World’s Oldest Rune Stone Unearthed in Norway Offers Clues to Early Germanic Writing

Dating back to 50 BCE–275 CE, the fragmented stone may have been inscribed by multiple people, potentially including a woman.

Archaeologists discovered fragments of the world's earliest known rune stone at the Svingerud grave field in Norway, dating to 50 BCE–275 CE.
The sandstone fragments, found across multiple graves, fit together like a jigsaw puzzle to form a single inscribed stone.
The inscriptions include runes and ambiguous markings that may have been carved by different individuals at different times.
One inscription mentions 'Idiberug,' which could be the name of a woman, raising the possibility that she may have been the rune carver.
The stone appears to have been intentionally fragmented and reused in later burials, reflecting both practical and ceremonial purposes.