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Jarlabanke probably lived on the estate which today is called Såsta.^[1] As of 2007^[update], it is a conference centre.

The Jarlabanke Runestones (Swedish: Jarlabankestenarna) is the name of about 20 runestones written in Old Norse with the Younger Futhark rune script in the 11th century, in Uppland, Sweden.

They were ordered by what appears to have been a chieftain named Jarlabanke Ingefastsson and his clan (Swedish: Jarlabankeätten), in Täby.^[2] Jarlabanke was probably a hersir (chieftain of a hundred) responsible for the local leidang organization and on several runestones, he stated that he was a Christian and not a Pagan.^[2]

Omeljan Pritsak has remarked that Jarlabanke's prominent position and property show that he and his clan profited from taking part in the Danegelds and from the services that men of his clan provided as mercenaries in the Varangian Guard and in Kievan Rus'.^[3]

Inscription

Five of the runestones contain very much the same message: "Jarlabanke had these stones made after himself while he was alive. He made this bridge for his soul. He alone owned all of Täby".^[4] One stone at the church of Vallentuna also shows the following text on its second side: "Jarlabanke had this stone made after himself while he was alive. He made this assembly location and he alone owned this hundred".^[4]

The so-called Jarlabanke's bridge is a causeway in Täby which was originally bordered by four runestones and many raised stones.^[4] It is c. 116 metres long and 6.4 metres wide, and there were inscriptions (U 164 and U 165) by Jarlabanke both at the southern and the northern end of the causeway.^[5] One of the runestones was moved during his lifetime to the location of the local assembly of the Vallentuna Hundred, where it received a new text and it was replaced with a new fifth one at Jarlabanke's bridge and which had a different design.^[4]

Three other runestones present Jarlabanke as the builder of roads and bridges, and ten or so mention his family members making it possible to follow his family during four generations.^[4] His pride at building roads and bridges shows that this was something that gave prestige in 11th-century Sweden.^[2]

Controversy

The inscriptions have led to a controversy on the meaning of the Old Norse verb eiga ("to own"), and to a debate on the origins on the hundred division.^[4] It is debated whether he really owned the hundred or if he was appointed as its chieftain (hersir) by the King of Sweden, and a final conclusion is probably impossible to arrive at.^[2]

The runestones

Besides the runestones treated in this article, there are many others that were raised by Jarlabanke and his clansmen such as U 101, U 135, U 136, U 137, U 143, U 147, U 309 and U 310.^[3] However, these runestones are treated separately as they were raised in connection with Estrid, the female progenitor of the Jarlabanke clan.

The remaining runestones that are associated with Jarlabanke's relatives are: U 100, U 104, U 112, U 133, U 141, U 151, U 160, U 161, U 225, U 226, U 328, U 336, U 343 and U 344.^[3]

U 127

This runestone in the style Pr2 (first half of the 11th century) is located at the church of Danderyd. It was found in the walls of the church and had probably been moved quite a distance from Täby before it was used in the church. On this rune stone, Jarlabanke declared that he had the whole of Täby under his command and that he had made a bridge and raised several rune stones in honour of himself while he was alive.

×

iarla×baki

Iarlabanki

×

lit

let

raisa

ræisa

[×]

staina

stæina

×

þasa

þessa

at

sik

×

kuikuan

kvikvan,

×

auk

ok

bru

bro

þisa

þessa

karþi

gærði

×

fur

fyr

ont

and

sina

sina,

×

auk

ok

×

ain

æinn

ati

atti

tabu

Tæby

ala-

alla[n].

Jarlabanki had these stones raised in memory of himself while alive, and made this bridge for his spirit, and (he) alone owned all of Tábýr.

U 140

This fragment is located in Broby, near the Broby bro Runestones and U 150. It was discovered among the ground stones of a smaller building. It is one of two Jarlabanke runestones that mention men who travelled abroad (the other one is U 136), but it is not known who the traveller mentioned in the fragment was. It also belongs to the Greece Runestones and it is treated there as well.

×

...la×b(a)...

[Iar]laba[nki]

...

han

Hann

:

entaþis

ændaðis

*

i

kirikium

Grikkium.

Jarlabanki ... He met his end in Greece.

U 142

This rune stone in the style Pr4 (second half of the 11th century) is located in Fällbro, and it is one of the most important Jarlabanke rune stones as it was raised in his memory after his death. It was raised by Jarlabanke's wife Ketiley, and his son Ingifastr Jarlabankesson. The stone also informs that it was made by Öpir, who was the most productive runemaster of his time.

ikifastr

Ingifastr

'

lit

let

'

raisa

ræisa

'

stain

stæin

*

uk

ok

'

bro

'

kera

gæra

'

eftiʀ

æftiʀ

'

iarlabaka

Iarlabanka,

'

faþur

faður

'

s[in

sinn

'

uk

ok

'

sun

'

io]runa

Iorunaʀ,

'

uk

ok

'

ketilau

Kætiløy

lit

let

'

at

'

bonta

bonda

'

sin

sinn.

ybir

Øpiʀ

risti

risti.

Ingifastr had the stone raised and the bridge made in memory of Jarlabanki, his father, Jórunnr's son. And Ketiley had (it raised/made) in memory of her husbandman. Œpir carved.

U 148

This runestone in the style Pr3 (third quarter of the 11th century) is located in the forest south-west of Hagby, where a road once crossed a brook, and only a few hundred metres from U 147. The road was made by Jarlabanke's clan and it went from the bay of Edsviken to Täby. The rune stone informs that it was raised by Ingifastr Eysteinsson (Jarlabanke's father) in memory of his wife Ragnfríðr, together with his son Hemingr (Jarlabanke's half-brother).

×

inkifastr

Ingifastr

×

lit

let

×

rista

×

runaʀ

þisaʀ

þessaʀ

×

aftiʀ

æftiʀ

×

rahnfriþi

Ragnfriði,

×

kuinu

kvinnu

×

sina

sina,

×

auk

ok

×

-[m-](n)kr

[Hæ]m[i]ngʀ

×

aftiʀ

æftiʀ

×

muþur

moður

×

sina

sina.

Ingifastr had these runes carved in memory of Ragnfríðr, his wife; and Hemingr in memory of his mother.

U 149

This runestone was located in Hagby. It has, however, disappeared, but it survives in form of a drawing made by Richard Dybeck in 1840. The rune stone is one of those that Jarlabanke made in his own memory and it tells that was raised in connection with his constructing a path.

[iarlabaki

Iarlabanki

×

lit

let

×

-...

...

...tain

[s]tæin

×

at

*

sialfan

*

sik

*

auk

ok

*

braut

ruþia]

ryðia.

Jarlabanki had ... the stone in memory of himself and cleared a path.

U 150

This runestone is possibly in the style Fp (first half of the 11th century) and it is located in Karby, along the road, at a small distance from U 140 and the Broby bro Runestones. The lower part of it has been lost, and today it is secured in the ground with a foundation of concrete. The rune stone informs that Jarlabanke and his wife Fastvé raised it in memory of their son Sveinn. The style of the stone is, however, problematic since it may be in the style of Jarlabanke's parents' generation.

*

iarla*b]aki

Iarlabanki

*

auk

ok

*

fastui

Fastvi

*

litu

letu

*

raisa

ræisa

*

stina

stæina

*

aftiʀ

æftiʀ

[*

suain

Svæin,

*

sun

*

sin

sinn.

Jarlabanki and Fastvé had the stones raised in memory of Sveinn, their son.

U 164

This runestone in the style Pr2-Pr3 (mid-11th century) is located at the causeway known as Jarlabanke's bridge. It is another one of the rune stones that he raised in memory of himself while he was alive, and where he declares that he commands all of Täby. It tells that it is specifically made to commemorate the creation of the causeway ("bridge") for the sake of Jarlabanke's soul.

A reading of the U 164 runestone's text in Old East Norse.

×

iarlabaki

Iarlabanki

×

lit

let

×

raisa

ræisa

×

stain

stæina

×

þisa

þessa

×

at

sik

×

kuikuan

kvikvan,

××

auk

ok

bru

bro

×

þisa

þessa

×

karþi

gærði

×

fur

fyr

ont

and

×

sina

sina,

×

auk

ok

ain

æinn

ati

atti

×

alan

allan

×

tabu

Tæby.

×

kuþ

Guð

hialbi

hialpi

ont

and

hans

hans.

Jarlabanki had these stones raised in memory of himself while alive, and made this bridge for his spirit, and (he) alone owned all of Tábýr. May God help his spirit.

U 165

Like the previous rune stone, this one is also located at the causeway Jarlabanke's bridge. It contains the same message and informs that Jarlabanke made the causeway for his soul and raised the stone in memory of himself. It also adds that Jarlabanke was in command of all of Täby. It is in style Pr2 (second half of the 11th century).

ia[r]labaki

Iarlabanki

×

li-

le[t

---sa

ræi]sa

×

staina

stæina

×

þisa

þessa

×

at

sik

×

kuikuan

kvikvan,

×

auk

ok

bru

bro

þis(a)

þessa

[×

karþi

gærði

fur

fyr

ont

and

×]

si--

si[na

---

...]

×

ati

atti

+

(a)lan

allan

×

tabu

Tæby.

+

Jarlabanki had these stones raised in memory of himself while alive and made this bridge for his spirit ... owned all of Tábýr.

U 212

This runestone is located at the church of Vallentuna, but it is not known where its original location was. A notable aspect of the stone is the fact that it is engraved on both sides (A and B) and that the small difference between the messages is of note. On side A, he is in possession of all of Täby and here the Old Norse verb eiga can be interpreted as "to own", but on side B, he was in possession of the whole hundred. In the last sense, the verb eiga probably means "to command". The latter side also informs that the rune stone was raised where he had made the assembly location of the hundred. Side B is later than side A and it was probably made after a piece of the stone had been destroyed, as is suggested by its design. Jarlabanke's power had been extended from the village of Täby to the whole hundred. Side A is in the style Pr2 (first half of the 11th century) and side B is in the style Pr2-Pr3 (mid-11th century).

A

×

iarlibaki

Iarlabanki

×

lit

let

×

raisa

ræisa

×

stan

stæin

+

þina

þenna

×

a...

a[t

...

sik

...kuan

kvi]kvan.

+

han

Hann

×

ati

atti

ain

æinn

×

tabu

Tæby

×

alan

allan.

×

-...

[Guð

...

hialpi]

ont

and

hans

hans.

+

Jarlabanki had this stone raised in memory of himself while alive. He alone owned all of Tábýr. May God help his spirit.

B

×

iarlabaki

Iarlabanki

×

lit

let

raisa

ræisa

×

stain

stæin

×

þin-

þenn[a]

at

sik

kuikuan

kvikvan,

×

auk

ok

×

þinkstaþ

þingstað

×

þina

þenna

×

karþi

gærði,

+

auk

ok

×

ain

æinn

ati

atti

+

alt

allt

hu-(t)ari

hu[n]dari

×

þita

þetta.

+

Jarlabanki had this stone raised in memory of himself while alive and made this Assembly-place, and alone owned all of this Hundred.

U 216

This runestone was found at the church of Vallentuna, but it is presently stored inside the community pharmacy of Vallentuna. It is raised by a man having a Christian name, Johan, in memory of his father Eysteinn. This Eysteinn is believed to be the son of Jarlabanke's son Ingifastr. It is in the style Pr5 (late 11th or early 12th century).

iuan

Ioan

÷

lit

let

÷

raisa

ræisa

'

staina

stæina

+

ef...

æf[tiʀ]

'

ay(s)-(a)in

Øys[t]æin,

+

faþur

faður

'

sin

sinn.

÷

drosboi

Drosboi

÷

risti

risti.

Jóhan had the stones raised in memory of Eysteinn, his father. Drósbúi carved.

U 217

This runestone was found in the church of Vallentuna, but it has disappeared. It was raised to commemorate that an Ingifastr had made a bridge, and this Ingifastr is held to be Jarlabanke's son, and the father of the Eysteinn mentioned on the previous rune stone. The reason for connecting the people mentioned on these stones is their location and the fact that U 216 and U 217 were both carved by the runemaster Drósbúi.

ikifastr

Ingifastr

lit

let

bro

kiarua

gærva

iftʀ

æftiʀ

*

s...

...

Ingifastr had the bridge made in memory of ...

U 261

This runestone is located at the church of Fresta, and it is possibly in the style Pr2-Pr3 (mid-11th century). It is an additional rune stone raised by Jarlabanke is memory of himself, while he was alive, and that mentions that he was the sole owner of Täby.

iarlaba...

Iarlaba[nki]

lit

let

×

raisa

ræisa

×

s[taina

stæina

×

þasa

þessa

×

a]t

at

sik

×

kuikuan

kvikvan,

×

¶

auk

ok

×

bru

bro

×

þisa

þessa

×

karþi

gærði

×

fur

fyr

ont

and

[×]

s[in]a

sina,

×

auk

ok

×

ain

æinn

ati

atti

alan

allan

tabu

Tæby.

Jarlabanki had these stones raised in memory of himself while alive and made this bridge for his spirit, and (he) alone owned all of Tábýr.

Notes and references

^ Barnskelett från järnåldern unikt fynd, an article in Svenska Dagbladet (May 29, 2007), retrieved July 7, 2007.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Hadenius, Nilsson & Åselius 53.
^ ^a ^b ^c Pritsak 1981:389
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f The article Jarlabankestenarna in Nationalencyklopedin.
^ Pritsak 1981:388