A mercantile guild memorial for Þorkell in Sigtuna

At the cemetery of St. Mary's Church in Sigtuna, Sweden, three Viking Age memorial runestones stand as evidence of Scandinavian trading activities. One stone, cataloged as U 379, features runic text in the younger futhark on a serpent encircling a cross. This granite stone is carved in style KB, where a runic text band frames a serpent. The inscription indicates it was raised by members of a mercantile guild in memory of one of their guild-brothers, Þorkell. While the stone refers to a Frisian guild, it is believed that by the late Viking Age, the word frisa may have simply denoted any merchant, as the names in the text are Scandinavian.

U 379 is signed by a runemaster named Þorbjôrn, who may be the same master who carved U 391 and U 467. The name Þorkell is a diminutive form of Þorketil, which includes the theophoric name element of the god Thor and translates to a Vessel of Thor. Similarly, the runemaster's name, Þorbjôrn, refers to the god Thor and translates as Thor Bear. Despite these pagan name elements, the stone clearly indicates a Christian faith through its cross, and the inscription concludes with a prayer asking God to help the spirit of the deceased.

Other nearby stones provide further historical context. U 380 bears a worn inscription with two possible names, including Ásbjôrn, a name with an element related to the Æsir, the principal gods of Norse mythology. Nearby, U 381 is part of the outer wall of the Gerner family mausoleum. Before the historical significance of runestones was understood, they were sometimes reused as construction materials for roads and buildings. U 381 contains a partial prayer that reflects the religious practices of the period.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons