Kylver Stone

The Kylverstein ( schwed Kylversten ) was named after the farm Kylver in Gotland Stånga where the limestone probably earlier served as grave plate. The inscription on the rune stone was beaten as against 400 AD in the stone, which is why many assume that the runes came to Sweden on Gotland. However, the oldest rune stone even stands in its original place is possibly the about the same age Einangstein and Barmen stones in Norway.

On the stone found in 1903 you will find a complete alphabet with runes of the elder Futhark, representing the oldest runes found in Sweden. Besides the alphabet you can also find several T- runes that resemble a branched tree and the palindrome " sueus " whose significance is unknown. The first evidence of a runic inscription is the crest of Vimose ( 160 AD). Even older is the Meldorffibel (about 50 AD), but this inscription is in runes, which can also be Latin characters. The oldest complete rune series can be found on the Kylverstein.

Language and history since then scientists try to interpret the inscriptions, but without result. Part of the historian is of the opinion that the alphabet for practice "written" was and the stone was later provided with additional characters and then served as a grave cover, while others are of the opinion that the entire inscription is supposed to be a kind of magic, whose importance is unknown to us. Even about the magic you can still find different theories, but none of them is proving ever.

The original is in the Historical Museum in Stockholm.