c. 1010 – 1040

Characterisation of the style

As defined by Anne-Sofie Gräslund

Overall impression

Compact, close and blunted. The curves of the animals are often a little angular and the bow line pressed together.

Head

Normally with a very snub nose with a thick upper lip and a strong, steeply cut-off lip lappet.

Eye

Round.

Ear

High set, rounded and erect. The ears and one or more scrolls often form a “crown”.

Mouth

Normally open, with a rather short lower lip.

Feet

Do not occur.

Tail

Rolled up, sometimes with a thumb-like protuberance downwards, or consisting of several scrolls of similar length.

Additional snakes

Do not occur.

Layout

One rune animal along the edge of the carved area is the most common, but two rune animals occur. Normally there is no over-crossing (i.e. the head cutting over the tail or vice versa).

Union Knot

Occur generally.

Cross

Very frequent.

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.