Oslo professor finds world’s oldest runestone in Norway, 2,000 years old


Norwegian archaeologists said Tuesday they had found a runestone they claim is the world’s oldest, saying the inscriptions are up to 2,000 years old and date back to the earliest days of the mysterious history of runic writing. .

The flat, square block of brownish sandstone is engraved with scribbles, which may be the earliest example of words recorded in Scandinavian writing, the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo said. It says it is “among the oldest runic inscriptions ever found” and “the oldest datable runestone in the world.”

“This find will give us a lot of knowledge about the use of runes in the early Iron Age. This may be one of the first attempts to use runes in Norway and Scandinavia on stone,” Kristel Zilmer, a professor at the University of Oslo, of which the museum is a part, told The Associated Press.

Ancient runes were found on other objects, but not on stone. The earliest runic was found on a bone comb found in Denmark. Zilmer said that perhaps the tip of a knife or needle was used to carve the runes.

The runestone was discovered in the fall of 2021 during an excavation of a tomb near Tyrifjord, west of Oslo, in a region known for its many monumental archaeological finds. The objects in the cremation pit – charred bones and charcoal – indicate that the runes were probably written between AD 1 and 250.

“We need time to analyze and date the runestone,” he said to explain why the find was first announced on Tuesday.

Measuring 31 centimeters by 32 centimeters (12.2 inches by 12.6 inches), the stone has many types of inscriptions and not all of them make linguistic sense. Eight runes on the front of the stone read “idiberug” — which could be the name of a woman, man or family.

Zilmer called the discovery “The most amazing thing I’ve ever had, as an academic.”

There is more research to be done on the stone, which is called the Svingerud stone after the place where it was found.

“Undoubtedly, we will gain valuable knowledge about the early history of runic writing,” said Zilmer.

The runestone will be on display for a month, starting January 21, at the Museum of Cultural History, which has Norway’s largest collection of historical artifacts, from the Stone Age to the modern era.

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