The Ledberg stone: a runestone depicting a figure and a four-legged beast

The Ledberg stone: a runestone depicting a figure and a four-legged beast

In Östergötland, Sweden, the Ledberg stone features a runic inscription and images that may depict the death of Odin or the story of a warrior.

The Ledberg stone in Östergötland, Sweden, is a historic runic stone that stands out for its depiction of a figure and a four-legged beast, often identified as a depiction of Odin being devoured by Fenrir. However, some scholars believe that the figures on the stone may depict the final story of either Þorgautr or Gunna. The stone, designated as Ög 181 under Rundata, is an image-stone and runestone and features a figure with his foot at the mouth of the four-legged beast.

The stone, which bears a Younger futhark runic inscription dated to the 11th century, also includes a charm or spell in the runic inscription that is found on a few other inscriptions, including the runic inscription on the Gørlev runestone, DR 239. The warrior figures on the stone have shields, and one carries a spear; all have moustaches and beards, except for the Odin figure. The helmets are conical and similar in shape to those shown on the Bayeux Tapestry.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

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