of Denmark, England, Norway and parts of Sweden. These styles shared similar motifs, most notably the cross of Christ, crucifix, triquetrae, quadrupeds, birds, ships, and masks.
From these themes, Lise argues that the main content of the depictions were Christian. Pictures can quickly and easily communicate complex religious ideas when the creators, spectators, and commissioners share a similar frame of reference and religious ideology. She concludes that “a millennium ago the picture rune stones of Scandinavia glowed in bright colors for all seasons in the landscapes radiating their messages, first of all about the Christian salvation and resurrection.”
More details about Dr. Bertelsen’s study can be found in her recently published article, “The Cross Motif on Late Viking Age Art Picture Runestones in Västergötland,” in Lund Archaeological Review Vol. 20 (2014).
Kate Heslop, Assistant Professor and Undergraduate Advisor and University of California, Berkley, followed with her presentation on Sigurd, a multimedia hero: visual narration in the Viking Age. Kate studies runes related to the Norse legend of Sigurd, slayer of the dragon Fafnir which is recorded in eddic poetry, in the Codex Regius manuscript of the Poetic Edda (Gks 2365 4to, c. 1270), and written prose, in the Saga of the Völsungs.
She uses the example of the Ramsund rock engraving (Sö 101) of Mälar Valley in Södermanland, Sweden from the eleventh-century, which bears a close resemblance to the oral stories depicting Sigurd’s dragon-slaying. This suggests that this story was well known from the East Norse region, albeit not preserved in contemporaneous texts from that area. The carving on this stone shows a clear linear story.
Ramsund rock engraving (Sö 101), Mälar Valley, Södermanland, Sweden. 11th cent., 4.7 x 1.8 m. Image courtesy of the Swedish National Heritage Board; photographer: Bengt A. Lundberg.