Runestones reveal the power of a Viking queen
OCTOBER 13, 2023
by Antiquity
The Læborg Runestone, one of the Ravnunge-Tue Stones. Credit: Roberto Fortuna / CC BY-SA 4.0
Archaeologists have used 3D scanning to investigate inscriptions carved on two groups of Danish runestones, revealing that four stones were likely made in dedication to a powerful Viking Queen.
The first group, the Jelling Stones, were raised by Harald Bluetooth, the king who is credited with founding the Danish state, in commemoration of his parents Gorm and Thyra. The second group, the Ravnunge-Tue Stones, also mention a woman called Thyra.
The team theorized that these two groups of stones referred to the same person. If correct, then Thyra would be the most-mentioned person on Viking-Age Danish runestones.
"We wanted to see if we could find the same rune carver on some of these stones, so that we could connect the Ravnunge-Tue stones with the Jelling stones," says lead author of the research, Dr. Lisbeth M. Imer from the National Museum of Denmark. "If there was a connection, it would be highly likely that all the stones referred to the same woman, Thyra, mother of Harald Bluetooth."
More:
https://phys.org/news/2023-10-runestones-reveal-power-viking-queen.html
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3D scans reveal Thyra, Harald Bluetooth's mother, as the most commemorated figure on Viking runestones, underscoring women's influence in that era.
Mihai Andrei by Mihai Andrei October 13, 2023
Painting of Thyra, the first queen of Denmark. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
In a striking discovery, 3D-scanning techniques have unlocked clues to the mysterious Thyra of Viking-era Denmark, hinting at her influential role in Viking history. Long overshadowed by the famed ruler Harald Bluetooth (yes, the one Bluetooth tech is named after), the elusive figure of Thyra is now coming to light. The new study suggests that Thyra, Bluetooth's mother, is celebrated on more runestones than any other individual from that age.
If confirmed, this not only reshapes our understanding of Viking-age Denmark but also underscores the often-overlooked power and influence of women in Viking society.
Thyra the Ruler
Vikings were seafaring Norse people who originated in the Scandinavian area (today's Norway, Denmark, and Sweden). The Vikings are known for raiding and trading, but their history is rich and elaborate as well. In particular, Viking state formation (around the years 800–1050 AD) was an important moment in European history.
Harald Bluetooth (911-985), son of King Gorm and Queen Thyra is a key figure in this process. Bluetooth is more famous nowadays because of the Bluetooth wireless technology. This name for the technology was based on a metaphor: that it would unite computers and other devices just like Harald Bluetooth united the tribes of Denmark into a single kingdom.
But Thyra herself may have been even more impactful.
More:
https://www.zmescience.com/science/archaeology/thyra-viking-queen-bluetooth/