Jelling Stone
"King Harald ordered this monument made in memory of Gorm, his father, and in memory of Thyre, his mother; that Harald who won for himself all of Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christian" 1
It may not look like much, the rune stone erected by King Harald Bluetooth at Jelling c. 965 AD marks a turning point in religious identity during the Viking Age. The three sided stone bears a runic inscription commemorating the unification of Denmark and Norway under Danish rule and the conversion to Christianity (c. 953-965 AD) , an interlaced Norse dragon and depicts the crucifixion of Christ2. Weighing in at approximately 10 tons and standing nearly 8' tall, it is the larger and newer of two rune stones situated between two pagan burial mounds thought to belong to King Harald's parents King Gorm the Old and Queen Thyre3.
Although it does not actually depict a cross, the carved crucifixion scene is widely believed to be the earliest known image of Christ found in Scandinavia4. Standing in front of what was the largest church in Denmark at the time, the Jelling Stone represents a distinct shift from Norse pagan practices (evidenced by the burial mounds of Gorm and Thyre) to Christianity within a single generation5. While there are records of earlier individual and small scale conversions, this image and the runic inscription mark the official adoption of Christianity as the national religion. Additionally there is widespread postulation that King Harald had his father's remains removed from the north burial mound and re-interred in a burial chamber beneath the floor of the church in an effort to posthumously baptize Gorm.
Occasionally referred to as "Denmark's birth certificate"6, the Jelling Stone inscription is the first reference to a national/political entity known to its inhabitants as Denmark and clearly defines its identity as a Christian nation. Even today the crucifixion image and other symbols from the Jelling Stone can be found on every Danish passport. The larger context of the rune stone and the surrounding complex is also historically relevant; the town of Jelling was the royal seat until it was eventually moved to Copenhagen. Additionally, the Danish royal lineage (including the current monarchs) can be traced back to Gorm, further cementing the historical significance of the stone and the larger Jelling complex.
The proclaimed shift from Norse pagan tradition to Christianity on a national scale and consolidation of royal power evidenced by the Jelling Stone would have made the Danish kingdom much more similar to the kingdoms they raided and conquered. Although the Viking Age continued for another 100 years, national conversion heralded the beginning of the end.
It may not look like much, the rune stone erected by King Harald Bluetooth at Jelling c. 965 AD marks a turning point in religious identity during the Viking Age. The three sided stone bears a runic inscription commemorating the unification of Denmark and Norway under Danish rule and the conversion to Christianity (c. 953-965 AD) , an interlaced Norse dragon and depicts the crucifixion of Christ2. Weighing in at approximately 10 tons and standing nearly 8' tall, it is the larger and newer of two rune stones situated between two pagan burial mounds thought to belong to King Harald's parents King Gorm the Old and Queen Thyre3.
Although it does not actually depict a cross, the carved crucifixion scene is widely believed to be the earliest known image of Christ found in Scandinavia4. Standing in front of what was the largest church in Denmark at the time, the Jelling Stone represents a distinct shift from Norse pagan practices (evidenced by the burial mounds of Gorm and Thyre) to Christianity within a single generation5. While there are records of earlier individual and small scale conversions, this image and the runic inscription mark the official adoption of Christianity as the national religion. Additionally there is widespread postulation that King Harald had his father's remains removed from the north burial mound and re-interred in a burial chamber beneath the floor of the church in an effort to posthumously baptize Gorm.
Occasionally referred to as "Denmark's birth certificate"6, the Jelling Stone inscription is the first reference to a national/political entity known to its inhabitants as Denmark and clearly defines its identity as a Christian nation. Even today the crucifixion image and other symbols from the Jelling Stone can be found on every Danish passport. The larger context of the rune stone and the surrounding complex is also historically relevant; the town of Jelling was the royal seat until it was eventually moved to Copenhagen. Additionally, the Danish royal lineage (including the current monarchs) can be traced back to Gorm, further cementing the historical significance of the stone and the larger Jelling complex.
The proclaimed shift from Norse pagan tradition to Christianity on a national scale and consolidation of royal power evidenced by the Jelling Stone would have made the Danish kingdom much more similar to the kingdoms they raided and conquered. Although the Viking Age continued for another 100 years, national conversion heralded the beginning of the end.
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