The Runic Stones in Jelling

On the small runic stone we find the oldest words from a Danish king and for the first time in Denmark the name of the country was mentioned. Nevertheless the name had been used for at least 75 years in Europe . King Alfred the Great – king of Wessex (871 – 899)and very interested in culture- made a geographical description of Northern Europe and used the word dene mearc about the Danish area. Regino’s Chronicle- written about 900 in the convent of Prum near Cologne- also mentioned Denimarca, so the name was already known when Gorm used it.

King Gorm died 958/59. If the human remains found under Jelling Church belong to Gorm, then he must have been between 35 and 50 years old when he died. His son Harald took over power just before 960, so Gorm must have been born between 908 and 923 . He made the stone in memory of his wife, so she must have died before him. However, we do not know when she died. Gorm was announced king at the beginning of 940s, therefore the stone must have been erected between 940s and 958.

The words ”King Gorm ” are almost a headline, as the runes here are bigger than in the other lines. The word ”kumler” is plural and means memories, so there must have been more than one runic stone. Probably Thyre was buried in a stone circle with the runic stone as a tomb stone. Today we have very little hope to find Thyre’s burial place. If it was placed centrally it must be in the present church yard. Here, however, many new graves have destroyed all traces.

Speculations have been made about the original place of the small runic stone. On one of the mounds, at the head of the stone circle or maybe near the present place? We know that in 1627 the stone was at the entrance of the church being used as a bench, and not later than 1639 it was erected in its present place.

kubl thausi aft kurm fathur sin
kumler disse efter Gorm fader sin
these sepulchral monuments after Gorm his father

auk aft thaurui muthur sina sa
og efter Thyra moder sin, den
and after Thyra his mother, The

haraltr ias sar uan tanmaurk
Harald som sig vandt Danmark
Harald who won the whole of Denmark

ala auk nuruiak
al og Norge
and all Norway

auk tani karthi kristna
og danerne gjorde kristne
and turned the Danes to Christianity

This is the oldest picture of Christ. Here we see a man in a tunic with his arms spred out and a halo above his head.

The sides 2 and 3 are framed by unbroken bands and ropes which indicate that they should be read as a unified whole.

King Harald wanted to be remembered for certain things and therefore he wanted this stone to remain in its place. And so it did!- except for a few centimeters.
The stone is 2.43 m high and weighs 10 tons.

Christ’s page

King Harald had the best advicers and artisans for this work. First the ornaments were made and then the runes were carved by an expert in runes. The work may have lasted for about a year. All 3 wooden churches burnt down and the heat from the fire is said to have damaged the stone.

The large stone is almost at its original place. In 1981 the stone was righted and then it was discovered that it was placed partly above some old graves, while the ground to the east was untouched. Indicating that the stone had been moved a little to the west. This may have happened when in 1586 Caspar Markedaner dug up the stone maybe because it was about to overturn and partly covered by earth. In 1981 excavations of the southern wall of the church showed that the surface of the church yard had risen by 1 meter since the building of the church. Now we can under stand why Caspar Markedaner ”dug up” the stone