The Great Masterpiece: The Rök Stone and its Maker

Ola Kyhlberg

doi:10.37718/csa.2010.12

Abstract

The author attempts a source critical and semantic re- vision of the traditional reading of the concluding lines 25 to 28 on the Rök stone in the province of Östergöt- land (Ög 136). Guided by the placement of these lines in the text’s narrative, the author tests the hypothesis that the writer’s signature may be included in this se- quence. Indeed, if this is the case, Sibbe is the master of the Rök stone, not Varin, and the giant mentioned in the text presumably alludes to the rune stone itself. The original place of the monument is also discussed in con- nection with the place-name Jättingstad.

Highlights

The Rök stone (Ög 136) is undoubtedly a remarkable monument, but above all it is a work of masterly skill
For centuries this rune stone has evoked the curiosity of people and been a scientific challenge to researchers
The Rök stone’s supposedly prominent position in common tradition could explain why in the Iron Age/Middle Ages it was moved to Rök, perhaps in connection with the establishment of a thing place and/or because of the construction of the church in the first half of the twelfth century

Summary

Ola Kyhlberg

The author attempts a source critical and semantic revision of the traditional reading of the concluding lines 25 to 28 on the Rök stone in the province of Östergötland (Ög 136). Guided by the placement of these lines in the text’s narrative, the author tests the hypothesis that the writer’s signature may be included in this sequence. If this is the case, Sibbe is the master of the Rök stone, not Varin, and the giant mentioned in the text presumably alludes to the rune stone itself. The original place of the monument is discussed in connection with the place-name Jättingstad

INTRODUCTION

Text section B

Sibbe watchman of the sanctuaries eighty years of age created

Findings

CONCLUSIONS AND EPILOGUE