Norwegian archaeologists find ‘world’s oldest runestone’

Researchers inspect a runestone found at Tyrifjorden, Norway, at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo (Javad Parsa/NTB Scanpix via AP)

Archaeologists in Norway said they have found a runestone which they claim is the world’s oldest, saying the inscriptions are up to 2,000 years old and date back to the earliest days of the enigmatic history of runic writing.

The flat, square block of brownish sandstone has carved scribbles, which may be the earliest example of words recorded in writing in Scandinavia, the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo said.