Källby Runestones

The Källby Runestones are two Viking Age memorial runestones located in Källby, Västra Götaland County, Sweden, which was in the historic province of Västergötland.

Västergötland Runic Inscription 55 or Vg 55 is the Rundata designation for an inscription consisting of runic text in the younger futhark inscribed on two serpents that frame a cross. The inscription, which is on a sandstone stone that is 4.4 meters in height, is classified as being carved in Runestone style Pr2, which is also known as Ringerike style. This is the classification for inscriptions where the text bands have attached serpent heads depicted as seen from above. Vg 55 has been known since the Swedish runestone surveys of the 16th century, and was described by Ole Worm in 1555. Although carved in sandstone, an inspection in 1995-96 found that 84% of the runes were intact.

The runic text states that the stone was raised by two sons named Ulfr and Ragnarr in memory of their father Fari, who is described as being a Christian and having "good belief in God". The inscription has been noted as evidence of the influence of Christian ethics in the meaning of "good" in Viking Age Sweden.

Västergötland Runic Inscription 56 or Vg 56 is the Rundata listing for an inscription consisting of runic text in the younger futhark carved in two text bands on the right edge of a sandstone stone 3.1 meters in height that depicts the figure of a man holding a stick and wearing a large belt and headdress with antlers. Because of the belt, the figure has sometimes been identified as the Norse pagan god Thor, who has a belt called Megingjörð that increases his strength. Another suggestion is that the figure represents the man memorialized in the runic text who is depicted in shaman attire performing a ritual. The stone was originally located at Skavums, and was moved to its current location across the road from Vg 55 in 1669.

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