Idiberug (Svingerud) Runestone Translation - Norway 100 CE
For translation methodology see: How to Translate Alphabetic Akkadian Texts
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(June 13, 2023) The whole Idiberug stone. This runestone was found in the autumn of 2021 when archaeologists from the Museum of Cultural History in Norway were investigating a graveyard near Tyrifjorden in Ringerike region of Norway. This was found in one of the graves. Burnt bones and charcoal from the grave reveal that the runes were inscribed between the years 190 BCE and 125 CE. This makes it the earliest known runestone in Scandinavia.
The main text is on the bottom left with fainter not quite readable text over the rest of the stone. Photo from the Historical Museum at the University of Oslo in Norway at https://www.historiskmuseum.no/english/exhibitions/worlds-oldest-rune-stone/
(June 13, 2023, updated February 5, 2025) This text on this runestone is a bunch of graffiti. It is the earliest Scandinavian runestone yet found and it is dated is dated to between 1 and 250 CE based upon the carbon 14 dating of adjacent items. This stone's letter style is mostly early Danish (500 to 300 CE) yet the letter "Ṣ" in line 3 is actually similar to that found on the Etruscan Piacenza liver found in northern Italy and dated to 500 BCE. Photo from Wikimedia commons. Letter assignments by Olmsted
The Idiberug runestone was found in a graveyard near Tyrifjorden in Ringerike region of Norway.
Photo from Historical Museum at the University of Oslo, Norway. Their scholars there claim this is just the name of "idiberug." Names are not a translation! They are just an arbitrary sting of letters sounded out. Also their letter assignments are completely incorrect.
Translation
Translation
(June 6, 2023, updated February 8, 2025)
Translation in Akkadian (North Text 6)
(read in both directions. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs are italic bold. (Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)Translation in Akkadian (North Text 6)
Letter Chart used: Northern Letter Lineage. Letter style is early Danish with some late Etruscan influence.
- Ru Nu DaBu MeSu GaŠu (North 6.1, read left to right)
- LeBu Bu Wu (North 6.2, read right to left)
- Lu Ṣu (North 6.3, read left to right)
In English
In English
- Eagle-vultures are revealing connections with air's belcher (Thu)
- Liberate the nourishments from the fate-curse
- Avoid activity
Comment: This text is blaming the lack of rain on the activity of the wind level motion powers represented by the deity Thu instead of the life powers represented by the eagle-vultures.
References
References
From Historical Museum at the University of Oslo, Norway. Online at: https://www.historiskmuseum.no/english/exhibitions/worlds-oldest-rune-stone/
Solheim S, Zilmer K, Zawalska J, et al. Inscribed sandstone fragments of Hole, Norway: radiocarbon dates provide insight into rune-stone traditions. Antiquity. Published online 2025:1-18. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.225. Also at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/inscribed-sandstone-fragments-of-hole-norway-radiocarbon-dates-provide-insight-into-runestone-traditions/52AF86395C4454EF01F436465EC5DE22
Location of the rune-stone fragments (figure by Charlotte Nueva Finnebråten and John Asbjørn Munch Havstein, in Solheim, and all 2025).
This runestone was found in hole 2 just outside of a later ring ditch defining a large cremation. It was apparently destroyed to make room for the cremation and the mound.
This runestone was found in hole 2 just outside of a later ring ditch defining a large cremation. It was apparently destroyed to make room for the cremation and the mound.
Assembled fragments of holes 1, 2 and 3 (drawing by Kristel Zilmer, Museum of Cultural History in Solheim, and all 2025).
The runestone was originally a part of one of the stones circling the cremation mound. It was later pulled down, broken up, and its pieces buried.
The runestone was originally a part of one of the stones circling the cremation mound. It was later pulled down, broken up, and its pieces buried.
Archaeological Context
Archaeological Context
(February 8, 2025) This runestone was found in hole 2 situated directly under the stone kerb and ring ditch of mound A140. This the runestone and its associated grave existed prior to the construction of the mound.
References
Solheim S, Zilmer K, Zawalska J, et al. (2025) Inscribed sandstone fragments of Hole, Norway: radiocarbon dates provide insight into rune-stone traditions. Antiquity. Published online 2025:1-18. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.225. Also at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/inscribed-sandstone-fragments-of-hole-norway-radiocarbon-dates-provide-insight-into-runestone-traditions/52AF86395C4454EF01F436465EC5DE22References
Photographs of different stages of the excavation from the top of the cremation layer in mound A140 (A) to when grave A4367 was identified (B) and uncovered (C & D), and during excavation and documentation of the grave (E). The runestone is visible in photo E.
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