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Hälsingland Rune Inscription 21

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Hälsingland Rune Inscription 21
Created11th Century
DiscoveredNordanstig, Hälsingland, Sweden
Rundata IDHs 21
RunemasterGunnborga

The Hälsingland Runic Inscription 21 is a Viking Age memorial runestone cataloged as Hs 21 under Rundata, located in Jättendal, Nordanstig Municipality, Hälsingland, Sweden. It is notable for being crafted by a female runemaster.

Description

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This runestone consists of runic text carved within a band that curves along the stone. The granite runestone, which is two meters in height, is classified as being carved in a runestone style known as RAK. The inscription states that the runemaster, Gunnborga, "painted" the runes. She is the only known female rune carver during this time period in Scandinavia. The runic text uses the word fahido, "painted", also translated as "carved" or "inscribed."[1] Although many runestones had their inscriptions painted, there is no direct evidence that this particular runestone was painted.

Of the personal names in the inscription, Ásmundr means "Divine Hand"[2] and Farthegn means either "Far-Travelling Thegn" or "Far-Traveling Warrior."[3] The name Thorketill or Þorketil, which includes as a theophoric name element the Norse pagan god Thor, signifies a "Vessel of Thor" or "Kettle of Thor", possibly a type of sacrificial cauldron.[4] The Poetic Edda poem Hymiskviða includes a story of Thor fetching a large cauldron to brew ale.

Inscription

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asmuntr

Ásmundr

·

 

ok

ok

fa[r]þ[i]k[l]

Farþegn,

·

 

þiʀ

þeir

ritu

réttu

stin

stein

·

 

þina

þenna

·

 

aftiʀ

eptir

þu[rkatil

Þorketil,

·

 

faþur

fǫður

sin

sinn,

·

 

a

á

utrunkum

Vatrungum.

·

 

k]unburka

Gunnborga

faþ[i

fáði

stin

stein

þina

þenna,

in

hin

kuþa]

góða.

asmuntr · ok fa[r]þ[i]k[l] · þiʀ ritu stin · þina · aftiʀ þu[rkatil · faþur sin · a utrunkum · k]unburka faþ[i stin þina in kuþa]

Ásmundr {} ok Farþegn, {} þeir réttu stein {} þenna {} eptir Þorketil, {} fǫður sinn, {} á Vatrungum. {} Gunnborga fáði stein þenna, hin góða.

Ásmundr and Farþegn, they erected this stone in memory of Þorketill of Vattrång, their father. Gunnborga the good coloured this stone. [5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Antonsen, Elmer H. (2002). Runes and Germanic Linguistics. Mouton de Gruyter. pp. 280–289. ISBN 3-11-017462-6.
  2. ^ Yonge, Charlotte Mary (2004). History of Christian Names. Kessinger Publishing. pp. xxxix. ISBN 978-0-7661-8321-6.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Harrison, Henry (1996). Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary. Genealogical Publishing Company. p. 143. ISBN 0-8063-0171-6.
  4. ^ Grimm, Jacob (1882). Teutonic Mythology. Vol. 1. Translated by Stallybrass, James Steven. George Bell & Sons. pp. 186–187.
  5. ^ "Runic inscription Hs 21". Scandinavian Runic-text Database (2020 ed.). Uppsala University: Department of Scandinavian Languages. Retrieved Feb 25, 2024.
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