Editing Runestone (section)

{{short description|Raised stone with a runic inscription}}
[[File:U 240, Lingsberg.JPG|right|thumb|upright|The [[Lingsberg Runestone]], Sweden, known as U 240]]
[[File:Early Runic stone Hagby Möjebro Uppland Sweden - right to left script.jpg|right|thumb|upright|An early runestone: the [[Möjbro Runestone]] from Hagby (first placed near Möjebro), [[Uppland]], Sweden. As with other early runic inscriptions, (e.g. [[Kylver Stone]] from about 300–400 CE) this is written from right to left, while later Runestones were written from left to right.{{citation needed|date=February 2010}} The text is "Frawaradaz anahaha is laginaz".<ref>[https://archive.org/details/omlifvetisverige00mont "Om lifvet i Sverige under hednatiden"] by [[Oscar Montelius]] (1905), pp. 81–82.</ref>]]

A '''runestone''' is typically a raised stone with a [[runic alphabet|runic]] inscription, but the term can also be applied to inscriptions on boulders and on [[bedrock]]. The tradition of erecting runestones as a [[memorial]] to dead men began in the 4th century and lasted into the 12th century, but the majority of the extant runestones date from the late [[Viking Age]]. While most of these are located in [[Scandinavia]], particularly [[Sweden]], there are also scattered runestones in locations that were visited by [[Norsemen]]. Runestones were usually brightly coloured when erected, though this is no longer evident as the colour has worn off.