The serpent-carved stone that stands in Berga is a rune stone of Medelpad, dated to the Viking Age. It is believed to have been placed near a grave field east-north east of Bergatjärnen, which was once its original location. The stone, made of light coarse-grained granite, measures approximately 170 x 85 cm above ground. It was first described by Johan Peringskiöld in 1687 and was also sketched by him. The runes on Bergastenen are shallowly carved.
The inscription on the stone reads, 'Altrud and Sigrev erected this stone in memory of Mäskägg, father, and in memory of Disvi, mother.' But the story on this stone is not the story of a regular family.
According to legend, Mäskägg was a king of Sweden's Medelpad region. During his reign, he divided the kingdom among his sons. However, one of his sons betrayed him and took over the entire kingdom. Mäskägg's daughter, Disvi, did not give up. She rallied the people and, with their help, battled her treacherous brother. In the end, she reunited the kingdom and brought it back under her father's rule.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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