Not carved by a man: Scientists investigate the world's oldest runestone (photos).

The ancient runestone discovered in Norway has revealed a new detail about its history. Some of the inscriptions suggest that the author of the runes may have been a woman. This provides an unexpected perspective on the culture of early rune usage, writes IFLScience.

Runes, an ancient Germanic script, were prevalent in Scandinavia and other parts of Northern Europe before the Latin alphabet was introduced there. While the Vikings adopted a later version of the script known as the Younger Futhark, early examples were written in the Elder Futhark, which remains not fully understood.

This discovery predates previously known examples found on a bone comb and an iron knife in Denmark, dated to the mid-2nd century CE.

The development of runic writing and its use on stone has long been difficult to trace due to the rarity of dated runic inscriptions on stone. However, a team of researchers at the Sweingrud archaeological site in Hole, Norway, uncovered several sandstone fragments with unrecognizable markings in multiple graves.

By piecing these fragments together, they determined that they belonged to one original slab, which had been broken into pieces and scattered throughout the burial site. The dating of human remains confirmed that these burials date back to the Roman Iron Age.

The markings on the stone consist of a mix of identifiable runes and more ornamental or stylized inscriptions. Researchers propose that the stone was initially erected to mark a single burial and was later broken into pieces and distributed among several graves. Despite its connection to the burials, the exact reason for the fragmentation of the stone remains unclear, as does the timing and purpose of the inscriptions.

Dr. Kristel Zilmer, one of the study's authors, commented that runestones likely served both ceremonial and practical functions. While the original slab may have had a memorial purpose, the subsequent use of its parts in various burials indicates symbolic significance.

Particularly unusual about this discovery is the mention of "idiberug," a name that may refer to a woman, possibly the creator of the runes. If confirmed, this would be the oldest known example of runes carved by a woman, although researchers note that this conclusion is still hypothetical.

This finding opens a window into the complex world of early Germanic writing, providing insight into its potential cultural and gender dynamics. Further research could lead to new discoveries about the role of runes in ancient societies.

We also reported on Etruscan tombs discovered in Italy. Despite the looting of past generations, archaeologists have uncovered numerous artifacts.