Tune stone

The so-called Runestone Tune ( Tunesten ) is a Norwegian runic stone. He wears the longest runic inscription in urnordischer language and is also the oldest evidence of a Erbangelegenheit in Scandinavia.

Location and date

The stone was first mentioned in 1627, as part of a cemetery wall in Tune, Østfold. The finding situation suggests that the stone has there ever been. In the report, even a low hill grave is mentioned, to which the cemetery wall was adjusted. Today, the stone is in the Oslo Museum of Cultural History.

The date is uncertain because of the material. However, the language and runes forms restrict the possible time a to the second half of the 3rd century to around the year 400.

Inscription

The inscription is distributed on two sides of the stone. Some runes are no longer readable or broken:

A page:

B Page:

Translation by Grønvik (1998):

A page:

B Page:

Metrics

The Tunestein is one of the few examples of early Germanic alliterative poetry. The opinions among Runologen and linguists vary, however, depending on the definition. Some see the inscription increased by alliteration prose speech while others approaches of verses, especially the Ljóðaháttr.

The inscription noting the alliteration:

Ek wiwaR after · woduride witadahalaiban: worathto · [? ] [? ] R woduride: staina: þrijoR dohtriR dalidun arbij asijosteR arbijano

It can be seen the elements of long lines and full lines. In a correct Ljóðaháttr - verse always a long line (3 bars ) would be followed by a full line (2 bars ) and then repeat. This scheme is available but not carried out in batches.

The Tunestein a legal document

The stone bears on the A side is typical of Runestones formula " X carved the runes after [ the deceased ] Y". It is a grave inscription for the late Woduride ( Wutreiter ). The stone served as a monument at the foot of his grave hill.

The special feature, however, the second line is mentioned in the three daughters as heirs. This shows on the one hand the existence of a succession law for the time around 400, even before the Great Migration. On the other is reflected in the line of succession also reflected the sequence which is the oldest Norwegian law text, the Gulathingslov to 900, set.

Accordingly, the daughters inherit only if no son is alive. A son Wodurids would have been sole heir. In the inscription, but we find a total of four heirs, three daughters and possibly Wiw. However Wiw may also have been an uninvolved runes Ritzer. However, since his name stabt on Woduride, as was the custom among relatives, one suspects a degree of kinship. After Gulathingslov Wiw can only be the son of the son of Woduride. He inherits a grandson as much as any of the three daughters. The inscription can thus understand very well using the Gulathingslov, which speaks for the great age of that text.