Edinburgh's Runestone: Difference between revisions

Edinburgh's Runestone
Edinburgh's Runestone
	"Princes Street Gardens" runestone
Created	1010–1050
Discovered	Lilla Ramsjö, Morgongåva, Vittinge parish, Uppland, Sweden
Present location	50 George Square, Edinburgh, Scotland
Coordinates	55°56′38″N 3°11′12″W / 55.943863°N 3.186608°W
Rundata ID	U 1173
Runemaster	Erik (A)
Text – Native
	Old Norse: Ari ræisti stæin æftiR Hialm, faður sinn. Guð hialpi and hans.
Translation
	Ari raised the stone in memory of Hjalmr, his father. May God help his spirit.

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The Swedish Runestone, designated U 1173 in the Rundata catalogue, is an 11th-century^[1] Swedish Viking Age runestone which was located in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, below Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, within a fenced enclosure adjacent to Ramsay Garden.^[2] Due to security concerns it was removed from there on 19 December 2017 and in the Autumn of 2020 was re-located at 50 George Square, Edinburgh just outside the University of Edinburgh's Department of Scandinavian Studies.^[3]^[4]^[5]

On 22 March 2023 the runestone was officially unveiled,^[6] after delays due to restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of Coronovirus.^[4]

Originally from Lilla Ramsjö in present-day Morgongåva, Heby Municipality, it was donated to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 1787 by Sir Alexander Seton of Preston and Ekolsund (né Baron 1738–1814),^[7] and was presented to the Princes Street Proprietors by the Society in 1821.^[8] It is one of three Swedish runestones in Britain; the other two (U 104 & U 1160) are in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford in England.^[9]^[10]^[11]

Carving

The carving on the stone features a centrally located cross, encircled by a serpent. The runic inscription is carved within the serpent, whose head and tail are linked with the cross' shaft. There are 18 runestones in Sweden which bear similar features and are believed to have been carved by a runemaster called Erik.^[4]^[12]

There are two additional crosses carved into the runestone – one on the right-hand edge of the stone, and one at the front of the stone, above the inscription, on the right-hand side. They do not exhibit the same level of craftsmanship and are believed to have been added later, perhaps in the 19th century.^[13]^[12]

Inscription

Transliteration and transcription:

ari

Ari

+

rasti

reisti

+

stain

stein

+

aftir

eptir

+

(h)ialm

Hjalm,

+

faþur

fǫður

sin

sinn.

+

kuþ

Guð

+

hialbi

hjalpi

+

ant

ǫnd

hans

hans.

"Ari raised the stone in memory of Hjalmr, his father. May God help his spirit."^[14]

Replica Runestone in Morgongåva

In 2014 a replica of stone U 1173 was made in Sweden and placed where the original would have come from, at Morgongåva in Uppsala, by a group called Hebys "nya" runsten,^[15] led by project manager Mats Köben, an amateur archaeologist and enthusiast. This replica was carved by runemaster Kalle Dahlberg (Runistare)^[16] who visited Edinburgh in 2013 to measure the stone and record the design, before carving it from pink granite, sourced from Vätö Stenhuggeri at Adelsö Island.^[17]^[18]

References

^ Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk – Rundata entry for U 1173.
^ "Edinburgh, Princes Street Garden (Rune Inscribed Stone)". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.
^ "Edinburgh's forgotten Viking stone to get new home". The Scotsman. November 15, 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Runestone Project | Society of Antiquaries of Scotland". Retrieved 2019-03-21.
^ "» Ancient stone moves". ewh.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
^ "Runes, Runestones, and U1173 - 'The Edinburgh Runestone'". University of Edinburgh Research Explorer.
^ Gyllenhammar, Gyllenhammar (2015-07-03). "Alexander Seton (Baron)". GENi.
^ McNaughton, Adam (1980). "Edinburgh's Runestone" (PDF). Northern Studies: 29, 31.
^ Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk – Rundata entry for U 104.
^ Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk – Rundata entry for U 1160.
^ McNaughton, Adam (1980). "Edinburgh's Runestone" (PDF). Northern Studies: 29.
^ ^a ^b "Runestone U 1173 – a missing runestone recreated". www.runristare.se. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
^ "Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
^ "Runic Dictionary". skaldic.org.
^ "Hebys "nya" runsten". www.facebook.com.
^ "Log into Facebook". Facebook. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
^ Dahlberg, Kalle. "2014 Rune stone U 1173". Kalle Runristare.
^ Gilmour, Simon (2019-02-12). "Update on the Edinburgh Runestone". Scottish Society for Northern Studies.

External links

Canmore Entry
Information from the Samnordisk runtextdatabas, at Runinskrifter.net (in Swedish)
Complete information about the U 1173, rune carver Erik's other rune stones and the story of the work to create a copy
A short video documenting the removal of "Edinburgh's Travelling Runestone".

[Rundata-1] Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk – Rundata entry for U 1173.

[2] "Edinburgh, Princes Street Garden (Rune Inscribed Stone)". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

[3] "Edinburgh's forgotten Viking stone to get new home". The Scotsman. November 15, 2017.

[socantscot.org-4] "Runestone Project | Society of Antiquaries of Scotland". Retrieved 2019-03-21.

[5] "» Ancient stone moves". ewh.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-21.

[6] "Runes, Runestones, and U1173 - 'The Edinburgh Runestone'". University of Edinburgh Research Explorer.

[7] Gyllenhammar, Gyllenhammar (2015-07-03). "Alexander Seton (Baron)". GENi.

[8] McNaughton, Adam (1980). "Edinburgh's Runestone" (PDF). Northern Studies: 29, 31.

[9] Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk – Rundata entry for U 104.

[10] Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk – Rundata entry for U 1160.

[11] McNaughton, Adam (1980). "Edinburgh's Runestone" (PDF). Northern Studies: 29.

[auto-12] "Runestone U 1173 – a missing runestone recreated". www.runristare.se. Retrieved 2019-03-21.

[13] "Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-21.

[14] "Runic Dictionary". skaldic.org.

[15] "Hebys "nya" runsten". www.facebook.com.

[16] "Log into Facebook". Facebook. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)

[17] Dahlberg, Kalle. "2014 Rune stone U 1173". Kalle Runristare.

[18] Gilmour, Simon (2019-02-12). "Update on the Edinburgh Runestone". Scottish Society for Northern Studies.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Infobox artifact
-{{coord|55.948924|-3.19829|display=title}}
+| name              =
-{{Runefacts|name=Princes Street Gardens Runestone|
+| native_name       =
-rundataid=U 1173|
+| native_name_lang  =
-country=[[Sweden]]|
+| image             = "Princess Street Gardens" runestone in it's new location at 50 George Street, Edinburgh.jpg
-region=[[Uppland]]|
+| image_size        =
-city= Lilla Ramsjö, [[Vittinge]]|
+| alt               =
-produced= 1010–1050|
+| image_caption     = "Princes Street Gardens" runestone
-artist= Erik (A)|
+| material          =
-text_native=[[Old Norse language|Old Norse]]: Ari ræisti stæin æfti<small>R</small> Hialm, faður sinn. Guð hialpi and hans.|
+| size              =
-text_english= Ari raised the stone in memory of Hjalmr, his father. God help his soul.|
+| height            = <!-- {{convert|}} -->
-picture=[[Image:U 1173 Runestone Edinburgh.JPG|200px]]
+| width             = <!-- {{convert|}} -->
-|
+| weight            = <!-- {{convert|}} -->
-}}
+| long              = <!-- {{convert|}} -->
-The '''Swedish Runestone in Princes Street Gardens''', designated '''U 1173''' in the [[Rundata]] catalogue, is an 11th-century<ref name="Rundata"/> Swedish [[Viking Age]] [[runestone]] located in [[Princes Street Gardens]], [[Edinburgh]], below [[Edinburgh Castle]] Esplanade, set within a fenced enclosure adjacent to [[Ramsay Garden]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/52498/photographs/edinburgh+princes+street+gardens/|title = Edinburgh, Princes Street Garden (Rune  Inscribed Stone)|date = |accessdate = |website = Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland|publisher = |last = |first = }}</ref>
+| writing           =
+| symbols           =
+| created           = 1010–1050
+| discovered        = <!-- Deprecated; use the following, separate, parameters -->
+| discovered_place  = Lilla Ramsjö, [[Morgongåva]], Vittinge parish, [[Uppland]], Sweden
+| discovered_coords =
+| discovered_date   =
+| discovered_by     =
+| rune_id           = U 1173
+| rune_style        =
+| rune_master       = Erik (A)
+| rune_text_native  = [[Old Norse language|Old Norse]]: {{lang|non|Ari ræisti stæin æftiR Hialm, faður sinn. Guð hialpi and hans.}}
+| rune_text_english = Ari raised the stone in memory of Hjalmr, his father. May God help his spirit.
+| location          = 50 [[George Square, Edinburgh]], [[Scotland]]
+| coordinates       = {{coord|55.943863|-3.186608|display=inline,title}}
+| classification    =
+| culture           =
+| id                =
+| map               =
+| website           =
+}}The '''Swedish Runestone''', designated '''U 1173''' in the [[Rundata]] catalogue, is an 11th-century<ref name="Rundata">[http://www.nordiska.uu.se/forskn/samnord.htm Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk] – [[Rundata]] entry for U 1173.</ref> Swedish [[Viking Age]] [[runestone]] which was located in [[Princes Street Gardens]], [[Edinburgh]], below [[Edinburgh Castle]] Esplanade, within a fenced enclosure adjacent to [[Ramsay Garden]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/52498/photographs/edinburgh+princes+street+gardens/|title = Edinburgh, Princes Street Garden (Rune Inscribed Stone)|website = Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland}}</ref> Due to security concerns it was removed from there on 19 December 2017 and in the Autumn of 2020 was re-located at 50 [[George Square, Edinburgh]] just outside the [[University of Edinburgh]]'s Department of Scandinavian Studies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/edinburghs-forgotten-viking-stone-get-new-home-596488|title=Edinburgh's forgotten Viking stone to get new home|date=November 15, 2017|website=The Scotsman}}</ref><ref name="socantscot.org">{{Cite web |title=Runestone Project {{!}} Society of Antiquaries of Scotland |url=https://www.socantscot.org/research-project/runestone-project-2017-18/ |access-date=2019-03-21 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ewh.org.uk/ancient-stone-moves/|title=» Ancient stone moves|website=ewh.org.uk|access-date=2019-03-21}}</ref>
+On 22 March 2023 the runestone was officially unveiled,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/activities/runes-runestones-and-u1173-the-edinburgh-runestone|title=Runes, Runestones, and U1173 - 'The Edinburgh Runestone'|website=University of Edinburgh Research Explorer}}</ref> after delays due to restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of [[COVID-19 pandemic|Coronovirus.]]<ref name="socantscot.org" />
-Originally from Lilla Ramsjö, [[Vittinge]], it was donated to the [[Society of Antiquaries of Scotland]] in 1787 by Sir Alexander Seton of Preston and Ekolsund (1738 - 1814),<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www2.thesetonfamily.com/directory/Descents/abercorn_line_descent.htm|title = The Setons of Abercorn Descent|date = |accessdate = |website = The Seton Family|publisher = |last = |first = }}</ref> and was presented to the Princes Street Proprietors by the Society in 1821.<ref>{{Cite journal|url = http://ssns.org.uk/resources/Documents/NorthernStudies/Vol15/McNaughton_1980_Vol_15_pp_29_33.pdf|title = Edinburgh's Runestone|last = McNaughton|first = Adam|date = 1980|journal = Northern Studies|doi = |pmid = |access-date = |pages = 29, 31}}</ref> It is one of three Swedish runestones in Britain; the other two ([[Greece runestones#U 104|U 104]] & U 1160) are in the [[Ashmolean Museum]], [[Oxford]] in England.<ref>[http://www.nordiska.uu.se/forskn/samnord.htm Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk] - [[Rundata]] entry for U 104.</ref><ref>[http://www.nordiska.uu.se/forskn/samnord.htm Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk] - [[Rundata]] entry for U 1160.</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url = http://ssns.org.uk/resources/Documents/NorthernStudies/Vol15/McNaughton_1980_Vol_15_pp_29_33.pdf|title = Edinburgh's Runestone|last = McNaughton|first = Adam|date = 1980|journal = Northern Studies|doi = |pmid = |access-date = |page = 29}}</ref>
+Originally from Lilla Ramsjö in present-day [[Morgongåva]], [[Heby Municipality]], it was donated to the [[Society of Antiquaries of Scotland]] in 1787 by Sir Alexander Seton of Preston and [[Ekolsund Castle|Ekolsund]] (né Baron 1738–1814),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gyllenhammar |first=Gyllenhammar |date=2015-07-03 |title=Alexander Seton (Baron) |url=https://www.geni.com/people/Alexander-Seton/6000000017553438216 |website=GENi}}</ref> and was presented to the Princes Street Proprietors by the Society in 1821.<ref>{{Cite journal|url = http://ssns.org.uk/resources/Documents/NorthernStudies/Vol15/McNaughton_1980_Vol_15_pp_29_33.pdf|title = Edinburgh's Runestone|last = McNaughton|first = Adam|date = 1980|journal = Northern Studies|pages = 29, 31}}</ref> It is one of three Swedish runestones in Britain; the other two ([[Greece runestones#U 104|U 104]] & U 1160) are in the [[Ashmolean Museum]], [[Oxford]] in England.<ref>[http://www.nordiska.uu.se/forskn/samnord.htm Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk] – [[Rundata]] entry for U 104.</ref><ref>[http://www.nordiska.uu.se/forskn/samnord.htm Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk] – [[Rundata]] entry for U 1160.</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url = http://ssns.org.uk/resources/Documents/NorthernStudies/Vol15/McNaughton_1980_Vol_15_pp_29_33.pdf|title = Edinburgh's Runestone|last = McNaughton|first = Adam|date = 1980|journal = Northern Studies|page = 29}}</ref>
-==Inscription==
+== Carving ==
-Transliteration into Latin characters: ''ari rasti stain aftir (h)ialm faþur sin kuþ hialbi ant hans''.<ref name="Rundata">[http://www.nordiska.uu.se/forskn/samnord.htm Project Samnordisk Runtextdatabas Svensk] - [[Rundata]] entry for U 1173.</ref>
+[[File:Swedish Runestone U 1173 being removed from Princes Street Gardens Edinburgh.jpg|thumb|209x209px]]
+The carving on the stone features a centrally located cross, encircled by a serpent. The runic inscription is carved within the serpent, whose head and tail are linked with the cross' shaft. There are 18 runestones in [[Sweden]] which bear similar features and are believed to have been carved by a [[runemaster]] called Erik.<ref name="socantscot.org"/><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.runristare.se/galleri/2014-u1173/en/index.html|title=Runestone U 1173 – a missing runestone recreated|website=www.runristare.se|access-date=2019-03-21}}</ref>
+There are two additional crosses carved into the runestone – one on the right-hand edge of the stone, and one at the front of the stone, above the inscription, on the right-hand side. They do not exhibit the same level of craftsmanship and are believed to have been added later, perhaps in the 19th century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/52498/edinburgh-princes-street-gardens|title=Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens {{!}} Canmore|website=canmore.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-03-21}}</ref><ref name="auto"/>
-Transcription into Old Norse: ''Ari ræisti stæin æftir Hialm, faður sinn. Guð hialpi and hans.''<ref name="Rundata"/>
+===Inscription===
-Translation into English: "Ari raised the stone in memory of Hjalmr, his father. May God help his spirit."<ref name="Rundata"/>
+[[runic transliteration and transcription|Transliteration and transcription]]:
+{{fs interlinear |indent=2 |spacing=0.5 |class1=bold
-==References==
+|ari + rasti + stain + aftir + (h)ialm + faþur sin + kuþ + hialbi + ant hans
+|Ari {} reisti {} stein {} eptir {} Hjalm, {} fǫður sinn. {} Guð {} hjalpi {} ǫnd hans.
+|"Ari raised the stone in memory of Hjalmr, his father. May God help his spirit."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://skaldic.org/db.php?table=mss&id=17983&if=runic|title=Runic Dictionary|website=skaldic.org}}</ref>
+}}
+== Replica Runestone in Morgongåva ==
+In 2014 a replica of stone U 1173 was made in [[Sweden]] and placed where the original would have come from, at [[Morgongåva]] in [[Uppsala]], by a group called Hebys "nya" runsten,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/people/Hebys-nya-runsten/100078251111687/|title=Hebys "nya" runsten|website=www.facebook.com}}</ref> led by project manager Mats Köben, an amateur archaeologist and enthusiast. This replica was carved by [[runemaster]] Kalle Dahlberg (Runistare)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Frp.liu233w.com%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkallerunristare|title=Log into Facebook|website=Facebook}}</ref> who visited [[Edinburgh]] in 2013 to measure the stone and record the design, before carving it from pink granite, sourced from Vätö Stenhuggeri at Adelsö Island.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dahlberg |first=Kalle |title=2014 Rune stone U 1173 |url=https://runristare.se/galleri/2014-u1173/en/index.html |website=Kalle Runristare}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilmour |first=Simon |date=2019-02-12 |title=Update on the Edinburgh Runestone |url=https://www.ssns.org.uk/news/update-on-the-edinburgh-runestone/ |website=Scottish Society for Northern Studies}}</ref>
+== See also ==
+* [[List of runestones]]
+== References ==
 {{reflist}}
 ==Further reading==
 *[http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/arch_scot_vol_002/02_490_501.pdf Anon (J. Dillon & J. Jamieson) (1822) 'Account of a stone with a runic inscription, presented to the Society by the late Sir Alexander Seton of Preston, and of some other inscriptions of the same kind in the Isle of Man', ''Archaeologia Scotica'', 2.2, pp. 490–501]
-*[http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_134/134_201_239.pdf Graham-Campbell, James (2004) ''''Danes''...in this Country': discovering Vikings in Scotland', ''Proc Soc Antiq Scot'', 134, pp. 201-239]
+*[http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_134/134_201_239.pdf Graham-Campbell, James (2004) ''''Danes''...in this Country': discovering Vikings in Scotland', ''Proc Soc Antiq Scot'', 134, pp. 201–239]
-*[http://ssns.org.uk/resources/Documents/NorthernStudies/Vol15/McNaughton_1980_Vol_15_pp_29_33.pdf McNaughton, Adam (1980) 'Edinburgh's Runestone', ''Northern Studies'', 15, pp. 29-33]
+*[https://www.ssns.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/McNaughton_1980_Vol_15_pp_29_33.pdf McNaughton, Adam (1980) 'Edinburgh's Runestone', ''Northern Studies'', 15, pp. 29–33]
-*[http://www.raa.se/runinskrifter/sri_uppland_b09_h03_text_2.pdf#page=22 ''Sveriges Runinskrifter'', (1953-1958), ix, pp. 653-656]
+*[http://www.raa.se/runinskrifter/sri_uppland_b09_h03_text_2.pdf#page=22 ''Sveriges Runinskrifter'', (1953–1958), ix, pp. 653–656]
 ==External links==
 *[http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/52498/details/edinburgh+princes+street+gardens/ Canmore Entry]
 *[http://www.runinskrifter.net/signum/U/1173 Information from the Samnordisk runtextdatabas, at Runinskrifter.net (in Swedish)]
+*[http://www.runristare.se/galleri/2014-u1173/en/index.html Complete information about the U 1173], rune carver Erik's other rune stones and the story of the work to create a copy
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA9iGknZcOU A short video documenting the removal of "Edinburgh's Travelling Runestone"].
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Edinburgh's Runestone}}
-[[Category:Scottish culture]]
-[[Category:Scandinavian archaeology]]
+[[Category:Culture of Scotland]]
+[[Category:Archaeology of Northern Europe]]
 [[Category:Runestones]]
 [[Category:Runestones in Uppland|1173]]
+[[Category:Sweden–United Kingdom relations]]
-[http://www.runristare.se/galleri/2014-u1173/en/index.html Complete information about the U 1173], rune carver Erik's other rune stones and the story of the work to create a copy
-{{Scotland-struct-stub}}
-{{Archaeology-stub}}