Study › Runes & Norse › The Frösö Runestone
The Frösö Runestone in Jämtland, Sweden, is one of the northernmost Viking Age runestones. It records that Östman, Gudfast's son, made Jämtland Christian.
What is the Frösö Runestone?
The Frösö Runestone stands near Frösön island in Jämtland, Sweden, and was carved around 1030–1050 CE, making it approximately 1,000 years old. It is one of the northernmost known Viking Age runestones and provides evidence of the Christianization of the region: the inscription states that Östman Gudfast's son built a bridge and helped make Jämtland Christian, giving historians valuable insight into social and religious change in medieval Scandinavia. The granite stone stands approximately 1.95 meters high and weighs an estimated 1–2 tonnes, decorated with a runic inscription and a large animal ornament typical of the late Viking Age artistic tradition.
Read the Jelling Stones, which tell of Denmark turned Christian.
Questions
What does the Frösö Runestone say?
That Östman, Gudfast's son, built a bridge and helped make Jämtland Christian.
How old is it?
About 1,000 years, from around 1030–1050 CE.