Norway archaeologists find ‘world’s oldest runestone’

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Archaeologists in Norway stated Tuesday which have discovered a runestone which they declare is the world’s oldest, saying the inscriptions are as much as 2,000 years outdated and date again to the earliest days of the enigmatic historical past of runic writing.

The flat, sq. block of brownish sandstone has carved scribbles, which will be the earliest instance of phrases recorded in writing in Scandinavia, the Museum of Cultural Historical past in Oslo stated. It stated it was “among the many oldest runic inscriptions ever discovered” and “the oldest datable runestone on the planet.”

“This discover will give us a number of data about using runes within the early Iron Age. This can be one of many first makes an attempt to make use of runes in Norway and Scandinavia on stone,” Kristel Zilmer, a professor at College of Oslo, of which the museum is a component, advised The Related Press.

Older runes have been discovered on different objects, however not on stone. The earliest runic discover is on a bone comb present in Denmark. Zilmer stated that possibly the tip of knife or a needle was used to carve the runes.

The runestone was found within the fall of 2021 throughout an excavation of a grave close to Tyrifjord, west of Oslo, in a area identified for a number of monumental archaeological finds. Gadgets within the cremation pit — burnt bones and charcoal — point out that the runes probably have been inscribed between A.D. 1 and 250.

“We wanted time to research and date the runestone,” she stated to elucidate why the discovering was first introduced on Tuesday.

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Measuring 31 centimeters by 32 centimeters (12.2 inches by 12.6 inches), the stone has a number of forms of inscriptions and never all make linguistic sense. Eight runes on the entrance of the stone learn “idiberug” — which might be the title of a lady, a person or a household.

Zilmer known as the invention “probably the most sensational factor that I, as an educational, have had.”

There may be nonetheless a number of analysis to be carried out on the rock, dubbed the Svingerud stone after the positioning the place it was discovered.

“No doubt, we’ll receive useful data in regards to the early historical past of runic writing,” Zilmer stated.

The runestone will likely be exhibited for a month, beginning on Jan. 21, on the Museum of Cultural Historical past, which has Norway’s largest assortment of historic artifacts, from the Stone Age to fashionable instances.