Funbo Runestones - U 937

The runestone designated as U 937 in the Rundata catalog was found in Uppsala in 1875 in the walls of a Franciscan monastery between the streets of St. Persgatan and Klostergatan, and is currently located at a park in Uppsala University. The fact that its inscription mentions names from the same family as the runestones of Funbo, shows that it was formerly part of the same group. Like many other runestones, it had been used as construction material at a time when the historical significance of the stones was not understood. It is considered to be a good example of runestone style Pr3, which is also known as the Urnes style. This runestone style is characterized by slim and stylized animals that are interwoven into tight patterns. The animals heads are typically seen in profile with slender almond-shaped eyes and upwardly curled appendages on the noses and the necks. On this stone the runic text lies within a serpent that circles a triquetra, which would have been considered a high status motif.

Because the runic text of runestones U 937 and U 991 have the same message, it has been suggested that they were once at the same site and formed a coupled memorial to the deceased brother Veðr. They are considered to be the most recent of the four Funbo inscriptions and, although unsigned, are considered to be the work of the runemaster Fot. He is known for his Urnes style inscriptions and for the consistency of his use of the punctuation mark × between words, as shown in the runic text of this runestone.