A runemaster or runecarver is a specialist in making runestones.

Most early medieval Scandinavians were probably literate in runes

Runic alphabet

The runic alphabets are a set of related alphabets using letters known as runes to write various Germanic languages before the adoption of the Latin alphabet and for specialized purposes thereafter...

, and most people probably carved messages on pieces of bone and wood. However, it was difficult to make runestones, and in order to master it one also needed to be a stonemason. During the 11th century, when most runestones were raised, there were a few professional runemasters. They and their apprentices were contracted to make runestones and when the work was finished, they sometimes signed the stone with the name of the runemaster, thus making runestone one of the oldest examples of signed art.

More than 100 runemasters are known from Viking Age

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,...

 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....

 with most of them from 11th century eastern Svealand

Svealand

Svealand , Swealand or Sweden proper is the historical core region of Sweden. It is located in south central Sweden and is one of three lands of Sweden, bounded to the north by Norrland and to the south by Götaland. Deep forests, Tiveden, Tylöskog, Kolmården, separated Svealand from Götaland...

. Many anonymous runestones have more or less securely been attributed to these runemasters.

Notable runemasters

• Åsmund Kåresson
  Åsmund Kåresson
  Åsmund Kåresson was a Viking Age runemaster who flourished during the first half of the 11th century in Uppland and Gästrikland, Sweden. The early Urnes style is represented in his art.-Work:...
  
  
• Balle
  Balle (runemaster)
  Balle or Red-Balle was a runemaster who was active in the areas of western Uppland, Västmanland, and northern Södermanland of Sweden during the second half of the 11th century.-Work:...
  
  
• Fot
  Fot
  Fot was a runemaster who flourished in mid-11th century Sweden.-Career:Most early medieval Scandinavians were probably literate in runes, and most people probably carved messages on pieces of bone and wood. However, it was difficult to make runestones, and in order to master it one also needed to...
  
  
• Frögärd i Ösby
  Frögärd i Ösby
  thumb|150px|right|[[Uppland Runic Inscription 194|U 194]] in Väsby has been attributed to Frögärd.Frögärd Ulvsdotter i Ösby , was a Swedish Viking age runemaster...
  
  
• Halvdan
  Halvdan (runemaster)
  Halvdan, normalized from Old Norse Halfdan, was a runemaster in mid-11th century Södermanland, Sweden.-Career:Most early medieval Scandinavians were probably literate in runes, and most people probably carved messages on pieces of bone and wood. However, it was difficult to make runestones, and in...
  
  
• Öpir
  Öpir
  Öpir or Öper was a runemaster who flourished during the late 11th century and early 12th century in Uppland, Sweden...
  
  
• Torgöt Fotsarve
• Ulf of Borresta
  Ulf of Borresta
  Ulf of Borresta was not only a runemaster in eleventh century Uppland, Sweden, but also a successful Viking who returned from England three times with a share of the Danegeld...
  
  
• Visäte
  Visäte
  Visäte was a runemaster who was active during the last half of the eleventh century in southern Uppland, Sweden.-Work:...