Subscribe to CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter for the latest news on exciting discoveries and scientific advancements. A groundbreaking find in 2023 has brought to light the world’s oldest dated rune stone, an integral part of a nearly 2,000-year-old slab as revealed by new research in Norway. Scientists are now diligently piecing together this ancient puzzle, offering insights into the enigmatic runic script’s creators and meanings.
Runes, the primitive building blocks of Germanic writing from the early centuries AD, persisted in Scandinavia until the late Middle Ages, according to the University of Oslo’s Museum of Cultural History. While believed to have been inspired by the Roman alphabet, the exact origins and usage of runes have long remained shrouded in mystery.
Numerous rune-carved stones discovered throughout Scandinavia showcase captivating messages, from tales of powerful Viking queens to warnings of environmental changes based on historical events. However, such findings mainly hail from the Viking era (AD 800-1050), with few examples of earlier runes existing.
In 2021, archaeologists stumbled upon the oldest known rune stone during an excavation of an ancient burial site in eastern Norway. The stone was adorned with traces of runes, and as further exploration ensued, additional sandstone fragments bearing similar inscriptions were uncovered in nearby graves. Remarkably, these fragments fit together, forming a single stone with interconnected runic script.
Recent research, detailed in the February 3 issue of Antiquity journal, suggests that the stone was deliberately fragmented and its pieces dispersed among subsequent burials. Over time, the stone transitioned from a memorial to a marker of significant events. The fragments, including the initial 2021 discovery, were buried alongside cremated human remains, confirming them as the oldest documented rune stone fragments, dated between 50 BC and AD 275.
Dr. Kristel Zilmer, a runology professor at the University of Oslo’s Museum of Cultural History and a coauthor of the study, emphasized the significance of this discovery in shedding light on the early use of runic writing on stone. The runes on these fragments, with their unique mix of inscriptions and markings, offer a rare glimpse into the past and pose new challenges in translation and understanding the identity of the carvers.
Deciphering the elusive messages hidden within these ancient runes continues to captivate archaeologists, providing fresh insights into the evolution and adaptation of runic script over time.
One comb, an iron knife, and rune stones with diverse uses were found in the archaeological site. Deciphering the runic inscriptions proved challenging due to the evolution of the Germanic languages they represented over time.
According to Zilmer, rune stones likely held both ceremonial and practical significance. Initial findings at the Svingerud grave field in Norway’s Hole municipality revealed a commemorative purpose behind the single raised stone, complemented by subsequent use in a separate burial, indicating pragmatic and symbolic meanings.
The excavation at the Svingerud site was part of rescue operations preceding the construction of a highway and railroad. Dr. Steinar Solheim, the lead author of the study and associate professor of archaeology at the University of Oslo’s Museum of Cultural History, led the research team.
The inscriptions on the stones from the Hole site intrigued researchers with their mix of intentional writing, attempts at writing, and ornamental motifs. While some inscriptions hint at early rune variants, determining the timeline of these markings remains a challenge.
The Hole 2 stone bears the enigmatic name Idiberug, possibly representing a person’s name. The clearest inscription, found on the Hole 3 stone, seems to be the rune inscriber’s signature, denoting the act of writing runes.
Zilmer noted that the inscription on the Hole 3 stone could suggest a female rune-carver, indicated by the feminine ending -u in runic script. The researchers are cautious about linking this potential female inscriber with the name Idiberug, as their investigation is ongoing.
The team continues to study numerous small fragments discovered in 2023, piecing together the puzzle of these ancient inscriptions. Dr. Lisbeth Imer from the National Museum of Denmark anticipates that these stones will challenge conventional understandings of rune stones as memorials, emphasizing the need to preserve names from fading into obscurity.
Challenges to the conventional perception of a rune stone have emerged due to the discovery and subsequent destruction of inscriptions on the stone at the Svingerud site. Imer, in an email, proposed reconsidering the stone’s identity in light of its complex history, suggesting that it holds untapped mysteries waiting to be unraveled.
Archaeologists at the site uncovered not only the initially known three grave mounds but also a fourth mound containing cremations and flat graves during recent excavations. Beginning with the excavation of cremation pits dating back to the late Bronze Age to the Roman Iron Age, the team unearthed the remains of an adult, along with charcoal, grave goods, and a reddish-brown stone slab inscribed with runes beneath a newer burial mound.
The discovery of the stone fragment known as Hole 2, bearing runic inscriptions possibly indicating a female name, marked a significant find in 2021. Further excavations in 2022 revealed pottery, brooches, belts, needles, and bone comb fragments, along with sandstone fragments bearing inscriptions. Notably, Hole 3 displayed clear runes and lines, serving as key pieces that, when connected, shed light on the stone’s original purpose to mark a single grave, later repurposed for subsequent burials.
Analyzing the stone fragments, researchers deduced that the separate graves within the site may share a deeper connection that eludes current understanding. Imer emphasized the importance of the stone pieces found within the grave field, offering the opportunity for radiocarbon dating to uncover their origins and significance.
Referencing a 2011 study, Imer pointed out that the earliest rune stones likely originated during the Late Roman Period in Norway, supported by stylistic and linguistic evidence. The successful carbon-14 dating of the Svingerud stone, ranging from 50 BC to 275 AD, aligns with the timeline of early runic inscriptions found on various artifacts, such as brooches and personal items.
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