Runestone, Hovgarden, Adelso Island, Sweden
Runestone U11, with modern depiction of the carving and inscription, near the Alsnohus, a 13th century castle at Hovgarden, a Viking settlement on the island of Adelso, in Lake Malaren, Sweden. The stone has a carving of a dragon tightly coiled with 3 snakes, and a runic inscription stating that it was erected by the king's sheriff Tolir and his wife Gyla as a memorial, with runes decided by Hakon, thought to be king Hakan the Red, and dedications to their children and grandchildren, 11th century, Urnes style. Hovgarden was settled from the Bronze Age and flourished during the Viking Age, when it was the residence for kings and queens, and through to the Middle Ages. Hovgarden is listed as a UNESCO, World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
