Skern Runestone

The Skern Runestone, designated as Danish Runic Inscription 81 or DR 81 in the Rundata catalog, is a Viking Age memorial runestone located in the small village of Skjern, Denmark between Viborg and Randers. The stone features a facial mask and a runic inscription which ends in a curse. A fragment of a second runestone designated as DR 80 was also found in Skjern.

This inscription consists of runic text in the younger futhark that circles a facial mask, with text listed as line B located on the top of the stone. The inscription is classified as being carved in runestone style RAK, which is the oldest classification. This classification is used for inscriptions where the runic bands have straight ends without any attached serpent or beast heads. The facial mask on this stone is a common motif and is found on several other Scandinavian runestones including DR 62 in Sjelle, DR 66 in Århus, DR 258 in Bösarp, the now-lost DR 286 in Hunnestad, DR 314 in Lund, DR 335 in Västra Strö, Vg 106 in Lassegården, Sö 86 in Åby ägor, Sö 112 in Kolunda, Sö 167 in Landshammar, Sö 367 in Släbro, Nä 34 in Nasta, U 508 in Gillberga, U 670 in Rölunda, U 678 in Skokloster, U 824 in Holms, U 1034 in Tensta, and U 1150 in Björklinge, and on the Sjellebro Stone. The Skern Runestone was discovered in 1843 in the foundation of a staircase in the ruins of a local castle dating from the 14th century, which had been razed in 1626 during the Thirty Years War. Before the cultural and historic significance of runestones was understood, they were often re-used in the construction of roads, bridges, walls, and buildings. The inscription has been dated as being carved approximately 1000 C.E.

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