Kensington Rune Stone

by Theodore Christian Blegen

"Few questions in American history," writes Theodore C. Blegen, "have stirred so much curiosity or provoked such extended discussions as that of the authenticity of the runic inscription on a stone found near Kensington, Minnesota, in 1898."

Swedish-American farmer Olof Ohman discovered the stone clasped in the roots of an aspen tree on a knoll above the surrounding swamp. His young son was the first to notice the strange letters chiseled into the rock face. Since then historians, geologists and runic scholars have entered the debate over the age and meaning of these carvings. Are they genuine 14th-century runes, evidence of a pre-Columbian Viking expedition to North America, or are they a clever 19th-century hoax? In this classic volume, Blegen untangles the circumstances surrounding the unearthing of the Kensington Rune Stone. Marshalling letters, affidavits, newspaper accounts and investigative reports, he lays out in authoritative detail the early history of this controversial artifact and investigates the background and character of Olof Ohman and other men involved in its discovery. He also describes the first cycles of investigation and dispute and devotes a chapter to the role of Hjalmar R. Holand, who acquired the stone in 1907 and was its chief defender until his death in 1963. Fourteen appendixes offer useful primary source materials and supply English translations where needed.

This lucid text, together with its footnotes and appendixes, remains a cornerstone for further investigation and discussion.

Genres: Nonfiction

223 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1960

Reviews

[Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Kensington runestone is a unique artifact, in my opinion, the center of a debate that apparently only continues to grow with time. Whether the stone itself is a record of a medieval expedition to the center of the North American continent or simply a wonderfully realized example of Scandinavian immigrant ingenuity and humor, it has become an important aspect of Minnesota history. Many books have recently been published in attempts to prove the stone's "genuineness" while mainstream historians and archaeologists remain unconvinced, but many Minnesotans seem to regard the stone as a beloved roadside attraction catering to local pride in "Viking" heritage, regardless of its actual origin. While I conclude, like historian Theodore Blegen in this readable history of the Kensington Runestone, that the stone is "probably" a nineteenth century creation it remains, to me, emblematic of Minnesota culture.

In "Kensington Rune Stone: New Light on an Old Riddle," Blegen (a.k.a. "Mr. Minnesota History") writes probably the most readable and accessible overview of the runestone story, including its "discovery" and introduction into the popular culture of the region. In spite of being now forty years old, much of what Blegen discusses in his book are still very relevant to a balanced historical viewpoint on the stone today. The stone, whether "real" or a "hoax" entered into a world that was hungry for its existence, with Scandinavian immigrants looking for an icon to draw them into the landscape of their new American homeland and the mythology of the stone, courtesy of Norwegian American Hjalmar Holand, fit this notion very well. Blegen's writing concisely argues his points and chronicles the development of the stone from debunked hoax to revered regional relic over the course of the twentieth century, one that continues to evolve as new "legends" and "facts" are added every decade. Blegen's account, however, still forms a base for the best, most nuanced understanding of the runestone that I have found in my studies, and should be required reading for anyone interested in studying the Kensington Runestone, no matter their own personal views.