Upplands Runestone 940

Upplands Runestone 940 is one of nine runestones enclosed by Gustavianum in University Park, Uppsala, Sweden. Adorned with intricate carvings of serpents and a cross, this rune stone has been the subject of scholarly debate. Translated to runic English, it reads: ‘Igull ok ÞorgæiRR letu retta stæin æftiR Kætilfast, faður sinn. Hialpi sal.’ This inscription suggests that Igull and Thorgerir had the stone erected in memory of Kattilfass, their father. However, the verse of the runestone contains a strange phrase that is of interest: ‘May the frost giants quickly wither; may they be cut off from the gifts of the gods.’ This does not constitute a curse as it purely speaks of the wish for their deaths and exclusion from divine blessings. But it is an interesting aspect of Old Norse texts, adding an exciting layer of history to this ancient relic.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons