"Eight Goths and 22 Norwegians on a journey of exploration from Vinland very far west. We had camp by two rocky islands one day's journey north from this stone. We were out fishing one day. After we came home we found ten men red with blood and dead. AVM save from evil. Have ten men by the sea to look after our ships fourteen days' journey from this island. Year 1362"
In the 100 years since its discovery, few items have provoked as muchscholarly debate as the Kensington Runestone.
If geniune, it would open a completely new chapter in our understanding of medieval history. It would mean that not only did the Norse explore farwider areas of the North American continent than was previously supposed, butthat the Norse era of exploration lasted centuries longer than historians have believed.
If fraudulent, it is one of the finest hoaxes on record, for not only did it outlive the jesters, but their children and (in many cases) theirgrandchildren as well, with no sign of abating soon.
Step inside to learn more about this fabulous relic of Norse Exploration,or about this wonderful jest. Come and visit the Kensington Runestone.
Full page .jpg of the Runestone (45k)
What is the
Kensington Runestone?
What does the
insription say?
How and where was
it found?
Where has it been
since?
Are there secret
"messages" in the Runestone?
Is the Runestone
genuine?
What was the
"Holy Mission"?
Are there other
runestones in America?
Answers to Specific Objections to Authenticity
The Language of
the Inscription
The Runic
Characters
The Stone and
Circumstances of its Discovery
The Library of
Olof Ohman
Endnotes
Other sites of interest
Rolf M. Nilsestuen's rebuttal to the stone's
critics
Is the Kensington Stone
Genuine?
Heavener Rune Stone Home Page
Viking
Age Rune Stones
The Viking Home Page
The
Viking Navy For a Totally Different Translation of the Kstone
Back to Epigraphy Forum News Page
The Kensington Runestone Home Page has seen
visitors since June 16th, 1999
This website by Bill Hoyt was originally at http://www.sound.net/~billhoyt/kensington.htm. When he moved and changed servers, he was no longer able to maintain it, and asked that someone take it over. Epigraphy Forum is pleased to offer it here in its original form, with inactive links noted.