28 May 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Norse Runic Text found in Oslo could be Prayer!

Archaeologists from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Studies (NIKU) have unearthed two objects inscribed in Norse runic text in Oslo’s Medieval Park ‘Middelalderparken’, located in the southern part of what was once the medieval city of Oslo.

Researchers discovered a bone, one inscribed in Norse, and the other a piece of wood with inscriptions on three sides, but written in both Scandinavian and Latin.

Kristel Zilmer, professor of writing culture (runology) and iconography at UiO, both studied the finds and gave some initial interpretations of the text.

“These are two interesting discoveries that expand our knowledge of runic knowledge, writing, and language use in medieval cities,” she says.

 Bone artefact with Norse runes. Photo: Jani Causevic, NIKU
Bone artifact with Norse runes. Photo: Jani Causevic, NIKU

Although the piece of wood is partially damaged, Zilmer identified “manus Domine / i” in Latin and the female name “Bryngjerd, er det / som det…” in Norse. The wood also has eight small signs that can make sense as both a statement in Latin or a continuation in Norse, which is possibly the phrase “It is true”.

Manus means “hand” and Dominus “lord, God”, which could be part of a Latin prayer “In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum. Redemisti me Domine, Deus veritatis”, meaning “Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth”.

Bone artefact with Norse and Latin inscriptions
Bone artifact with Norse and Latin inscriptions. Photo: NIKU

A bone that comes from a large domestic animal such as a horse or a cow has thirteen clear runes on one side and one faint rune with an inscription on the other. The discovered bone is the first runic bone found in Oslo in over thirty years and either refers to a personal name or nickname in the inscription “basmarþærbæin” or simply describes the artifact using the four final bæin (Norse bone) runes which refer to the bone itself.

Osteological examinations can answer whether the bone came from a horse, cow, or sheep.

“Finding runes was at the top of my wish list for this dig,” says Solveig Thorkildsen, who found the rune bone.

This is the first rune bone found in Oslo in over three decades. In total, only 27 runic letters were found in the capital.

NIKU

Related Articles

5,200-year-old stone carving silkworm chrysalis discovered in north China

19 July 2022

19 July 2022

According to the provincial archaeological research institute, archaeologists discovered a stone-carved silkworm chrysalis dating back at least 5,200 years in...

The Ramesseum’s ‘House of Life’ Reveals Ancient Egypt’s Educational Secrets!

6 April 2025

6 April 2025

A recent archaeological mission has unveiled groundbreaking findings at the Ramesseum, the grand mortuary temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, located...

Archaeologists uncover a 1,500-year-old Lost Mayan city in the Yucatan

28 May 2022

28 May 2022

Researchers have presented their findings after discovering the remnants of an ancient Mayan city on a building site in Mexico....

Archaeologists Discovered Over 500 Ancient Coins and A Gold Template for Making jewelry in Bulgaria

17 August 2024

17 August 2024

In Plovdiv, in southern Bulgaria, archaeologists have discovered over 500 ancient coins and a gold template for making jewelry from...

Genetic Analysis Reveals A Woman As The Highest-Ranking Individual In Copper Age Spain: ‘Ivory Lady’

6 July 2023

6 July 2023

According to a study published Thursday (July 6) in the journal Scientific Reports, the highest-status individual in ancient Copper Age...

Zeus Temple’s entrance was found in western Turkey’s Aizanoi Ancient City

31 July 2021

31 July 2021

During recent digs, the monumental entrance gate of the Zeus Temple sanctuary in the ancient city of Aizanoi, located in...

The first ivory work of art recovered from the World Heritage cave Hohle Fels was believed to be a horse – until archaeologists made a new discovery-

30 July 2023

30 July 2023

For more than 20 years, the first ivory work of art recovered from the World Heritage cave Hohle Fels was...

A New Picene Prince Tomb Dating to the 7th Century BC with Two Chariots Discovered in Corinaldo, Italy

29 July 2024

29 July 2024

Following the discovery of the so-called ‘Prince of Corinaldo’ in 2018, archaeologists from the University of Bologna have discovered a...

Archaeologists Discover Assyrian-Style Leather Armor 2,700 Years Old in China

11 December 2021

11 December 2021

The new research shows that the unique leather armor found in a horse rider’s tomb in Northwest China was made...

Researchers solve the mystery of Mayan 819-day calendar

24 April 2023

24 April 2023

Researchers at Tulane University in Louisiana have solved the mystery of the 819-day ancient Mesoamerican calendar used by ancient Mayans....

During the demolition work, a 2,500-year-old bull heads alto relievo was discovered in Sinop

20 April 2022

20 April 2022

During the demolition work of the buildings in front of the historical city walls for the City Square National Garden...

The Highest Prehistoric Petroglyphs in Europe Discovered at 3000 Meters in the Italian Alps

20 November 2024

20 November 2024

The highest petroglyphs in Europe were found at Pizzo Tresero (Valfurva) in the Stelvio National Park in the northern Italian...

Al-Aqiser Church, Disappears in the Depths of The Iraqi Desert

10 May 2021

10 May 2021

In a country that has been devastated by successive conflicts and economic crises, Al-Aqiser, like the numerous Christian, Islamic and...

Israeli Archaeologists discover two shipwrecks filled with treasure

22 December 2021

22 December 2021

Israeli archaeologists have been discovered ancient artifacts and treasures amid the wrecks of two ships on the seafloor off the...

Unusual Potter’s Signature or Graffito found during excavation of a Roman tile kiln in England

2 August 2023

2 August 2023

Cotswold Archeology and a team of volunteers have found an unusual potter’s signature or graffito in Minety, a village in...