Archaeologists in Norway announced Tuesday that they have discovered an ancient artifact believed to be the oldest of its kind with inscriptions dating back 2,000 years.
The runestone, a flat, brown sandstone block covered in scribbles, is believed to contain some of the earliest words recorded in Scandinavia, the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, Norway, told the Associated Press. Those words, the museum noted, are “among the oldest runic inscriptions ever found” while the artifact itself is believed to be “the oldest datable runestone in the world.”
Archaeologists in Norway found a runestone which they claim is the world’s oldest.
They say the inscriptions are up to 2,000 years old and date back to the earliest days of the enigmatic history of runic writing. https://t.co/6oDN4hJpdu pic.twitter.com/I3k0rA4r9a— The Associated Press (@AP) January 17, 2023
Measuring 31 centimeters by 32 centimeters, the “sensational” find was discovered in the fall of 2021 at a burial site near Oslo, according to the AP. Based on other items found alongside it during the excavation, archaeologists believe the runes were carved sometime between A.D. 1 and 250. Though older runic items have been found, this artifact is the oldest find comprised of stone, the outlet stated. (RELATED: Archaeologists Say Recent Discovery Of Medieval Burial Site Has ‘Nudged The Course Of History)
“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,” Kristel Zilmer, a professor at the University of Oslo, told the AP.
Runes were used in Northern Europe until the adoption of the Latin alphabet and though there are several on the artifact not all of them make linguistic sense, the AP noted. Archaeologists identified eight runes on the front of the stone that read “idiberug” which they believe could be referencing a name or a family.
Though more research on the runestone is necessary, Zilmer believes researchers “will obtain valuable knowledge about the early history of runic writing.”
The Museum of Cultural History in Oslo will display the runestone for a month beginning on Jan. 21.