Location: Thyrasvej 1, Jelling, Southern Denmark Map
The Jelling Runic Stones are two massive carved runestones from the
10th century, located in the town of Jelling in central Jutland,
Denmark. These stones are pivotal artifacts from the Viking Age,
symbolizing the transition from Norse paganism to Christianity in
Scandinavia. The smaller stone was erected by King Gorm the Old in
memory of his wife Thyra, while the larger one was raised by their
son, King Harald Bluetooth, to honor his parents, commemorate his
conquests, and proclaim the Christianization of the Danes. Together
with the adjacent burial mounds and the small Romanesque church, the
site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, recognized
for its unique representation of both pagan Nordic culture and the
emerging Christian influences.
The stones stand as some of the
most famous runic inscriptions in Denmark, often referred to as
"Denmark's baptismal certificate" due to their explicit mention of
the country's conversion to Christianity—a phrase popularized by art
historian Rudolf Broby-Johansen in the 1930s. The site, which
includes remnants of a large stone ship setting and palisade
fortifications, reflects Jelling's role as a royal monument during
the reigns of Gorm and Harald in the 10th century.
The Jelling stones date to the mid-10th century, a period of
significant political and religious transformation in Denmark. The
smaller stone (DR 41) is attributed to King Gorm the Old, who ruled from
around 936 to 958 CE and is considered one of the first historically
verifiable Danish kings. It was raised in memory of his wife, Queen
Thyra, who is described in the inscription as "Denmark's salvation" or
"Denmark's adornment," highlighting her influential role.
The larger
stone (DR 42) was erected around 965 CE by Harald Bluetooth (r. 958–986
CE), Gorm's son, who unified Denmark, conquered Norway, and oversaw the
widespread adoption of Christianity. This stone not only memorializes
his parents but also boasts of Harald's achievements, including making
the Danes Christian—a bold statement amid the shift from pagan beliefs.
The site's broader complex includes two large burial mounds: the North
Mound, traditionally associated with Gorm and Thyra (though excavations
in the 1820s and 1940s revealed no burials there, suggesting they may
have been moved to the church), and the South Mound, built over a Bronze
Age barrow. Archaeological evidence from the 2000s, including
dendrochronology, dates wooden structures at the site to around 958–959
CE, aligning with Harald's reign and indicating a massive palisade
enclosure that once surrounded the area.
Jelling was likely a power
center for the Jelling Dynasty, and the stones mark the consolidation of
royal authority. Recent interpretations suggest the stones were part of
a larger ideological project to legitimize Harald's rule by blending
pagan and Christian elements.
Both stones are made of local granite and have been exposed to the
elements for over a millennium, resulting in weathering, cracks, and
some erosion of the carvings. The smaller stone (Gorm's stone) is
roughly triangular, measuring about 2.43 meters (8 feet) in height and
weighing around 10 tons. It features runes on two sides, with simpler,
more straightforward inscriptions and no elaborate imagery.
The
larger stone (Harald's stone) is significantly more imposing, standing
approximately 2.43 meters tall but broader and heavier at about 10–15
tons. It is a three-sided runestone with inscriptions wrapping around
its faces. One side depicts a stylized figure of Christ crucified,
entangled in branches or vines, symbolizing the Christian faith. Another
side shows a mythical beast—a serpent entwined with a lion-like
creature—representing pagan motifs, possibly alluding to Norse mythology
such as the Midgard Serpent or the struggle between chaos and order. The
carvings were originally painted in bright colors, traces of which have
been detected through modern analysis.
The Christ figure is
notable for its fusion of Christian iconography with Norse elements,
such as the absence of a cross and the branch entanglement, which may
parallel the myth of Odin hanging from Yggdrasil in the Hávamál.
The Jelling stones are emblematic of Denmark's formation as a
nation-state and the Christianization process. Harald's inscription is
seen as a political manifesto, asserting territorial control and
religious reform. They bridge pagan and Christian worlds, with the
larger stone's imagery blending Norse beasts and Christian crucifixion
scenes. Beyond history, the stones inspired modern culture: in 1997, a
photo of the larger stone's intertwined beast motif influenced the
Bluetooth technology logo, symbolizing the "unification" of devices,
much like Harald unified Denmark.
The site attracts tourists and
scholars, offering insights into Viking society, and replicas exist
worldwide, including in the National Museum of Denmark, Utrecht
(Netherlands), and even on Danish passports (featuring the Christ
image).
After centuries outdoors, the stones showed signs of deterioration by
the early 2000s, prompting UNESCO experts in 2008 to recommend
protection from weathering. In 2011, the larger stone was vandalized
with green spray paint reading "GELWANE" (a meaningless word) by a
teenager; the damage was quickly cleaned as the paint hadn't set.
To
preserve them, the Danish Heritage Agency commissioned a protective
glass and bronze casing, completed based on a design by Nobel
Architects. This climate-controlled enclosure maintains stable
temperature and humidity, shielding the stones while allowing public
viewing. The anti-reflective glass and patina bronze complement the
stones' colors, ensuring their longevity.
Using the Younger Futhark alphabet common in the Viking period, the
stones provide some of the first written mentions of "Denmark" as a
cohesive realm. Here are the details:
Smaller Stone (Gorm's, DR
41), Side A: kurmR : kunukR : karþi : kubl : þusi : aft : þurui : kunu :
sina : tanmarkaR but – King Gorm made this monument in memory of Thyra,
his wife, Denmark's adornment.
Smaller Stone (Gorm's, DR 41), Side B:
(No additional text; continuation from A) – (Continuation of the above).
Larger Stone (Harald's, DR 42), Side A: haraltr : kunukR : baþ : kaurua
kubl : þausi : aft : kurm faþur sin auk aft : þąurui : muþur : sina : sa
haraltr (:) ias : sąR * uan * tanmaurk – King Harald ordered this
monument made in memory of Gorm, his father, and in memory of Thyra, his
mother—that Harald who won for himself all of Denmark.
Larger Stone
(Harald's, DR 42), Side B: ala auk nuruiak – and Norway.
Larger Stone
(Harald's, DR 42), Side C: auk t(a)ni (karþi) kristną – and made the
Danes Christian.
"Danmark" appears as "tanmaurk" on the larger
stone and "tanmarkar" on the smaller, representing the earliest native
usages of the term.