Viking Runestones – Stones that mention Scandinavians who participated in Viking expeditions in western Europe, and stones that mention men who were Viking warriors and/or died while travelling in the West.Greece Runestones – 29 Varangian runestones that talk of voyages to Greece, i.e.Serkland Runestones – six or seven runestones which are Varangian Runestones that mention voyages to Serkland, the Old Norse name for the Muslim world in the south.Ingvar Runestones – 26 Varangian runestones that were raised in commemoration of those who died in the Swedish Viking expedition to the Caspian Sea of Ingvar the Far-Travelled.Varangian Runestones – inscriptions that mention voyages to the East ( Austr) or the Eastern route ( Austrvegr).The Swedish district of Uppland has the highest concentration with as many as 1,196 inscriptions in stone, whereas Södermanland is second with 391). The number of runestones in Sweden is estimated at between 1,700 and 2,500 (depending on definition). Scandinavia proper Sweden Distribution of runestones in Sweden, the country with the highest density. The England runestones are a group of about 30 runestones located mostly in Sweden, with some in Norway, Denmark and northern Germany, which refer to Viking Age voyages to England. Younger Futhark runestones The England runestones Björketorp Runestone (transitional, 7th century).Järsberg Runestone (transitional, 6th century).Möjbro Runestone (5th or early 6th century).There is only a handful Elder Futhark (pre-Viking-Age) runestones (about eight, counting the transitional specimens created just around the beginning of the Viking Age). The vast majority of runestones date to the Viking Age. The Scandinavian Runic-text Data Base ( Samnordisk runtextdatabas) is a project involving the creation and maintenance of a database of runestones in the Rundata database. Modern runestones (as imitations or forgeries of Viking Age runestones) began to be produced in the 19th century Viking Revival. Ī small number of runestones may date to the late medieval to early modern period, such as the Fámjin stone (Faroe Islands), dated to the Reformation period. A small number predates the 9th century one of the last runestones was raised in memory of the archbishop Absalon (d. The vast majority of runestones date to the Viking Age and the period immediately following the Christianisation of Scandinavia (9th to 12th centuries).

There are scattered examples elsewhere (the Berezan' Runestone in Eastern Europe, and runic graffiti on the Piraeus Lion from Greece but today in Venice, Italy). Four have also been discovered in England, fewer than eight in Scotland and one or two in Ireland. Most of these were on the Isle of Man where 31 from the Viking era have been found. There are also runestones in other areas reached by the Viking expansion, especially in the British Isles. Denmark has 250 runestones, and Norway has 50.

The majority are found in Sweden, estimated at between 1,700 and 2,500 (depending on definition). The runestones are unevenly distributed in Scandinavia: There are about 3,000 runestones in Scandinavia (out of a total of about 6,000 runic inscriptions).

Rune stones elder futhark