The Kensington Rune Stone: The Christian Ogdoad, Allegory, and Testament of the North American Baptistery (Rev. A) (2024)

The Kensington Rune Stone: A Study Guide

Many North Americans, especially in the Upper Midwest, have heard about a mysterious carved stone that was discovered in Douglas County, Minnesota, in 1898. It was incised with 207 Scandinavian letters (known as runes), three Latin letters (A V M), and twelve numeral characters (pentadic numerals). The stone can be seen in the Runestone Museum in Alexandria, Minnesota. Hereafter it is referred to as KRS (Kensington Rune Stone, after Kensington, a town near the farm where it was found). Opinions about this monument range from a resolute belief in its genuineness and significance (often stated as evidence of Viking presence in the fourteenth century), at one extreme, and scornful vilification as a clumsy hoax, at the other. My goal in this essay is not to support a “blind faith” in the authenticity of the KRS, but to emphasize that opinions on this issue vary widely, and that the decision between authenticity and forgery should not be based on an uncritical belief, in either direction, but on a sober and objective assessment of the evidence for and against. Respected scholars, such as Adolf Noreen, Erik Wahlgren, Theodore Blegen, and Einar Haugen, have written in favor of the hoax theory, while other equally esteemed academics, like Sivert Hagen, William Thalbitzer, Robert A. Hall Jr., and Alice Beck Kehoe, have argued that the scale tips toward authenticity. How then are we to decide? If the rejection of the KRS is based on a false objection, like the widely believed but long discredited notion that the text contained English words, is this not just as unsound as a “belief” in the KRS based on a false premise like ethnic pride? I suggest we put away all emotionally based reactions. The Kensington Rune Stone is an empirical problem, not a matter of belief or disbelief.

Resurrection: The Medieval Authenticity of the Spirit Pond Rune Stones (Appendices)

The Spirit Pond Rune Stones (SPR), four runic inscribed artifacts, were discovered in May 1971 in Phippsburg, Maine. Walter Elliott, a handyman whose formal education ended after his sophomore year of high school, was combing the western shoreline of Spirit Pond looking for Native American arrowheads when he chanced upon the inscribed stones. The Maine State Museum (MSM) initiated an investigation into whether the artifacts were authentic, or hoaxed. Two experts were hired to examine the artifacts. Dr. William Young of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston engaged in a geologic analysis of the inscribed marks, the focus being whether evidence existed to date the marks. Dr. Young was unable to make a determination and did not generate a formal report of his findings of fact. Dr. Einar Haugen of Harvard University assessed the runic inscriptions, producing a report that concluded the inscriptions had been hoaxed. Haugen’s May 1972 report was a fair assessment for that era, however, subsequent advances in runic scholarship objectively demonstrate that Haugen’s findings were flawed – and cannot be accepted today. In the late 1980s and the decade of the 1990s, American archaeologists – through innuendo and hearsay – came to accusing Walter Elliott as the hoaxer of the SPR, an opinion that Dr. Haugen, in his May 1972 “Confidential” report to the MSM, explicitly rejected. The Spirit Pond Rune Stones (SPR) are authentic medieval artifacts. The four runic-inscribed stones found in May 1971 by Walter Elliott are the surviving relics of a hús-vitjan (svitlg) journey to North America and Narragansett Bay. The stones describe four geographical locations along the northeastern seaboard: the Bay of Fundy (hrinikin), the grazing land (vinnant) fronting and within the tidal inlet (hóp, hoop) at Spirit Pond (Phippsburg, Maine), the intermediate waypoint (tvau: takh) at the northern tip of Cape Cod of the sail from Spirit Pond to Narragansett Bay, and then the region of Narragansett Bay (vist: 12: nor 10) where the North American Baptistery (Newport Tower) (haladhir mirainbadhum) was located. The journey that began in 1401 AD (1010) was ill-fated – the crew never made it home. The last scribed entry date was 1402 AD (1011), the inscribed stones abandoned on the western shoreline of Spirit Pond. The attributes of the various inscriptions were fused with Christian elements (two versions of the Ogdoad-rune, three references to the Virgin Mary, and multiple references to the baptistery (haladhir (cave, Sepulchre), badhum (bath, cleansing), lag (lauger, Holy well)). Two terms related to Norse mythology (pagan) are present in the inscription (odin and aki (Ægir). The Christian Ogdoad, representing the Eighth Day of Easter in Christianity, traces back in history through Gnostic concepts of the heavens and the earth and other pre-Christian deities. This work deconstructs the events surrounding the discovery, examination, and the erroneous judgement that the SPR were hoaxed artifacts. A detailed study of the runic inscriptions on each of the four stones was executed using modern day tools that did not exist in the 1970s. The scribed words, along with the infused symbolism on the artifacts, were assessed against the historical context of Medieval Era geodesy, navigation, cartography, and Christianity. The study is presented in two files, the first being the Main Body (chapters) and the second being the Appendices. (1) Main Body: Google Drive Microsoft Word, pp. 216 (114.7 MB): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P1tumYtMqcqV_r6l390Xe4a_Bbb1mCVw/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108078659971084354140&rtpof=true&sd=true (1a) Main Body: Google Drive PDF, pp. 216 (23.4 MB): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Yv7cz0J2dPkqyXpN_orNgP9OWo7LvoRE/view?usp=sharing (2) Appendices: Google Drive Microsoft Word, pp. 231 (117 MB): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eR1nuR16bioaXg8NkCgci3g8mJEcZ6dE/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108078659971084354140&rtpof=true&sd=true (2a) Appendices: Google Drive PDF, pp. 231 (51.6 MB): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R8LZlg8HX4Xrx-mlrJkQyg2D4ACJNzaZ/view?usp=sharing

Resurrection: The Medieval Authenticity of the Spirit Pond Rune Stones (Main body)

The Spirit Pond Rune Stones (SPR), four runic inscribed artifacts, were discovered in May 1971 in Phippsburg, Maine. Walter Elliott, a handyman whose formal education ended after his sophomore year of high school, was combing the western shoreline of Spirit Pond looking for Native American arrowheads when he chanced upon the inscribed stones. The Maine State Museum (MSM) initiated an investigation into whether the artifacts were authentic, or hoaxed. Two experts were hired to examine the artifacts. Dr. William Young of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston engaged in a geologic analysis of the inscribed marks, the focus being whether evidence existed to date the marks. Dr. Young was unable to make a determination and did not generate a formal report of his findings of fact. Dr. Einar Haugen of Harvard University assessed the runic inscriptions, producing a report that concluded the inscriptions had been hoaxed. Haugen’s May 1972 report was a fair assessment for that era, however, subsequent advances in runic scholarship objectively demonstrate that Haugen’s findings were flawed – and cannot be accepted today. In the late 1980s and the decade of the 1990s, American archaeologists – through innuendo and hearsay – came to accusing Walter Elliott as the hoaxer of the SPR, an opinion that Dr. Haugen, in his May 1972 “Confidential” report to the MSM, explicitly rejected. The Spirit Pond Rune Stones (SPR) are authentic medieval artifacts. The four runic-inscribed stones found in May 1971 by Walter Elliott are the surviving relics of a hús-vitjan (svitlg) journey to North America and Narragansett Bay. The stones describe four geographical locations along the northeastern seaboard: the Bay of Fundy (hrinikin), the grazing land (vinnant) fronting and within the tidal inlet (hóp, hoop) at Spirit Pond (Phippsburg, Maine), the intermediate waypoint (tvau: takh) at the northern tip of Cape Cod of the sail from Spirit Pond to Narragansett Bay, and then the region of Narragansett Bay (vist: 12: nor 10) where the North American Baptistery (Newport Tower) (haladhir mirainbadhum) was located. The journey that began in 1401 AD (1010) was ill-fated – the crew never made it home. The last scribed entry date was 1402 AD (1011), the inscribed stones abandoned on the western shoreline of Spirit Pond. The attributes of the various inscriptions were fused with Christian elements (two versions of the Ogdoad-rune, three references to the Virgin Mary, and multiple references to the baptistery (haladhir (cave, Sepulchre), badhum (bath, cleansing), lag (lauger, Holy well)). Two terms related to Norse mythology (pagan) are present in the inscription (odin and aki (Ægir). The Christian Ogdoad, representing the Eighth Day of Easter in Christianity, traces back in history through Gnostic concepts of the heavens and the earth and other pre-Christian deities. This work deconstructs the events surrounding the discovery, examination, and the erroneous judgement that the SPR were hoaxed artifacts. A detailed study of the runic inscriptions on each of the four stones was executed using modern day tools that did not exist in the 1970s. The scribed words, along with the infused symbolism on the artifacts, were assessed against the historical context of Medieval Era geodesy, navigation, cartography, and Christianity. The study is presented in two files, the first being the Main Body (chapters) and the second being the Appendices. (1) Main Body: Google Drive Microsoft Word, pp. 216 (114.7 MB): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P1tumYtMqcqV_r6l390Xe4a_Bbb1mCVw/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108078659971084354140&rtpof=true&sd=true (1a) Main Body: Google Drive PDF, pp. 216 (23.4 MB): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Yv7cz0J2dPkqyXpN_orNgP9OWo7LvoRE/view?usp=sharing (2) Appendices: Google Drive Microsoft Word, pp. 231 (117 MB): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eR1nuR16bioaXg8NkCgci3g8mJEcZ6dE/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108078659971084354140&rtpof=true&sd=true (2a) Appendices: Google Drive PDF, pp. 231 (51.6 MB): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R8LZlg8HX4Xrx-mlrJkQyg2D4ACJNzaZ/view?usp=sharing

The Narragansett Rune Stone: SIGGNÆ ROEZ LIGNÆ and the Ogdoad

This 136-page paper deconstructs the history, runes, Christian symbols, design, and up until now, the unsuccessful attempts to transliterate and translate the runic inscription of the Narragansett Rune Stone (NRS), a runic inscribed stone re-discovered on the shores of Narragansett Bay in 1984. The symbolism of the enigmatic rune form, an X with a tallymark on its upper right stave, has been decisively established. The newly-termed ogdoad-rune, representing Christ, Easter, resurrection, and the Christian rite of baptism, through its design and placement in the inscription, speaks decisively of the 13th century constructed baptistery on the east side of Narragansett Bay – the Newport Tower. Historical cartographic and literary works, spanning from the 13th through 17th centuries decisively support the authors’ assertions. Additional analysis establishes that the other two North American rune stones with the ogdoad rune, are authentic late 14th/early 15th century artifacts that attest to European knowledge and exploration of North America. 136 pages 130+ images, illustrations, graphics 7 appendices 137 endnotes The MS Word and Adobe PDF files of this paper may be downloaded from the author’s (Shekleton) Google Drive: Microsoft Word (58.2 MB): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oG_DuQCVLFBLlb0NKA15b-xAJHF3t4b7/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108078659971084354140&rtpof=true&sd=true Adobe PDF (74.3 MB): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c-muLUKq6jAquS3lzigRa_28JzwY32aN/view?usp=sharing 29Sep22 Update: Added detail to Appendix A photo captions.

The Heavener Rune Stone Evidence of a Pre-Viking Age Visit to North America, or A Modern-Day Runic Inscription

Harvard Lecture, 2014

This paper presented to the 6th annual Runic Colloquium at Harvard University on March 11, 2104 examines the current state of the research into the Heavener Runestone, a runic inscription purportedly carved by Vikings using Elder Futhark runes.

An Archaeologist Looks at the Oklahoma Runestones ESOP 29, 2011: 5-43

ESOP (Epigraphic Society Occasional Publications), 2011

Abstract: A number of purported rune stones exist in Oklahoma. In this paper each stone is physically examined, linguistically analyzed, and compared with Norse predecessors to determine if there is any evidence of them being of Viking origin. First documented in 1923, the Heavener Rune Stone is the earliest known inscription. The veracity of the Heavener stone as a Viking artifact is problematic. The linguistic evidence is ambiguous. However, historical evidence from the 19th century covering both the Viking Revival, Scandinavian immigration, and the lack of archaeological evidence of Norse excursions to the Western US, strongly suggests the stone is a 19th creation of a Scandinavian immigrant (likely a Swedish immigrant working at the local train depot). The Shawnee and Pawnee stones can be shown via linguistic and physical evidence to be modern creations. Heavener Rune Stones Two and Three are much earlier and are most likely of non-runic Native American creation.

The Kensington Runestone: Geological Evidence of a Hoax

The Minnesota Archaeologist, 2020

The Kensington Runestone is a sandstone tablet purported to have been unearthed in 1898 near Kensington, Minnesota. Its inscription in runic and Latin letters self-dates to 1362 C.E. Analyses of the geology, geological provenance, fabrication, and lack of weathering show it consistent with an 1898 date and not a 1362 date. The flagstone that was used as the raw material is not native to the Kensington area. Tool impressions and other features of its fabrication are consistent with nineteenth century practice, not fourteenth century practice. All of the letters are virtually unweathered. A calcite-rich coating covers the lower left corner of the front. This coating is consistent with stucco applied to the surface of the sandstone. This coating is less weathered than the calcite in 61-year old marble tombstones found in Minnesota, so it could not have been exposed for 536 years. It is well established from karst geology that calcite weathers at least one and a half times faster below ground than at the surface, so if the artifact were buried for any length of time, its calcite-rich coating, including its inscription, would have been obliterated. This artifact was created near the time of its discovery, and is a late nineteenth century hoax.

Review of David M. Krueger's Myths of the Rune Stone: Viking Martyrs and the Birthplace of America

A New Interpretation of the Depictions on the Sparlösa Rune Stone in Sweden- extended version

Work and Worship: Laser Scanner Analysis of Viking Age Rune Stones (Summary)

2002

Abstract This is a study of division of collaboration on Viking age and Early Middle age rune stones. For this study, a method for surface structure analysis by laser scanning has been employed. The aim with this method is to distinguish between individual rune carvers in rock by their cutting techniques, as witnessed by the cut marks. The probability of the existence of individual cutting techniques is supported by neurophysiological and psychological kinetic research on individual motor performance. Conclusions of stylistic and runological studies of regional or chronological issues concerning rune stones often include a reservation for the possibility of individual variation. Attributions and dating are closely related to individual, chronological, regional and functional variation. Technical analysis of the cutting techniques have come to be regarded as a hypothetical but unachievable means to distinguish between individuals. One of the complicating factors is individual variability, due to aging, increasing skill, sickness, fatigue or change of tools. The method has been developed and tested by analyses of a recently cut reference material and on the Sparlösa Monument from 9th c. AD, a rune stone where it is known that a part of the inscription has been added at a later occasion. The usefulness of the method is discussed in terms of hit accuracy in classification, individual variability and how sources of errors such as weathering and treading may effect the variables that are used to characterise the cut marks. The hypotheses that have been tested are if collaboration on rune stones can be made visible by a surface structure analysis, if certain parts of the ornament or inscription have been added at a later occasion and if there is a division of labour that is similar on rune stones dating to the early and the late Viking age. The study material is mainly collected by plasteline casts from 11th. c. AD rune stones in Uppland, Sweden. These have been compared to rune stones in other regions. Results have shown that individuals may be distinguishable by their cut marks in spite of their increasing skill and even though they have exchanged their tools. There are several instances of collaboration on rune stones of the 11th c. AD, and this also occurs in the 9th c. AD. Only in one instance, the cross appears to have been cut after the rune stone was erected. The signatures are often less deeply cut than the rest of the inscripion. As compared to the rune stones in other regions, the carvers in Uppland seem to have been influenced by one another. In interpretation of the results, the assumption that the Christianisation of Central Sweden was influenced by missionaries in England, has directed the focal point to the circumstances of stone sculpture production in England and the British Isles. This stone sculpture was mainly produced by workshops of carvers associated to the monastries. The common occurence of collaboration has been interpreted as a support for the hypothesis that rune stones have been produced by workshops. These workshops may reflect ecclesiastic organisation and activities, possibly those of an early monastic community. Keywords: rune stone, petroglyph, laserscanner, surface structure analysis, cutting technique, Viking Age, Early Middle Age, individual, workshop, school.