Norway archaeologists find 'world's oldest runestone'

[Astronuc]

The runestone was discovered in the fall of 2021 during an excavation of a grave near Tyrifjord, west of Oslo, in a region known for several monumental archaeological finds. Items in the cremation pit — burnt bones and charcoal — indicate that the runes likely were inscribed between A.D. 1 and 250.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/archaeologists-in-norway-find-worlds-oldest-runestone

https://apnews.com/article/norway-oslo-31524a0dbb0405b08fb2fba6ffafdfaa

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Archaeologists in Norway said Tuesday that have found a runestone which they claim is the world’s oldest, saying the inscriptions are up to 2,000 years old and date back to the earliest days of the enigmatic history of runic writing.

The flat, square block of brownish sandstone has carved scribbles, which may be the earliest example of words recorded in writing in Scandinavia, the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo said. It said it was “among the oldest runic inscriptions ever found” and “the oldest datable runestone in the world.”

 

[Hornbein]

At 2000 years, it was said to be "several hundred centuries older than similar earliest known artifacts."

Oops.

 

[Mark44]

I hope that when the archeologists were digging it up, they didn't "rune" it...

My ex-wife used to pronounce "ruin" that way; i.e., one syllable rather than two.

 

[LittleSchwinger]

It's apparently in Proto-Germanic. Pretty interesting find.