The Rinkabystenen: A Viking Age memorial in Nasta

The Nasta Runestone, listed as Nä 34 in the Rundata catalog, is a Viking Age memorial runestone located in Nasta, which is 3 kilometers northwest of Glanshammar, Örebro County, Sweden. This granite stone stands 2.25 meters in height. The inscription features runic text in the younger futhark within a band arching around the edge, accompanied by a depiction of a beast, an intertwined serpent, and a facial mask. The text identifies the stone as a memorial raised by a woman named Þórheiðr for her son Lyðbjôrn, who is described as nytan, a word meaning capable or bright and cheerful.

The stone's artistic style is often discussed in relation to the Urnes style. While the runic text band has no attached beast or serpent heads, the depiction of the serpent and beast show characteristics typical of the Urnes style, which usually features beast or serpent heads depicted in profile with almond-shaped eyes. The facial mask found just under the arch of the text band is a common motif found on several other Scandinavian runestones, including those in Sjelle, Århus, and Skokloster.

Local history surrounding the stone is varied. It was noted as being on a pile of rocks during a 17th-century survey, but was raised in 1672 by Johan Hadorph for the Eriksgata road. During the 1700s, local people sometimes bit the stone as a cure for toothaches and left pins or nails on it as offerings for good crops. In 1952, the stone was moved six meters from the south side to the north side of the road. It is known locally as the Nastastenen or, as the only runestone in the Rinkaby synod, as the Rinkabystenen.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons