Runic inscription:

--uikid had runes carved for ... _ tir insta fa(d)ur?

History

In 1676 Hadorph and J. Leitz examine and draw the carving. According to Hadorph, it is then "under a burnt slab" and only part of the inscription could be read.

Hadorph and J. Leitz also examine the runic slab U 86 in Järfälla on their trip. It is drawn and off in the same way as U 12.
As I can see, both carvings are done by the same rune carver. See the drawings below and compare.

Comparison U 12 and U 86

1 The ends of the tails are decorated with a ledge.

2 The runecarver use cross (+) between the words.

3 The buoy, the knot goes alternately over, under.

4 The dragon's upper lip is of the same type.

5 Extra loops, beautifully braided in themselves.

But the biggest similarity is probably the mirrored ornamentation.

If you split the motif in half (top to bottom), the right and left sides are identical and mirrored. In Nordic ornamentation and on runestones it is unusual. Often it looks mirror, but in detail it is not.

Where is the runic carving to day?

When Roger and I searched for the runestone, our basic thought was that it should be on a rock slab like the slab with U 86 and that it would have been well visible to Viking-era sailors who took the shortcut through Munsö. 

North of Östansund there are burial grounds that show up for just that type of sailor. Roger has searched there but only during the day without side lights.

On the other side of the strait to the west is Sundby's old plot. Today, the site is well protected in a mighty thicket of blackberries. When I visualize that place, I see a resting place for sailors, a tavern with food and accommodation, a business that was controlled from the farm at Östansund.

But maybe we are wrong...?
It is only recently that I have seen the connection between U 12 and U 86. The ornamentation on U 86 indicates that it was carved at the end of the 11th century or perhaps more likely, at the beginning of the 12th century. Perhaps we should search more for U 12 in connection with Munsö church or Bona where the fragment U 12b was found not so long ago?

Or is the fragment U 12b actually a small part of U 12a?

Keep your eyes open and feel free to search with a flashlight when it's dark, sidelights are almost a must to find lost carvings.

Links

Upplands Runinskrifter > About U 12a on page 20
(Only in Swedish)

Upplands Runinskrifter > About U 86 on page 114
(Only in Swedish)

Fornsök > Find the location of U 86

Runor >  Riksantikvarieämbetet

kalle@runristare.se
If you want to be of help or have a question.
 

ALL RUNESTONES

Ekerö municipality

ADELSÖ >
has 5 known runestones

BIRKA >
has fragments from 9 known runestones

MUNSÖ >
has 3 or 4 known runestones

EKERÖ >
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FÄRINGSÖ >
has 27 known runestones

LOVÖ >
has 8 known runestones