Norway's Discovery Of The Oldest Runestone In The World Reveals A Mysterious Word

According to information released on Tuesday, Norwegian scientists believed that they have discovered the world's oldest runestone, which was inscribed almost 2,000 years ago, making it several hundred centuries older than earlier finds.

The 30 by 30 centimeter (12 by 12 inch) square brown sandstone boulder was discovered in late 2021 at Tyrifjorden, northwest of Oslo, during the excavation of an ancient burial ground prior to the construction of a railway line. According to Oslo's Museum of Cultural History, carbon dating of bones and wood discovered in a tomb next to the rune indicates that it was written sometime between year one and 250 CE.

Runes are stones etched with the runic letters, the first alphabet known in Scandinavia, and were typically placed at gravesites, particularly during the Viking era. As per the museum in Oslo, the discovery, which may have been made during the lifetime of Jesus Christ, is "a dream for runologists," who research old runic alphabets, inscriptions, and their history.

Runestones' beginnings are still mostly a mystery. The writing on the Tyrifjorden rune may be rewritten in the Latin alphabet to create the unknown word "idiberug," which may be a reference to the person buried there. Furthermore, from January 21 to February 26, the runestone will be on display at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo.