The Runestone in Skillsta
About 20 km southwest of Uppsala.

Runic inscription:

Joger and Fastger and Aurikr (Örik) had the stone erected for Borger their father, the freed (famous).

Aurikr himself carved these runes after his father.
Interpret whoever can!

Ornamentation

This beautiful runestone has a dragon with a beautiful wing at the top. Below is the main dragon, the rune bearing dragon that has plenty of extra ornamentation, the body, paws and head are carved with the greatest care.

Few people visit the runestone.

One reason why so few people visit the runestone and understand its beauty is that it needs different colors for the whole motif to be experienced in the right way.

When I have shown pictures of runestones that have had their colors returned, this is the one that most people think corresponds to what they mean by a runestone. It has a good shape, the right color and is big, well cut and very beautiful... and I can only agree.

The strange thing about this runestone is that the runecarver doesn't seem to be a runecarver and he hasn't carved any more runestones that we know of.

If this is really his first and only runestone, he must be active in other fields such as ceramics, wood, silver or paintings. Although not primarily a runecarver, he was a skilled artist with good confidence.

This rune stone shows us a glimpse of all the beautiful art that flourished during the Viking Age. I believe this rune carver made many, many more works of art but which are now gone without a trace because they were made in "perishable" materials like cloth and wood.

Links

Upplands runinskrifter > page 588
Lots of good information. (Swedish).

Runor > - Riksantikvarieämbetet
Map and runic inscription.

Google map > Find the runestone

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

Extra Runestones:

Ärnfast, his artwork outside Ekerö municipality

U 79 - Hässelby, by Ärnfast

U 123 - Karlberg, by Ärnfast

U 885 - Balingsta, by Ärnfast

Selected runestones that are also depicted in the Runestone park (Runstensparken)

Sö 141b - Aspa bridge with Svitjod

Sö 179 - Gripsholm, an Ingvar runestone

U 887 - Skillsta, one of the most beautiful

Vs 29 - Livsten's masterpiece at Sala