Unusual Object With Crosses And Enigmatic Runes Discovered In Sweden

AncientPages.com - It’s still possible to find interesting runes in Scandinavia. While excavating in Norrköping, Sweden, archaeologists had unearthed unusual runes that seem to have been deliberately created to protect against dark, evil forces and curses.

The belief in the power of spells is old and there are still those who think curses can be harmful.

As previously mentioned on Ancient Pages, the word "rune" comes from Old Norse and means "Secret knowledge and wisdom". The true age and origin of the runes is still shrouded in mystery.

There is a very strong connection between runes and Norse mythology. The great Norse god Odin himself was regarded as "Father of the Runes". The Vikings believed runes were created when their chief god Odin speared himself to the cosmic world tree, Yggdrasil in hopes of receiving secret knowledge.

Runes were used as a means of communication, writing, telling fortunes, protection, and casting spells.  Sometimes items with runic inscriptions were also used for medical purpose.

Interestingly, what is less known is that Vikings also used runes as modern SMS.

Sending short text messages using runes was common and a practical means of communication.

While excavating a field in Östra Eneby, close the to Swedish city of Norrköping, archaeologists found a heavy lead object at the place where a rectory once stood. 

Investigations revealed there are engraved crosses and runes on this enigmatic object. The five lines are difficult to interpret but it seems the texts says something like: “to escape safely from curses”.

Credit: Arkeologerna, SHMM

Archaeologists think the object served as some form of protection during the Middle Ages.

See also:

10 Types Of Ancient Crosses In Different Cultures Explained

10 Viking And Norse Symbols Explained

According to archaeologists Karin Lindeblad at the National Historical Museums in Sweden, this is a very unusual find. Researchers have excavated in the are for two weeks and so far, they have discovered Medieval coins and pottery.

This intriguing artifact shows that Pagan and Christian symbols co-existed for a long time in Sweden.

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