The Ledberg Stone Östergötland, Sweden, 11th centuryThe Ledberg stone, designated as Ö

The Ledberg Stone

Östergötland, Sweden, 11th century

The Ledberg stone, designated as Ög 181, is a runestone located in Sweden. It features a figure with his foot at the mouth of a four-legged beast that is above a legless, helmeted man, with his arms in a prostrate position. This is considered to be a depiction of Odin being devoured by the wolf Fenrir at Ragnarök, the final battle in Norse mythology. During this final battle between the Norse gods known as the Æsir and the giants in which several of the gods meet their death, Odin dies fighting the wolf Fenrir. The battle and death of Odin is described in the poem Völuspáfrom the Poetic Edda.

The runic inscription of the Ledberg stone is carved in the runic alphabet, and is dated to the 11th century. The last part contains section has been interpreted as a rhyming charm or spell and reads: þmk iii sss ttt iii lll which is to be read as þistil mistil kistil or thistle,mistletoeandcasketrespectively. (x)