Viking Rune Stones

3D Image

The rune stones of the Viking period were erected in memory of the dead – mostly powerful people – and their honourable deeds. They were intended to be visible and were painted in bright colours. The stones often stood near roads or bridges, where many people passed by. They were not necessarily placed at the burial of the person they commemorated. The rune stones bring us very close to the Vikings. Their inscriptions feature the names of the people who lived and died at this time. They also provide information about the travels, great achievements and sad fates of these individuals. Rune stones are by and large only found in Scandinavia. Around 250 rune stones are known from Viking Age Denmark. Most of the Scandinavian examples are from Sweden, where there are over 3,000 inscriptions. These models represent a part of the rune stone collection exhibited in the rune hall of the National Museum of Denmark.