Rune Stones: Exploring the Diverse Roles of Ancient Inscriptions

Rune stones served various functions, with commemoration being a primary purpose, especially during the late Viking Age (late 10th and 11th centuries). Inscriptions frequently mention individuals erecting stones to honor deceased relatives. Functioning as verbal, visual, and material mediums, rune stones connected to different environments and contexts, serving multiple purposes. A purely functional interpretation is inadequate, particularly for earlier examples. These stones, though few in number, differ in material, size, shape, and epigraphic characteristics. Their meanings, functions, and contexts remain subjects of debate. A 'rune stone' is defined as encompassing both its physical and epigraphic aspects, emphasizing the use of runes on stone and considering individual epigraphic variations. These variations are crucial for understanding fragmented rune stones as parts of a larger monument, uniting multiple events and inscriptions. In Norway and Sweden, around 50 stones with older futhark inscriptions are dated between the 1st and mid- to late 6th centuries AD. The practice of inscribing stones likely began in the 4th or 5th centuries AD, coinciding with Norway's earliest examples, although some may date back to the 2nd or 3rd centuries. Dating inscriptions involves runological, stylistic-typological, historical, and archaeological methods. Runological criteria involve analyzing changes in rune forms, sound shifts, and linguistic features. Stylistic-typological approaches outline relative chronologies of ornamentation styles and object types. Archaeological methods (stratigraphy, dendrochronology, radiocarbon dating) and historical identifications in texts can provide absolute or relative dating. However, rune stones are rarely found in datable contexts, making age determination difficult. Recent discoveries may offer new insights into these ancient artifacts.