Archaeologists excavating the medieval site of Sondur on the Faroese island of Sandoy have uncovered a rare runestone, adding to growing evidence that the site may have served as a place of Christian worship during the Middle Ages.
The runestone was discovered embedded within the floor of a building revealed during this summer’s excavations. Finds of runic inscriptions are exceptionally uncommon in the Faroe Islands, making the discovery one of considerable archaeological significance.
Preliminary examination by archaeologists suggests that part of the inscription may already be legible. To obtain a more complete reading, a specialist in runic inscriptions is expected to travel to the Faroe Islands later this month to conduct a detailed study of the stone.
Because the artefact had remained in waterlogged conditions for centuries, conservators have removed it from the excavation and transferred it to the National Museum of the Faroe Islands, where it will undergo stabilisation and conservation before further analysis.
The runestone is one of several notable discoveries made during the excavation. Archaeologists have also recovered fragments of a small statuette depicting the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, together with a small lamp that may have been used to burn oil or candles.
Taken together, the finds support the interpretation that the excavated building functioned as a medieval prayer house. The structure is aligned on an east-west axis, with its entrance positioned at the western end—a layout commonly associated with medieval chapels and prayer houses throughout the Faroe Islands.
Comparable buildings have previously been identified at Bønhúsberg on Mykines, Bønhústoft in Leirvík, and Bakki at Velbastaður.
Excavations at Sondur are being carried out by the National Museum of the Faroe Islands in collaboration with Aarhus University and the Moesgaard Museum. This project is expected to last until the end of August.
The runestone will now undergo conservation and epigraphic analysis, which archaeologists hope will provide new information on the use of runic writing and the development of Christianity in the Faroe Islands during the medieval period.
Header Image Credit : Helgi Michelsen
Sources : Department of Archaeology