Piecing together fragments of the world’s earliest known rune stone, which may be more than 2,000 years old, shows they fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. They may have been separated intentionally before being buried with different individuals, shedding light on the varied pragmatic and ritual aspects of early Germanic rune stones.
Runes were the letters used to write Germanic languages before the adoption of the Latin alphabet, the oldest of which were in use until about 700 AD. However, how these runes originated and were used is unclear.
“The development of runic writing and the practice of inscribing runes on stone are difficult to trace,” says Dr. Kristel Zilmer, professor in runology at the University of Oslo, and member of the research team behind a new study published in Antiquity.
Thus, the discovery of several sandstone fragments inscribed with runes at the grave field of Svingerud, Norway, is exciting, as they shed light on early use of runic writing on stone and feature multiple intriguing sequences of runes alongside other puzzling markings.
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A Truly Ancient Discovery
The archaeological contexts of the finds provide excellent opportunities for dating the rune stone by radiocarbon dates.
The pieces of stone were found in separate graves. Through meticulous archaeological investigations over three field seasons and analysis of the fragments in the lab, the research team found that they fit together like to form a coherent whole. By piecing together the fragments, the team were able to detect several runic inscriptions.
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Photographs of different stages of the excavation from the top of the cremation layer in mound A140 (A) to when grave A4367 was identified (B) and uncovered (C & D), and during excavation and documentation of the grave (E). The runic stone is visible in the section shown in E. Notice the depth of A4367 compared to the cremation layer in A140. (Museum of Cultural History/Steinar Solheim et al./Antiquity)
Some fragments were carved with several runic sequences, some containing ambiguous markings. They may have been engraved at different times by multiple people.
This suggests that the original, large stone was intentionally fragmented, scattered and incorporated into later burials. Perhaps the stone was initially intended to mark one grave but was fragmented to commemorate subsequent burials.
“Rune stones likely had both ceremonial and practical intentions,” states Dr. Zilmer. “The grave field and the original raised stone suggest a commemorative and dedicatory intent, while subsequent use in a separate burial illuminates later pragmatic and symbolic expressions.”
The Svingerud site, where the stone fragments were discovered. (Charlotte Nueva Finnebråten/Museum of Cultural History/ Antiquity).
Importantly, as Svingerud is a grave field, the cremated human remains and charcoal at the site can be radiocarbon dated, giving a firm date range for the contexts in which the rune stone fragments were found.
Radiocarbon dating revealed yet another surprise: The contexts date between 50 BC and 275 AD, indicating that the rune stone fragments are the oldest examples discovered to date.
This invites a different perspective on the rune stone: could some of the unidentified symbols bridge the gap between ornamental script and early writing? Was the fragmentation and scattering of rune stones a means to connect different graves across the grave field? Could this somehow have been related to the expected trips of the deceased into the afterworld, with the runestones representing a “letter of introduction” meant to be read by deities who would recognize the newly arrived as part of a distinct culture?
Researchers can only speculate about this at this point since this is the first time a runestone has been found divided in this way.
The Roman Connection to Runic Language
During the Roman Iron Age, which lasted from the years 0 to 400, the Germanic and Norse cultures of northern Europe came into increasing contact with the Romans and were significantly impacted by the experience. In Scandinavia this was primarily through trade, as the period saw a considerable increase in the import of Roman goods, including weapons, coins, and glass and metal vessels. Inevitably this had a huge impact on the path of development in northern Europe, as two different cultures and people coming together led to the birth of something new in terms of customs, social organization, and a written language.
Just as the modern alphabet was built on a foundation based in the past, the runic alphabets were inspired by the classical alphabets, like the Roman alphabet. From this, the Germanic people forged their own characters called runes, which became their dominant form of written communication until the adoption of the Latin alphabet.
Reconstruction of the fragments of Hole 3 reveals a runic inscription. (Kristel Zilmer/Antiquity)
As runes developed into a mature form of written language for communication, they spread across the Scandinavian landscape, which is why ancient runestones have been salvaged during excavations on all the Norse countries. While functioning strictly as a secondary form of communication after 700 AD, runes remained in popular parlance through the Viking Ages, right up to the 1400s, which is a testament to their complexity and adaptability.
The Origins of Runic Writing Revealed?
With the latest find, archaeologists have an opportunity to learn more about the origin story of runic writing, and about cultural development in Scandinavia in general.
“This is a rare example of finding runic fragments in well-preserved, datable archaeological contexts. It is of great importance for discussions on early Scandinavian rune stones and it also serves as a reminder for archaeologists to thoroughly investigate stone fragments found in grave contexts and search for potential inscriptions. We will see more research on this site and the rune stone fragments in the years to come,” Dr. Solheim concludes.
Top image: Left: Sandstone fragment with runic inscription. Right: Illustration highlighting the runes. Source: George Alexis Pantos/Antiquity, Kristel Zilmer/Antiquity
This article is an edited version of an article provided by Antiquity, entitled ‘ Piecing Together the Puzzle of the World’s Earliest Datable Rune Stone,’ which was published on Phys.org.
By Ancient Origins
Source: www.ancient-origins.net