Fragments of inscribed flagstones

These flagstone fragments were originally from the inside walls of the chambered cairn at Maes Howe at Stenness on Orkney. During the late 11th century, Norse visitors or tomb robbers broke into Maes Howe and carved around 30 runic inscriptions.

The fragments are part of an inscription reading 'OLAFR SIGURÐARSONAR REIST RUNAR ÞESSAR)', which translates as 'Oframr Sigurtharsonr carved these runes'.

Runes are a way of representing the Roman alphabet, used in northern Europe, especially Scandinavia during the first millennium AD. Many inscriptions are simple, such as names, and may have had some magical properties.

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