Tryggevælde Runestone

Tryggevælde Runestone, designated as DR 230 under Rundata, is a runestone housed in the National Museum of Denmark, in Copenhagen. It is classified as being carved in runestone style RAK, and is dated to about 900 CE.

Inscriptions A and B.

Inscription C.

Description

In 1555, the runestone was moved from a barrow to the Tryggevælde estate on Zealand. It came to Copenhagen in 1810.

There are several holes on the runestone, but no one knows why. Ragnhild, who raised the runestone, also had Glavendrup stone (DR 209) made after another husband named Alle. That runestone is located at a barrow and a stone ship in Glavendrup on the island of Funen. Both the Glavendrup and Tryggevælde runestones were made by the same runemaster, Sote.

The inscription ends with a curse against anyone who would destroy or move the runestone that is similar to the ones found on the Glavendrup stone the Sønder Vinge runestone 2 and the Glemminge stone and the Saleby Runestone in Sweden. There is some disagreement regarding the translation of one of the words in these curses, rita/rata, which has been translated as 'wretch,' 'outcast,' or 'warlock.' Warlock is the translation accepted by Rundata. However, the use of warlock is not that the destroyer would gain any magical powers, but be considered to be unnatural and a social outcast. The concept that being a warlock or sorcerer was an evil perversion predated the conversion of Scandinavia to Christianity.

This inscription is the first mention of the Old Scandinavian ship type skeið.

Inscription

The lines:

1. Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters
2. Transcription into standardized Old Norse
3. Transcription into standardized Old Danish

§A

raknhiltr

Ragnhildr,

Ragnhildr,

'

 

 

sustiʀ

systir

systiʀ

'

 

 

ulfs

Ulfs,

Ulfs,

'

 

 

sati

setti

satti

'

 

 

stain

stein

sten

¶

 

 

þnnsi

þenna

þænsi

'

 

 

auk

ok

ok

'

 

 

karþi

gerði

gærþi

'

 

 

hauk

haug

høg

'

 

 

þonsi

þenna

þænsi

auft

ept,

æft,

¶

 

 

auk

ok

ok

skaiþ

skeið

skeþ

'

 

 

þaisi

þessa,

þæssi,

¶

 

 

kunulf

Gunnulf,

Gunulf,

'

 

 

uar

ver

wær

sin

sinn,

sin,

'

 

 

klomulan

glômulan

glamulan

man

mann,

man,

¶

 

 

(s)un

son

sun

'

 

 

nairbis

Nerfis.

Nærfis.

'

 

 

faiʀ

Fáir

Faiʀ

'

 

 

uarþa

verða

wærþa

'

 

 

nu

nú

nu

futiʀ

fœddir

føddiʀ

'

 

 

þoi

þeim

þem

batri

betri.

bætri.

raknhiltr ' sustiʀ ' ulfs ' sati ' stain ¶ þnnsi ' auk ' karþi ' hauk ' þonsi auft ¶ auk skaiþ ' þaisi ¶ kunulf ' uar sin ' klomulan man ¶ (s)un ' nairbis ' faiʀ ' uarþa ' nu futiʀ ' þoi batri

Ragnhildr, {} systir {} Ulfs, {} setti {} stein {} þenna {} ok {} gerði {} haug {} þenna ept, {} ok skeið {} þessa, {} Gunnulf, {} ver sinn, {} glômulan mann, {} son {} Nerfis. {} Fáir {} verða {} nú fœddir {} þeim betri.

Ragnhildr, {} systiʀ {} Ulfs, {} satti {} sten {} þænsi {} ok {} gærþi {} høg {} þænsi æft, {} ok skeþ {} þæssi, {} Gunulf, {} wær sin, {} glamulan man, {} sun {} Nærfis. {} Faiʀ {} wærþa {} nu føddiʀ {} þem bætri.

Ragnhildr, Ulfr's sister, placed this stone and made this mound, and this ship(-setting), in memory of her husband Gunnulfr, a clamorous man, Nerfir's son. Few will now be born better than him.

§B

sa

Sá

Sa

uarþi

verði

wærþi

'

 

 

at

at

at

(')

 

 

rita

réta(?)

ræta(?)

'

 

 

is

er

æs

ailti

elti(?)

ælti(?)

stain

stein

sten

þonsi

þenna

þænsi

sa uarþi ' at (') rita ' is ailti stain þonsi

Sá verði {} at {} réta(?) {} er elti(?) stein þenna

Sa wærþi {} at {} ræta(?) {} æs ælti(?) sten þænsi

A warlock(?) be he who damages(?) this stone

§C

iþa

eða

æþa

hiþan

heðan

hæþan

traki

dragi.

dragi.

iþa hiþan traki

eða heðan dragi.

æþa hæþan dragi.

or drags it (away) from here.