Runestones U 72 and U 73 at Skansen

Standing side by side at Skansen, two stone memorials tell a tale of brothers and their family. Known as U 72 and U 73, these twin runestones were originally erected at Hansta in northwestern Stockholm and moved to Skansen in 1896, when the museum was still under construction. Initially thought to be separate, they were later discovered to belong together as a pair, created by the same carver, Visäte.

The stones were created in the middle of the 1000s. U 72 is inscribed with: 'Gärdar and Jorund had these stones erected in memory of their sisters' sons, Ärnmund and Ingemund.' U 73 continues the inscription: 'These memorials were made in memory of Inga's sons. She inherited from them, but the brothers inherited from her, Gärdar and his brother. They died in Greece.' U 72 and U 73 are more than memorials; they are also legal documents, detailing how the brothers Gärdar and Jorund came into possession of the inheritance after Ärnmund and Ingemund.

Interestingly, the stones do not bear a signature, but are attributed to runestone carver Visäte based on their ornamentation, spelling, and rune formation. The stones are marked with a cross. Despite the passage of centuries, the runestones still stand tall at Skansen, representing a unique piece of history.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons