Runestone from Sparlösa
Coordinates: 58 ° 20 ′ 52.4 " N , 12 ° 50 ′ 22.7" E
The rune stone from Sparlösa in Västergötland in Sweden , first mentioned in 1669, has the abnormal shape of a 1.77 m high pillar made of gneiss with an approximately square cross-section (69 cm). It bears runes or pictorial representations on all sides (also above) . The rune stone is in the cemetery of the church of Salem (formerly called Sparlöse kyrka) in the municipality of Vara . The inscription, which can be dated to about AD 800, is made with umordian and short-branch runes.
The text is difficult to read. It is believed that the stone was placed in memory of an Öjuls, a son of Erik who may have settled in Uppsala . It reports on family relationships, gifts and counter-gifts. The text ends with: "And there interpret the runes that come from the gods that Alrik carved ...".
The texts are followed by figures that are partly carved and partly bas-relief , which represent a special feature among Swedish rune stones. Otherwise, there are no bas-reliefs on Swedish rune stones. On one of the text pages, at the bottom, an adorant-like figure can be seen, on the other a long-necked bird surrounded by a snake and a kind of bird of prey with a large head seen en face, which is designed as a bas-relief in the younger Oseberg style.
The side of the picture is occupied by various figures arranged one above the other:
- a carved house gable, which reproduces a building in bar construction with inwardly sloping walls, with a semicircular roof and a round doorway. Parallels can be found on birch coins and Gotland picture stones , where they are regarded as depictions of Valhalla .
Follow below:
- two naturalistic looking birds,
- a sailing ship with a swinging stem, rudder, mast with weather vane and rectangular sail,
- a dog-like and a lion-like animal, designed as a bas-relief,
- a rider with a helmet and a raised sword who rides like a triumphant.
The gaps are partially filled with leaf-like ornaments.
The long-necked bird figure is reminiscent of depictions of birds in early Viking Age art, the bird of prey image, the lion and the details of the plant ornaments show connections to Western European depictions around the same time. It cannot be decided whether the creator of the relief figures was a local artist.
On one of the edges there is an incision (type 11th century) that is 250 years younger: “Gisle made this memorial for Gunnar, his brother.” This memorial was probably a dead burial mound.
Nearby is the rune stone at Synnerby kyrka .
literature
- Thomas Birkmann : Savings money. In: Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde (RGA). 2nd Edition. Volume 29, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2005, ISBN 3-11-018360-9 , pp. 322–326.
- Otto von Friesen: Sparlösastenen. Runstenen vid Salems kyrka, Sparlösa socken, Västergötland 1940.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Alrik Lumber is a little known rune master
- ↑ Peter Paulsen: Dragon Fighters, Lion Knights and the Henry Legend: A study of the church door of Valthjofsstad on Iceland, pages 34, 49 and 156
Web links
- Runestone from Sparlösa - entry in the database "Fornsök" des Riksantikvarieämbetet (Swedish)
- Pictures Swedish rune stones - No. 122 is Sparlösa Rune Stone
- Description Swedish and pictures
- The rune stone from Sparlösa on Grosssteingraeber.de