Runestones at Aspa

Sö Fv1948;289 and Sö 141 at Aspa bridge.

The Runestones at Aspa are located in Södermanland, Sweden, where road has passed a creek since prehistoric times. This was the place of the local assembly called the Tingshögen, and the newly elected king passed the stones during his Eriksgata.

One of the stones Sö Fv1948;289, below is the oldest surviving native Scandinavian source that mentions the kingdom of Sweden beside the runestones Dr 344 and Dr 216. Another stone is raised in memory of a Viking who had spent time in the west.

Sö Fv1948;289

The runestone.

This runestone in style Fp is raised in memory of a two men who died in Denmark. The stone says that they were the ablest men in Sweden.

Latin transliteration

ostriþ : lit : -ira : ku(m)... ...usi ÷ at : anunt ÷ auk : raknualt : sun : sin ÷: urþu : ta...R : - (t)an...-...(k)u : ua-u : rikiR : o rauniki : ak : snialastiR : i : suiþiuþu

Old Norse transcription

Astrið let [g]æra kum[bl þa]usi at Anund ok Ragnvald, sun sinn. Urðu da[uði]R [i] Dan[mar]ku, va[R]u rikiR a Rauningi ok sniallastiR i Sveþiuðu.

English translation

"Astrid had this memorial made after Anund and Ragnvald, her son. (They) died in Denmark, were powerful in Rauningi and the ablest in Sweden."

Sö 137

Side B of Sö 137.

This is one of the Aspa Runestones and it is in style RAK. It was engraved with both long-branch runes and staveless runes. In the last row all the words but the last one were written with staveless runes. Sö 137 is also considered to be one of the Viking runestones.

Latin transliteration

A þura : raisþi : stin : þ--si at : ubi : buanti : sin

B : stain : saR:si : stanr : at : ybi : o þik*staþi : at ¶ : þuru : uar : han : uestarla : uakti : karla ¶ [sa þar] * sunr þaþ * raknasuatau(k)i(f)maR[sua]

Old Norse transcription

A Þora ræisþi stæin þ[ann]si at Øpi, boanda sinn.

B Stæinn saRsi standr at Øpi a þingstaði at Þoru ver. Hann vestarla væknti(?) karla, sa þaR sunR það. ...

English translation

A "Þóra raised this stone in memory of Œpir, her husbandman."

B "This stone stands in memory of Œpir, on the Assembly-place in memory of Þóra's husband. He armed(?) (his) men in the west. The son saw this there ..."

Sö 138

Sö 138.

This runestone is in style Fp.

Latin transliteration

: hiar : stainr : stin : at : kuþan : ybis : arfa : ak : þurunaR kylu : broþurs : kuþ hialbin : at :

Old Norse transcription

Hier stændr stæinn at goðan Øpis arfa ok ÞorunnaR, Gyllu broðurs. Guð hialpin and.

English transation

"Here stands the stone in memory of Œpir's and Þórunnr's good heir, Gylla's brother. May God help (his) spirit."

Sö 141

Sö 141.

This runestone was raised by two parents in memory of their son.

Latin transliteration

sloþi auk * rahnfriþ * þau * litu * biþi * bro * k(i)ara * a... * (s)...in * ra-(s)n * eftiR ihulbiarn * sun sin *

Old Norse transcription

Sloði ok Ragnfriðr þau letu baði bro gæra o[k] s[tæ]in ræ[i]sa æftiR Igulbiorn, sun sinn.

English translation

"Slóði and Ragnfríðr, they both had the bridge made and the stone raised in memory of Ígulbjôrn, their son."

Sources

• Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk - Rundata

External links

• An English Dictionary of Runic Inscriptions of the Younger Futhark, at the university of Nottingham