The Sparlösa inscription probably dates to c. 800 AD. In the first part, æirikis sunr has been understood as ‘Erik’s son’, but it makes more sense to interpret it as ‘the king’s son’, with æirikir meaning: ‘sole ruler’, i.e. ‘king’. The initial letter ᴀ is followed by a punctuation mark, which probably indicates it to be read twice, firstly as the name of the rune: ar ‘good year, good harvest’ and secondly as the first letter of the name Æiuls, a form of Æiwisl. The sentence should accordingly be interpreted: ‘Ävisel, the king’s son, gave good harvest. Alrik [also] gave.’ Since it is stated that Alrik had the runes carved for Ävisel, the conclusion is that Alrik was the king. Thus, the Sparlösa stone was erected by a father for his deceased son, just as the Rök stone. The byname of Alrik, written lubu and lu--ʀ, probably was lyᵬ(i)r < *luᵬjar, nomen agentis to Old Norse lyfja ‘heal by magic’. Later in the inscription, Alrik is also called frøyr ‘lord’ and faðir ‘father’. Towards the end, there is half a stanza in fornyrðislag, which here is interpreted as: Sægs nu frøyi/þat sigmærr hæiti/magur æirikis,/mæginjaru þunna ‘It is now said to the lord that famous for victories the king’s son should be called in the great battle of dins’. This probably means that although Ävisel is dead, the king is comforted by the prospect that his son will, as being famous for victories, fight with the einherjar at the din of weapons of the last great battle at Ragnarök. Again, this has a parallel in the Rök inscription.
To investigate a plateau at the Viking Age settlement of Birka-Korshamn, Björkö, Sweden a 31 x 16 m terrace was surveyed with a single-channel ground-penetrating radar (GPR). A 500 MHz antenna was used to detect archaeological features. The research questions aimed to investigate any remains of archaeological activities in connection to an earlier identified wharf, establish a stratigraphy, get information about the geology and compare the data with other archaeological sources, e.g. LiDAR, aerial photographs, inventories and excavations. The survey identified two unregistered burial mounds not visible above the ground connecting the large burial fields at the site while house structures connected to the terrace were more difficult to establish even if the data clearly indicates several archaeological features.
This article discusses a previously overlooked find from a cairn at Igelsta- 1943, several graves in a large cemetery were excavated here, one of which yielded a Roman cauldron along with mounts for two drinking horns. Hide fragments found beneath the cauldron were initially interpreted as the remains of a bear pelt. However, a re-examination of the finds at the National Historical Museum of Sweden in 2023 revealed that the hide fragments were actually parts of a shoe dating from around 70-250 AD. The shoe design has some parallels in Roman material. Further, the construction history of the monumental grave where the fragments were found appears to be more complex than previously assumed. Radio carbon dating indicates the cremated bones found near the cauldron belonged to an earlier burial. The presence of the shoe, along with high-status artefacts, suggests this is one of the most spectacular Early Iron Age contexts in the eastern part of central Sweden. The burial reflects both local traditions and Roman influences, suggesting a hybrid ritual practice that underscores the cultural and symbolic significance of footwear in the Early Iron Age.
