Translation from Swedish by Peter Foote. Photo by Bengt A. Lundberg.
Original title: "Runinskrifter i Sverige", AWE/Gebers 1963.
In all about 3500 runic inscriptions are known from Swedish territory. Because of this unique wealth of material, they make an important contribution to our knowledge of early culture and society in Sweden. They are our oldest linguistic monuments and they provide much contemporary information of inestimable value. The inscriptions often permit us to draw significant conclusions relating to general cultural history.
This book presents a survey of the Swedish runic material, both in words and pictures. All photos were taken by Bengt A. Lundberg, photographer at The Central Board of National Antiquities and The Historical Museum, Stockholm. The text was translated into English by Professor Peter Foote of University College London.
A concise bibliography of the academic literature is given at the end of the book. It does not pretend to be comprehensive but the titles included will guide the interested reader to earlier works on subjects considered only in the most summary fashion in the following chapters.
Author(s): Sven B. F. Jansson
Publisher: Gidlunds
Year: 1987
Language: English
Pages: 188
City: Stockholm
FOREWORD 7
THE OLDEST RUNIC INSCRIPTIONS 9
THE 16-RUNE FUTHARK 25
RUNIC INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE VIKING AGE 31
Viking expeditions in the light of runic inscriptions 38
On the eastern route 38
On the western route 74
The homeland in the light of runic inscriptions 91
Peaceful occupations 106
The conversion 112
Rune stones at assembly places 120
The good man 126
POETRY IN RUNES 131
PICTURES ON RUNE STONES 144
Colour 153
RUNES FROM MEDIEVAL AND LATER TIMES 162
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND NOTES 177
INDEX OF INSCRIPTIONS 182
DISTRIBUTION-MAP; INSCRIPTIONS IN THE PRIMITIVE NORSE FUTHARK 186
DISTRIBUTION-MAP; INSCRIPTIONS IN THE 16-SYMBOL FUTHARK 187
