Norway archaeologists find ‘world’s oldest runestone’
- The flat sandstone block has inscriptions up to 2,000 years old, which may be the earliest example of words recorded in writing in Scandinavia
- Older runes have been found on other items, including a bone comb found in Denmark, but not on stone
Archaeologists in Norway said on Tuesday that they have found the world’s oldest runestone, with inscriptions up to 2,000 years old and dating back to the earliest days of the enigmatic history of runic writing.
The flat, square block of brownish sandstone has carved scribbles, which may be the earliest example of words recorded in writing in Scandinavia, the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo said.
It said it was “among the oldest runic inscriptions ever found” and “the oldest datable runestone in the world”.
“This find will give us a lot of knowledge about the use of runes in the early Iron Age. This may be one of the first attempts to use runes in Norway and Scandinavia on stone,” said Kristel Zilmer, a professor at University of Oslo, of which the museum is part.
Older runes have been found on other items, but not on stone. The earliest runic find is on a bone comb found in Denmark. Zilmer said that maybe the tip of knife or a needle was used to carve the runes.
The runestone was discovered in the fall of 2021 during an excavation of a grave near Tyrifjord, west of Oslo, in a region known for several monumental archaeological finds. Items in the cremation pit – burnt bones and charcoal – indicate that the runes likely were inscribed between AD 1 and 250.