Snottsta and Vreta stones
The farm Snottsta sits in Uppland, Sweden, exactly where it stood one thousand years ago when the first rune stones were carved. Four distinct stones mark this homestead, known today as U 329, U 330, U 331, and U 332. Three of these stones remain visible on the farms of Snottsta and Vreta. The fourth stone, U 332, has vanished from its original spot at Vreta. A dirt road runs beside U 329, while U 330 rests at the foot of a hill within a field. These physical locations anchor the story of Gerlög and Inga to the very soil they once owned.
Scholars classify the carvings on these four stones using the runestone style Pr3. This specific artistic classification places their creation between the years 1050 and 1080. The stones were not all made at the same time. Evidence suggests U 329 was carved first, followed by U 20/21, with Gerlög's Hillersjö stone being the final piece added to the sequence. The younger futhark script used in these inscriptions speaks Old Norse, preserving the family history for over nine centuries.
Ragnfast died without leaving a son named in the text, yet his widow Inga inherited the estate. The central message across multiple stones confirms that she took ownership after her husband passed away. One inscription at Vreta explicitly states that she inherited her child. Another stone notes that Ragnfast was the sole inheritor of Snottsta from his father Sigfast. This legal succession meant Inga held the property rights while her husband's sisters remained excluded from the inheritance claim.
A woman named Estrid appears on U 329 as the sister of Ragnfast. She likely married Östen of Täby before taking a second husband near Harg. This Estrid connects the Snottsta family to the powerful Jarlabanke clan through maternal lines. Her name links to other runestones found in Täby and surrounding areas like Broby bro and Hargs bro. A runemaster named Fot carved both the Snottsta stones and those belonging to the Jarlabanke clan, suggesting a shared origin for Estrid herself.
U 329 stands beside a field and records the names of Ragnfastr's two sisters, Gyríðr and Ástríðr. U 330 describes how Inga raised this stone together with a bridge and other markers to honor her husband. It also mentions Assurr, known as a housecarl or professional warrior who served Ragnfastr. U 331 differs by being a flat rock rather than an upright stone, noting that Ragnfastr was the only heir of his father Sigfastr. The final stone, U 332, is now lost but once declared that both Inga and Ragnfastr had died while their children were already gone.
The rune stone at Vreta disappeared from its original location before modern times. Its design and text survive only through an eighteenth-century drawing made by a sketch artist. This visual record allows historians to know what the inscription said about Inga inheriting her dead husband and children. Other inscriptions mention staffs raised in memory of the dead, such as Sö 196 in Kolsundet or Vs 1 in Stora Ryttern. The family saga concludes on the Hillersjö stone, which states that Inga died without living children and property passed to her mother Gerlög on Färingsö island.
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Common questions
Where are the Snottsta and Vreta stones located today?
The farm Snottsta sits in Uppland, Sweden, exactly where it stood one thousand years ago when the first rune stones were carved. Three of these stones remain visible on the farms of Snottsta and Vreta while U 332 has vanished from its original spot at Vreta.
When were the Snottsta and Vreta stones created according to scholars?
Scholars classify the carvings on these four stones using the runestone style Pr3 which places their creation between the years 1050 and 1080. Evidence suggests U 329 was carved first followed by U 20/21 with Gerlög's Hillersjö stone being the final piece added to the sequence.
Who inherited the estate after Ragnfast died without a son named in the text?
Ragnfast died without leaving a son named in the text yet his widow Inga inherited the estate. The central message across multiple stones confirms that she took ownership after her husband passed away while her husband's sisters remained excluded from the inheritance claim.
How does Estrid connect the Snottsta family to the Jarlabanke clan?
A woman named Estrid appears on U 329 as the sister of Ragnfast who likely married Östen of Täby before taking a second husband near Harg. Her name links to other runestones found in Täby and surrounding areas like Broby bro and Hargs bro while a runemaster named Fot carved both the Snottsta stones and those belonging to the Jarlabanke clan suggesting a shared origin for Estrid herself.
What happened to the children of Inga and Ragnfastr according to the lost U 332 stone?
The final stone U 332 is now lost but once declared that both Inga and Ragnfastr had died while their children were already gone. The family saga concludes on the Hillersjö stone which states that Inga died without living children and property passed to her mother Gerlög on Färingsö island.
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