The Rök runestone inscription is not connected to heroic deeds in war. Instead it deals with the conflict between light and darkness, warmth and cold, life and death.
This radically new interpretation of the world’s most famous Viking Age runic monument is suggested by Per Holmberg, Bo Gräslund, Olof Sundqvist and Henrik Williams in their article The Rök Runestone and the End of the World in the current issue of Futhark. The Rök study was pre-published on 7 Januari 2020. The rest of the current issue of Futhark: International Journal of Runic Studies (vol. 9–10) will be released around 15 January.
→ Read the article (DOI: 10.33063/diva-401040)
On this page, we offer some additional resources to the new interpretation.
- Runic Swedish normalisation/pronunciation
- Henrik Williams’ recording of the inscription
- English translation with textual parallels
- Swedish translation with textual parallels
Runic Swedish normalisation/pronunciation
Aft Wāmōð stãnda rūnaʀ þāʀ. Æn Warinn fāði, faðiʀ, aft faigiãn sunu.
Sagum Ygg minni þat, hwæriaʀ walrauƀaʀ wāʀin twāʀ þāʀ, swāð twalf sinnum wāʀin numnaʀ at walrauƀu, bāðaʀ sãmãn ā̃ ȳmissum mãnnum?
Þat sagum ãnnart, hwā’ʀ fur nīu aldum ā̃n urði fiaru meʀ hraiðgutum, auk dø̄miʀ æ̃nn umb sakaʀ?
Raið iau, rinkʀ hinn þurmōði, stilliʀ flutna, strãndu Hraiðmaraʀ. Sitiʀ nū garuʀ ā̃ guta sīnum, skialdi umb fatlaðʀ, skati mǣringa.
Sagum Ygg minni þat, hwā’ʀ ī gyldinga wāʀi guldin at kwā̃naʀ hūsli?
Þat sagum twalfta, hwar hæstʀ sē gunnaʀ etu, wēttwãngi ā̃, kunungaʀ twaiʀ tigiʀ swāð ā̃ liggia?
Þat sagum þrēttāunda, hwæriʀ twaiʀ tigiʀ kunungaʀ sātin at Sīulundi fiagura winddura at fiagurum nampnum, burniʀ fiagurum brø̄ðrum? Walkaʀ fim, Rāðulfs syniʀ, Hraiðulfaʀ fim, Rōgulfs syniʀ, Hā̃īslaʀ fim, Haruðs syniʀ, Gunnmundaʀ fim, Bernaʀ syniʀ.
En Ygg m[inni] …
Sagum Ygg minni: þor!
Siƀi wīawæri?
Ōlni rȳðʀ?
Sagum Ygg minni,
Waim sē burinn niðʀ, dræ̃ngi! Willi nē’s þat. Knūã knātti iatun? Willi nē’s þat.
Nit!
Henrik Williams’ recording of the inscription
Reading: Henrik Williams (CC BY, via Wikimedia commons)
English translation with textual parallels
| English translation of the Rök stone text | The answer to the nine riddles with textual parallels on Old Norse or Anglo-Saxon poetry |
|---|---|
| After Vamoth stand these runes. And Varin, the father, made them after the death-doomed son. | |
| Let us say this as a memory for Odin, which spoils of war there were two, which twelve times were taken as spoils of war, both from one to another? | Answer: The sun and the moon Riddle 29 in the Exeter book: The monthly battle between the sun and the moon over the lunar light |
| This let us say as second, who nine generations ago lost their life in the east but still decides the matter? Ride the horse did the bold champion, chief of men, over the eastern horizon. Now he sits armed on his horse, his shield strapped, foremost of the famous. | Answer: The sun Vafthruthnismal 46–47: The wolf kills the sun after it has given birth to a new sun Vafthruthnismal 11–12: The rise of the sun is a ride Grimnismal 38: The sun has a shield |
| Let us say this as a memory for Odin, who because of a wolf has suffered through a woman’s sacrifice? | Answer: The sun Vafthruthnismal 46-47: The wolf kills the sun |
| This let us say as twelfth, where the wolf sees food on the battlefield, where twenty kings lie? | Answer: On the battlefield of Ragnarok Vafthruthnismal 17–18: The last struggle on the battlefield |
| This let us say as thirteenth, which twenty kings were on the vast battlefield, of four names, born of four brothers? Five Valkis, sons of Rathulf, five Hraithulfs, sons of Rogulf, five Haisls, sons of Haruth, five Gunnmunds, sons of Bern. And for Odin a memory . . . (partially unreadable) | Answer: The warriors of Odin Vafthruthnismal 40-41: The warriors of Odin practice for Ragnarok Grimnismal 23: The warriors of Odin meet the wolf Eiriksmal 7–9: Five kings accompany King Eirik to the battle against the wolf |
| Let us say a memory for Odin, dare! [Who is] a protector of sanctuaries for a brother? | Answer: The sun Vafthruthnismal 22–23: The brother of the sun is the moon Lausavísa by Skúli Þorsteinsson: At the setting of the sun it retires to its sanctuary |
| [Whom] does the wolf redden with blood? | Answer: The sun Vafthruthnismal 46–47: The wolf kills the sun Voluspá 41: The wolf reddens the abodes of the gods with blood |
| Let us say a memory for Odin to the young man, to whom is born an offspring? It is not a lie. | Answer: Odin Voluspá 55: Odin’s son Vithar |
| [Who] could beat a giant? It is not a lie. | Answer: Vithar Vafthruthnismal 52–53: Vithar kills the wolf Voluspá 55: Vithar kills the wolf |
| Clash! |
Swedish translation with textual parallels
| Svensk översättning av Rökstenens text | De nio gåtornas svar med textparalleller i fornnordiska eller anglo-saxiska dikter |
|---|---|
| Till minne av Våmod står dessa runor, och fadern Varin skrev dem till minne av den dödsmärkte sonen. | |
| Låt oss säga detta som ett minne för Oden, vilka krigsbyten som tolv gånger båda tillsammans togs som krigsbyte mellan den ena och den andra? | Svar: Solen och månen Gåta 29 i Exeterboken: Den månatliga striden mellan solen och månen om månens ljus. |
| Låt oss för det andra säga detta, vem som för nio generationer sedan förlorade livet österut men ändå härskar? Den djärve krigaren, männens hövding, red på hästen över horisonten i öster. Sitter nu, den främsta av de berömda, rustad på sin häst med skölden beredd. | Svar: Solen Vaftrudnesmål 46-47: Vargen dödar solen som dock först fött en ny sol Vaftrudnesmål 11–12: Soluppgången är en ritt Grimnesmål 38: Solen har en sköld |
| Låt oss säga detta som ett minne för Oden, vem som på grund av en varg fick sota för en kvinnas offer? | Svar: Solen Vaftrudnesmål 46-47: Vargen dödar solen |
| Låt oss för det tolfte säga, var vargen ser mat på slagfältet där tjugo kungar ligger? | Svar: På Ragnaröks slagfält Vaftrudnesmål 17-18: Den sista striden på slagfältet |
| Låt oss för det trettonde säga, vilka tjugo kungar med fyra namn, söner till fyra bröder, som var på det vidsträckta slagfältet? Fem med namn Valke söner till Rådulv, fem med namn Redulv söner till Rogulv, fem med namn Håïsl söner till Hård, fem med namn Gunmund söner Björn. Och för Oden ett minne … (delvis oläsligt) | Svar: Odens krigare Vaftrudnesmål 40-41: Odens krigare övar inför Ragnarök Grimnesmål 23: Odens krigare möter vargen Eriksmål 8–9: Fem kungar gör kung Erik sällskap för att delta i striden mot vargen. |
| Låt oss säga ett minne för Oden! Törs! (Vem är) beskyddare av heliga platser för en broder? | Svar: Solen Vaftrudnesmål 22-23: Solens bror är månen Lausavísa av Skúli Þorsteinsson: Solen går vid solnedgången till sin heliga plats |
| (Vem är det) vargen rödfärgar med blod? | Svar: Solen Vaftrudnesmål 46-47: Vargen dödar solen Völvans spådom 41: Vargen blodar ner gudarnas boningar |
| Låt oss säga den unge mannen som ett minne för Oden, till vem har det fötts en avkomling? Det är ingen lögn. | Svar: Oden Völvans spådom 55: Odens son Vidar |
| (Vem) kunde besegra ett monster? Det är ingen lögn. | Svar: Vidar Vaftrudnesmål 52-53: Vidar dödar vargen Völvans spådom 55: Vidar dödar vargen |
| Kamp! |
A very wonderful accomplishment, I would love to see this Rune stone in person.
Just go and see it. It’s outside the church in Rök, free without any restrictions. 24/7/365
Fascinating and impeccable research
Bluot tsu bluot!
Reading way too much into this. Not about the climate.
Well, of course, yes, the interpretation makes perfect sense! People, who live in the far north are more fearful of severe Winter. Its brutal. I love the riddles and imagery. The Solar Cycle is everything to People of the North. Since, all my ancestors were people of the North Sea, and since I lived in Alaska, i intuitively feel, that this translation is correct.
Hmm, I did NOT see any reference to the climate there. In which of the verses is it supposed to be..? (Honest question)