Adelsö Rune Stone

     The Adelsö rune stone is one of three stamps issued in 2002 which featured artifacts from the Birka archaeological site on the island of Adelsö. This stamp, for the “economy letter rate,” was engraved by Czeslaw Slania.

     The stone shows a large dragon, around the outside edge of the stone interwoven with three smaller ones, and an inscription, which reads: “Read the runes! Tolir, Roden’s steward, had them properly carved for the King. Tolir and Gylla, a married couple, had them carved as a memorial for themselves. Håkan had it carved.”

    Håkan, the king, may be Håkan the Red, mentioned by Adam of Bremen. If that is so, the stone can be dated to about 1080 A.D.