Synopses & Reviews
This is the first historical study of the whole body of late Viking runic inscription stones in Scandinavia. The 2300 inscriptions yield unexpected information on a wide range of topics, including the conversion of Scandinavia to Christianity, the growth of royal power and, most important of all, the inheritance customs of the period.
Review
"[Sawyer's] work...puts the English-speaking reader for the first time in possession of the basic information painstakingly recorded by Scandinavian scholars, as well as providing an entirely fresh and convincing explanation of the Viking Age corpus.... A model of patient and dispassionate research in a potentially exciting and contested area."--Times Literary Supplement
"This is a stimulating book, challenging accepted interpretations and suggesting new sources for Viking Age social history."--Times Higher Education Supplement
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
Chapter I. Rune Stones, their distribution and historical background
1. The rune-stones and their distribution
2. Previous work
3. Why were the rune-stones erected?
4. Historical background
Chapter II. Presentation of the corpus and its subgroup: bases of analyses
THE CORPUS
5. Variables
6. General features
7. Regional groupings
8. Chronology and dating problems
THE SUBGROUP AND CATEGORIES OF RELATIONSHIP
9. The nature of relationships between sponsors and deceased
10. Sponsorship patterns
11. Complex relationships
BASES OF ANALYSES
12. Inscriptions
13. Relationships
Chapter III. Property and inheritance
THE INSCRIPTIONS AS DECLARATIONS OF INHERITANCE
14. Formulation
15. Additional references 16.One or more
16. One or more sponsors
17. The order in which sponsors are mentioned
18. Two or more inscriptions interpreted together
19. The sponsorship pattern as reflecting property rights
THE SPONSORS AS HOLDERS OF JOINT OR INHERITED PROPERTY
20. Joint ownership
21. Inheritance customs
22. Unspecified relationships
23. Conclusion
Chapter IV. Inheritance: customs and law
24. Inheritance and other devolutions of property
25. The runic evidence
26. Gradual and parentela principles
27. The sponsorship patterns inheritance principles used? 29. The laws 30. Sponsorship
28. Why were different inheritance principles used?
29. The laws
30. Sponsorship patterns and the laws
31. Differences within Uppland
32. Conclusion
Chapter V. Society and status
33. Sponsors and deceased
34. Titlebearers
35. Epithets
36. Thegns and drengs
37. 'Boni homines'
38. Women
as landholders 39. Travellers 40. Conclusions
Chapter VI. Conversion
41. Transition: pagan and/or Christian? 43. Christian features 44. Conclusion
42. Pagan features
43. Christian features
44. Conclusion
Chapter VII. Conclusion and future research
45. The rune-stone fashion
46. Late Viking Age society
47. Future research
Excursus: The tug of war over Thyre
Sources
Appendices
Catalogue
Explanatory Notes
Denmark and Bornholm
Norway
Sweden (excluding Uppland)
Uppland
References