Böksta Runestone
Encyclopedia
The Böksta runestone is a Viking Age
memorial
runestone that is located near the farm of Böksta in Balingsta, which is about four kilometers southwest of Ramstalund
, Uppsala County
, Sweden
, in the historic province of Upsalla.
) with two dogs and two birds. One of the birds is attacking the eyes of the hunted animal, which is consistent with past practices when hunting with birds
. Finds from graves indicate that falconry
has been practiced in Sweden since the 6th century. Observing the hunter is another man on skis, holding a bow and arrow. Surrounding the hunting scene is the runic text inscribed within a serpent. The inscription is believed to date from approximately 1050 C.E. and is tentatively classified as being carved in runestone style Pr2, which is also known as Ringerike style
. The runestone, which was originally located at Prästgården, was broken into several sections with a central section missing since the 1600s. This section was found near the gate to the chuch at Prästgården, and the runestone disassembled and rebuilt using the newly found section in 2004.
The man carrying a bow and on skis is typically identified as Ullr
, who in Chapter 21 of Skáldskaparmál
of the Prose Edda
is described as a Norse pagan
ski-god, archery-god, and hunting-god. It has also been suggested that the man on horseback, who has a beard and helmet and is riding a stallion, is the god Odin
with his spear Gungnir
on his horse Sleipnir
. In this case, Sleipnir would be depicted with only four legs instead of the more common eight legs, however, a four-legged depiction of this horse was also used on the Tängelgårda stone
. The two dogs or wolves would then be Geri and Freki
and the birds the ravens Huginn and Muninn. Several other Scandinavia
n runestones include depictions of horses, including DR 96 in Ålum, N 61 in Alstad, Sö 101 in Ramsundsberget, Sö 226
in Norra Stutby, Sö 239
in Häringe, Sö 327 in Göksten, U 375 in Vidbo, U 488
in Harg, U 599 in Hanunda, U 691 in Söderby, U 901 in Håmö, U 935 at the Uppsala Cathedral
, and U 1003 in Frötuna.
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
runestone that is located near the farm of Böksta in Balingsta, which is about four kilometers southwest of Ramstalund
Ramstalund
Ramstalund is a locality situated in Uppsala Municipality, Uppsala County, Sweden with 313 inhabitants in 2005....
, Uppsala County
Uppsala County
Uppsala County is a county or län on the eastern coast of Sweden. It borders the counties of Stockholm, Södermanland, Västmanland, Gävleborg, and the Baltic Sea.- Province :For History, Geography and Culture see: Uppland...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, in the historic province of Upsalla.
Description
The Böksta Runestone, which is made of granite and is 2.6 meters in height, is notable for its images of a man on horseback holding a spear who is hunting an animal that may be an elk (mooseMoose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
) with two dogs and two birds. One of the birds is attacking the eyes of the hunted animal, which is consistent with past practices when hunting with birds
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
. Finds from graves indicate that falconry
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
has been practiced in Sweden since the 6th century. Observing the hunter is another man on skis, holding a bow and arrow. Surrounding the hunting scene is the runic text inscribed within a serpent. The inscription is believed to date from approximately 1050 C.E. and is tentatively classified as being carved in runestone style Pr2, which is also known as Ringerike style
Ringerike style
The Ringerike style is a Scandinavian animal style from the late 10th century and the 11th century, which evolved out of the earlier Mammen style. It has received its name from a group of runestones with animal and plant motifs in the Ringerike district north of Oslo. The most common motifs are...
. The runestone, which was originally located at Prästgården, was broken into several sections with a central section missing since the 1600s. This section was found near the gate to the chuch at Prästgården, and the runestone disassembled and rebuilt using the newly found section in 2004.
The man carrying a bow and on skis is typically identified as Ullr
Ullr
In early Germanic paganism, *Wulþuz appears to have been a major god, or an epithet of an important god, in prehistoric times....
, who in Chapter 21 of Skáldskaparmál
Skáldskaparmál
The second part of Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda the Skáldskaparmál or "language of poetry" is effectively a dialogue between the Norse god of the sea, Ægir and Bragi, the god of poetry, in which both Norse mythology and discourse on the nature of poetry are intertwined...
of the Prose Edda
Prose Edda
The Prose Edda, also known as the Younger Edda, Snorri's Edda or simply Edda, is an Icelandic collection of four sections interspersed with excerpts from earlier skaldic and Eddic poetry containing tales from Nordic mythology...
is described as a Norse pagan
Norse paganism
Norse paganism is the religious traditions of the Norsemen, a Germanic people living in the Nordic countries. Norse paganism is therefore a subset of Germanic paganism, which was practiced in the lands inhabited by the Germanic tribes across most of Northern and Central Europe in the Viking Age...
ski-god, archery-god, and hunting-god. It has also been suggested that the man on horseback, who has a beard and helmet and is riding a stallion, is the god Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
with his spear Gungnir
Gungnir
In Norse mythology, Gungnir is the spear of the god Odin.-Poetic Edda:In the Poetic Edda poem Völuspá, the Æsir-Vanir War is described as officially starting when Odin throws a spear over the heads of an assembly of Vanir gods. Whether or not this was specifically Gungnir is, however, unstated...
on his horse Sleipnir
Sleipnir
In Norse mythology, Sleipnir is an eight-legged horse. Sleipnir is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson...
. In this case, Sleipnir would be depicted with only four legs instead of the more common eight legs, however, a four-legged depiction of this horse was also used on the Tängelgårda stone
Tängelgarda stone
The image stone at Tängelgårda, Lärbro parish, Gotland, Sweden is decorated with a scene of warriors holding rings, one horsed, with Valknut symbols drawn beneath.-External links:...
. The two dogs or wolves would then be Geri and Freki
Geri and Freki
In Norse mythology, Geri and Freki are two wolves which are said to accompany the god Odin. They are attested in the Poetic Edda, a collection of epic poetry compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, in the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, and in...
and the birds the ravens Huginn and Muninn. Several other Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n runestones include depictions of horses, including DR 96 in Ålum, N 61 in Alstad, Sö 101 in Ramsundsberget, Sö 226
Södermanland Runic Inscription 226
Södermanland Runic Inscription 226 or Sö 226 is the Rundata catalog listing for a Viking Age memorial runestone located in Norra Stutby, which is about eight kilometers north of Sorunda, Stockholm County, Sweden, which was in the historic province of Södermanland.-Description:The inscription on Sö...
in Norra Stutby, Sö 239
Södermanland Runic Inscription 239
Södermanland Runic Inscription 239 or Sö 239 is the Rundata catalog listing for a Viking Age memorial runestone fragment that is located in Häringe, which is about one kilometer east of Landfjärden, Stockholm County, Sweden, which is in the historic province of Södermanland.-Description:The damaged...
in Häringe, Sö 327 in Göksten, U 375 in Vidbo, U 488
Uppland Runic Inscription 448
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.-Description:...
in Harg, U 599 in Hanunda, U 691 in Söderby, U 901 in Håmö, U 935 at the Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala Cathedral is a cathedral located centrally in the city of Uppsala, Sweden. It dates back to the late 13th century and at a height of 118.7 m is the tallest church building in Scandinavia. Originally built under Roman Catholicism and used for coronations of the Swedish monarch, since the...
, and U 1003 in Frötuna.
Transliteration of runic text into Latin letters
- inki-... [a]uk : iuker [:] þau : litu : raisa * stain : þina : a[t] * ais[t *] sun * sin : ernfastr * auk * þaiR * (b)ryþr * raist[u] * at * bru... ...
External links
- Photograph of U 855 in 2002 showing missing central section - Swedish National Heritage Board