MISSING!

About this picture

The picture is from the end of the 17th century and is the only one of the lost runestone that exists. The picture was published in the book Bautil from 1750.

Runic inscription

Helgi had this stone carved for Salmund, his son.
God help his spirit.

Halki : lit hakua : s-ain : þisa · at · Salmut : sua · sin ·
kuþ : hialbi : ot : hans ×

Find the runestone..!?

The missing runestone/runecarving is documented in the 17th century at the Runketorp croft/farmstead, which was located under the Torslunda estate, which is a large area.

The runestone is said to be on a large boulder or a rock by the croft. But already in the 18th century the croft had disappeared and the place forgotten... or has the croft changed its name?

Runketorp
The word "runka" means to shake or swing, something that moves.
In this case, there should be something at the croft that has these properties, such as a large boulder that can be moved or swung..

Sumprunkare
A "sumprunkare" was someone who sat and rocked the boat with live fish in small containers. By rocking the boat, the water was oxygenated and the fish stayed alive and fresh.

I'm thinking....
In the Old Town of Stockholm, where the fishermen sold their fish, there were many who worked as sumprunkare. Much of the fish sold there came from this area of ​​Lake Mälaren...

I'm thinking....
Could there have been a place with a croft on Torslunda's property where the same type of "sumprunkare" kept the fish alive even before the journey to the Old Town in Stockholm, a gathering place for several fishermen that was named Runketorp?  (just a thought).

These are the notes from the late 17th century about the runestone, Freely translated by me and Google:

1)
"The carving is on a mountain at Runketorp in Gårdslidret"
"Gårdslidret" means outbuilding/storage.

2)
On another occasion: "at Runketorp in Sånga parish"

3)
On a third occasion: "ad villain Thorslunda" which should mean "at Torslunda farm" or "on Torslunda's estates.."?

Torslunda farm remains and together with the helpful owner, Roger Wikell and I investigated a designated and promising mountain slope northeast of the farm in the spring of 2019 but without results.

In the spring of 2024, Kenneth and I searched the area east of Torslunda. Skillinge with its burial grounds was interesting, but it was Kristineberg that provided the most puzzle pieces.
 

Directly to the left of the K in the name Kristineberg on the map above is a large stone weighing on some small stones. It looks like it could be rocked if many people helped... it would then be one of the few runke-stones in the country.
 

Down by the road and the field there is a larger stone that we thought was the runestone but we were wrong... I think. The stone has everything except its size, which is often misleading in older drawings.

The stone could very well function as part of a wall in a wagon slide as stated in the description. It also stands appropriately down by the road and the edge of the field, right in front of Torslunda on the other side of the field.

Somewhere around here is the croft!

On this map from 1630 of Torslunda's estates there is Runketorp... but the croft is not marked as far as I can see and the reading is not easy but the croft is there somewhere...

If you want to study the map in full resolution? (18 MB)
You can open it here >

Runecarver: ?

Who carved the runestone at Runketorp?

Compare

When comparing the details on the runestones U 39 and U 32, it is quite easy to see that the same rune carver carved both.

The same runecarver has probably carved more runestones in Ekerö municipality.

Maybe for example runestone U 34?.

Länkar

Upplands runinskrifter > Page 52
(Swedish only)

Runor >  Riksantikvarieämbetet
(National Antiquities Board, mostly Swedish)

Google map > Approximate location
Somewhere in this area but with a radius of several kilometers, the runestone should be found.

kalle@runristare.se
If you want to be of help or have a question.
 

ALL RUNESTONES

Ekerö municipality

ADELSÖ >
has 5 known runestones

BIRKA >
has fragments from 9 known runestones

MUNSÖ >
has 3 or 4 known runestones

EKERÖ >
has 11 known runestones

FÄRINGSÖ >
has 27 known runestones

LOVÖ >
has 8 known runestones