Uppland Rune Inscriptions 101, 143 and 147

:"Main article Jarlabanke Runestones"The runestones known as U 101, U 143 and U 147, are located in south-western Täby, in the parishes of Sollentuna and Täby, in Uppland, Sweden. They are all in the style Pr4 and thus dated to the period 1060-1100 during which they were carved in connection with the construction of a road from Hagby to Ed at Edsviken. They belong to a group of c. 20 runestones called the Jarlabanke Runestones that are connected to the local chieftain Jarlabanke and his clan. Together with the Broby bro Runestones and the Hargs bro runic inscriptions these particular runestones, however, centre around the female matriarch of the clan called Estrid, who was the grandmother of Jarlabanke.

The runemaster of the Snottsta runestone called U 329, where an Estrid and her brother Ragnfast are mentioned, was Fot who also made the runestones for the Jarlabanke clan. This strongly suggests that Estrid was born in Snottsta (also spelled Snåttsta), married Östen of Täby and married for the second time in Harg near Snottsta.

The rune stones that are treated in this article tell that both Estrid's sons Ingvar (whom she had with Ingvar in Harg) and Ingefast (whom she had with Östen in Broby) had died.

The runestones give further information on her family. She appears to have become quite old, and she is mentioned on the same runestones as her grandchildren Häming and Jarlabanke. It also appears that she had had seven children and that she had returned to the vicinity of Täby, and probably because that is where she had most of her children and grandchildren.

When Stockholm County Museum made an archaeological excavation at Broby bro, in 1995, they found three graves. The three were buried in Christian manner, i.e. with the head towards the west, they were not burned and there were few gifts. Some coins that were found helped to date the graves to the 11th century. One of the graves was for an old woman and she lay buried beside a barrow that one of the Broby bro Runestones says was raised for Estrid's first husband Östen. The buried woman can have been Estrid.

U 101

).

Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters

× henmikr × auk × iarlabaki × þaiR × litu × braut + ryþia × auk × broaR × kiara × eftiR × faþur × sin × auk × estriþ × eftiR suni × sina × inkifast × auk × inkuar + kuþ × hialbi × ant × þaiRa ×

Transcription into Old Norse

HæmingR ok Iarlabanki þæiR letu braut ryðia ok broaR giæra æftiR faður sinn ok Æstrið æftiR syni sina Ingifast ok Ingvar. Guð hialpi and þæiRa.

Translation in English

Hemingr and Jarlabanki, they had the path cleared and the bridges made in memory of their father; and Ástríðr in memory of her sons Ingifastr and Ingvarr. May God help their spirits.

U 143

(second half of the 11th century) on flat bedrock on the property of the farm of Hagby. It was carved in memory of two men. Estrid had it made in memory of Ingvar (see above), while her grandchildren Hemingr and Jarlabanke and their mother Jórunn (Estrid's daughter-in-law) had it made in memory of Ingifastr, their father and husband, and Estrid's son.

Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters

× iurun × lit × kiara ×× broaR × iftiR × boanta ×× sen ×× auk ×× henminkr × auk × iarlabanki × eftiR × ink [i] fast × estriþ × iftR × inkuar × alkoþan × trenk

Transcription into Old Norse

Iorun let gærva broaR æftiR boanda senn ok HæmingR ok Iarlabanki æftiR Ingifast, Æstrið æftiR Ingvar, allgoðan dræng.

Translation in English

Jórunnr had the bridges made in memory of her husbandman; and Hemingr and Jarlabanki in memory of Ingifastr; Ástríðr in memory of Ingvarr, an excellent valiant man.

U 147

, and it shows that Jórunn had the stone made together with another lady. The fact that it is dedicated to Estrid's son Ingvar and the fact that there are remains of the runes tr point to Jórunn's mother-in-law Estrid as the second lady who had the stone made.

Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters

-(u)(r)(u)(n) ...(t)(r)... þaR × litu × hakua × staina × --ti- × iakif... -uk + inkuar

Transcription into Old Norse

[I] orunn ... þaR letu haggva stæina [æf] ti [R] Ingif [ast] ok Ingvar.

Translation in English

Jórunnr ... they had the stones cut in memory of Ingifastr and Ingvarr.

ources

*Rundata
* [http://www.lansmuseum.a.se/utstallningar/ingaestrid/platserohandelser.html Inga och Estrid - en såpa för tusen år sedan: Människor, händelser och platser i Ingas och Estrids liv. A page at the Museum of Stockholm County.]