated as DR 2 and DR 4 in the

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 ...

catalog, are two of the

Hedeby stones The Hedeby stones are four runestones from the 10th century found at the town of Hedeby in Northern Germany. This area was part of Denmark during the Viking Age. Stone of Eric The Stone of Eric (cataloged as Hedeby 1 or DR 1 under the Rundata sy ...

that were found in

Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein (; da, Slesvig-Holsten; nds, Sleswig-Holsteen; frr, Slaswik-Holstiinj) is the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Sc ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

, which during the

Viking Age The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period and the Germ ...

was part of

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 ...

. The runestones were raised after the Danish king

Sigtrygg Gnupasson Sigtrygg Gnupasson was semi-legendary a king of Denmark of the House of Olaf who ruled in the 10th century, according to Adam of Bremen. Sigtrygg was son of Gnupa and the Danish noblewoman Asfrid. According to Adam, he became a Danish king dur ...

by his mother Ásfriðr. Together with the account of

Adam of Bremen Adam of Bremen ( la, Adamus Bremensis; german: Adam von Bremen) (before 1050 – 12 October 1081/1085) was a German medieval chronicler. He lived and worked in the second half of the eleventh century. Adam is most famous for his chronicle ''Gest ...

, the two inscriptions constitute evidence for the

House of Olaf The House of Olaf was a dynasty which ruled Denmark or part of Denmark in the late 9th century and early 10th century. * Olof the Brash *Gyrd and Gnupa Gyrd and Gnupa were kings of Denmark in the 10th century according to Sweyn II of Denmark an ...

on the Danish throne. The stones are dated as being carved after 934 C.E. as the historian

Widukind of Corvey Widukind of Corvey (c. 925after 973) was a medieval Saxon chronicler. His three-volume '' Res gestae Saxonicae sive annalium libri tres'' is an important chronicle of 10th-century Germany during the rule of the Ottonian dynasty. Life In view of ...

recorded that King Gnupa, who is mentioned in both inscriptions, was forced to pay a tribute to the German king in that year.

DR 2

DR 2 was found at Haddeby in Schleswig-Holstein in 1797. At one time, scholars considered the word and rune selection on this runestone, when compared with the inscription on DR 4, along with other inscriptions as evidence of Swedish influence in Denmark during the 10th century. For example, although both DR 2 and DR 4 use the

Younger Futhark The Younger Futhark, also called Scandinavian runes, is a runic alphabet and a reduced form of the Elder Futhark, with only 16 characters, in use from about the 9th century, after a "transitional period" during the 7th and 8th centuries. The ...

, DR 2 uses "short twig" style runes for the n- and a-runes. However, in recent years this has been downplayed after it was shown that part of the evidence was actually due to a misdating of another runestone and the possible misspellings of some words in the inscriptions.

Inscription

Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters

:A osfriþr : karþi : kum bl ' þaun oft : siktriku : :B sun (:) (s)in : oui : knubu

Transcription into Old Norse

:A ''Asfriþr gærþi kumbl þøn æft Sigtryg,'' :B ''sun sin ok Gnupu.''

Translation in English

:A Ásfriðr made the memorial after Sigtrygg :B her son together with Gnupa

DR 4

DR 4 was discovered in 1887 on the ramparts of

Gottorf Castle Gottorf Castle (german: Schloss Gottorf, da, Gottorp Slot, Low German: ''Gottorp'') is a castle and estate in the city of Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is one of the most important secular buildings in Schleswig-Holstein, and ha ...

. Prior to the recognition of the historical significance of runestones, they were often used as construction materials for roads, walls, and buildings.

Inscription

Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters

:A osfriþr ÷ karþi kubl ÷ þausi ÷ tutiʀ ÷ uþinkaurs ÷ oft ÷ siktriuk ÷ kunuk ÷ :B ÷ sun ÷ sin ÷ ÷ auk ÷ knubu ÷ :C kurmʀ (÷) raist (÷) run(a)(ʀ) (÷)

Transcription into Old Norse

:A ''Asfriþr gærþi kumbl þøsi, dottiR Oþinkors, æft Sigtryg kunung,'' :B ''sun sin ok Gnupu.'' :C ''Gormʀ rest runaʀ.''

Translation in English

:A Ásfriðr made the memorial, the daughter of Odinkar, after King Sigtrygg, :B her son together with Gnupa. :C Gorm made the runes.

References

{{reflist

External links

Photograph of DR 2
10th-century inscriptions 1797 archaeological discoveries 1887 archaeological discoveries Runestones in memory of Viking warriors Runestones in Germany

DR 2

Inscription

Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters

Transcription into Old Norse

Translation in English

DR 4

Inscription

Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters

Transcription into Old Norse

Translation in English

See also

References

External links