Hunnestad Monument, Norse runestone monument in Lund Municipality, Sweden
The Hunnestad Monument comprises eight stones, including five image stones and two with runic inscriptions, showing Norse craftsmanship and writing traditions. The collection displays both carved figures and runic text chiseled into stone.
The monument dates to around 1000 AD and originally stood at Marsvinsholm but was demolished between 1782 and 1786 by Eric Ruuth during modernization work. The loss of these stones reflects how such monuments were often destroyed during landscape transformation.
The stones display Norse mythology motifs, including a figure possibly showing Hyrrokkin riding a wolf. These images offer insight into the beliefs of the people who created this monument.
Three of the original stones are displayed at the Kulturen museum in Lund, where they can be viewed alongside other artifacts. A fourth stone was unexpectedly discovered in 2020 during bridge construction work, adding to the preserved collection.
One of the stones may depict a Varangian Guard member, suggesting trade connections between Scandinavia and the East. Such connections were rarely depicted and reveal the far-reaching contacts of that era.
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