c. 1010 – 1050

Occurs on stones with type Pr 1 and Pr 2 ornamentation.

Characterisation of the style

As defined by Anne-Sofie Gräslund

Overall impression

Rather unresilient; the rune animals are often slightly angular, and the bow line pressed together.

Head

A snake’s head seen in bird’s-eye-view.

Eye

Two round, sometimes almost rhomboid pop-eyes, normally to a certain degree outside the contour of the head. The eyes may be connected by two parallel transverse lines.

Ear

Missing.

Mouth

Often suggested by a line, sometimes continuing into a string.

Feet

Missing.

Tail

Lightly rolled up, sometimes solely thickened at the end. Real roll-ups occur, but only half a round.

Additional snakes

Missing.

Layout

B-e-v carvings usually have one rune animal along the edge with union knot. Two rune animals also occur, sometimes with overcrossing.

Union Knot

Occur generally.

Cross

Very frequent, with elongated cross arm.

Examples

Sources

Danske Runeindskrifter, http://runer.ku.dk

Gräslund, Anne-Sofie, 2006. ‘Dating the Swedish Viking-Age rune stones on stylistic grounds’. Runes and their Secrets – Studies in runology.

The Scandinavian Runic-text Data Base.

Sveriges runinskrifter.