New app guides to Swedish runestones

Published 15 June 2024 at 17.26

Cultural news. Are you interested in rune stones? Then you should download the “Svenska runestones” app. With the help of an interactive map, you can see exactly where there are rune stones in Sweden – you will find out if it is easy to get there and in what condition the stone is.

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The app, which is the first of its kind, was developed by run researcher Sofia Pereswetoff-Morath at Stockholm University.

Today, it contains 1,300 of Sweden's approximately 2,000 runestones – all the runestones that are available in Norrland (Gästrikland, Medelpad and Hälsingland) and Svealand (Uppland, Södermanland, Västmanland, Värmland and Närke). In autumn 2024, Götaland will also come.

The app is unique because it is the first time that the user gets to know not only where the stone is located, but also what condition the stone is in. The user receives information about whether the stone is painted or not (if you have filled in color that has faded) and whether it is intact or damaged. All runestones included in the app are rated 1-5 stars depending on their condition, with five stars indicating a perfect destination while one star means the runestone is indistinguishable from a normal stone.

– It is difficult to find rune stones even if you are very interested. Many stones have been moved and do not remain in their original places. Other stones have disappeared and I have seen people try to find them even though the stones are no longer there. It can get confusing, says Sofia Pereswetoff-Morath in a dispatch.

The app therefore only shows the runestones that remain and are available for a visit – no missing stones are included in the app. In this way, it will be easier for the public to plan and carry out a runestone excursion, for example for a family or school class.

– Runestones usually have information signs, but many stones now lack a sign or the sign is destroyed by weather and wind. Even if the sign exists, it often contains outdated information. With digital signage in the app, I can update the runestone's text, reading and the interpretation of the content at any time, and the user always receives up-to-date information about the runestone.

There will also be a reporting function in the app where visitors to a runestone can report if something in the guide is incorrect.