Varangian Biker

Varpsund, Uppland, Sweden

Standing three meters tall on top of a small hill next to the road on a peninsula, this runestone would have been visible by anyone travelling by land or water.

The runestone was raised in memory of the same man as on U 644 which stands a few kilometers to the south. It is believed to have been carved by Alrik, although the last rune of the carver’s name has disapeeared.

Inscription

ᛅ--ᛁᛏᚱ ᛬ ᛅᚢᚴ ᛫ ᚴᛁᛏᛁ ᛬ ᛅᚢᚴ ᛬ -ᛚᛁᛋᛁ ᛬ ᛅᚢᚴ ᛫ ᛏᛁᛅᚱᚠᚱ ᛬ ᚱᛁᛋᛏᚢ ᛬ ᛋᛏᛅᛁᚾ ᛬ ᚦᚨᚾᛅ ᛬ ᛅᚠᛏᛁᚱ ᛬ ᚴᚢᚾᛚᛅᛁᚠ ᛬ ᚠᚮᚦᚢᚱ ᛋᛁᚾ ᛁᛋ ᚢᛅᛋ ᚾᚢᛋᛏᚱ ᛫ ᛘᛁᚦ ᛁᚴᚢᛅᚱᛁ ᛬ ᛏᚱᛁᛒᛁᚾ ᚴᚢᚦ ᛬ ᚼᛁᛅᛚᛒᛁ ᛬ ᚮᛏ ᚦᛅᛁᚱᛅ ᛅᛚ-ᛁᚴᚱᛚ ᛚᚱᛅᛁᛋᛏᛁᚴ ᛫ ᚱᚢᚾᛅᚱ ᛁᛋ ᚴᚢᚾᛁ ᛭ ᚢᛅᛚ ᛫ ᚴᚾᛅᚱᛁ ᛋᛏᚢᚱᛅ

Latin transliteration

+ a--itr : auk · ka(r) auk : kiti : auk : -[l]isi : auk · tiarfr : ris[t]u : stain : þena : aftir : kunlaif : foþur sin ¶ is u[a]s nus(t)(r) · m[i](þ) ikuari : tribin kuþ : hialbi : o(t) þaira ¶ al-ikr| |raistik · runar ¶ is kuni + ual · knari stura

Old norse transcription

A[ndv]éttr ok Kárr ok <kiti> ok [B]lesi ok Djarfr reistu stein þenna eptir Gunnleif, fǫður sinn. Er var austr með Ingvari drepinn. Guð hjalpi ǫnd þeira. Al[r]íkr(?) reist-ek rúnar. Er kunni vel knerri stýra.

Translation

“Andvätt and Kår and kiti and Bläse and Djärv raised this stone in memory of Gunnlev, their father, who was killed in the east with Ingvar. May God help their spirits. I, Alrik, carved the runes. He could steer a ship well.”

Location

Photos

References

• Scandinavian Runic-text Database latest, “Runic inscription U 654 ”, Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University.