Fact Check: Ancient stone with 255 runes discovered in Ontario forest.

Fact Check: "Ancient stone with 255 runes discovered in Ontario forest"

What We Know

In 2015, a stone carved with 255 runes was uncovered in a forest near Wawa, Ontario, after two trees fell and exposed it to the elements. The stone, which also features an image of a boat, has been the subject of extensive research by historians and archaeologists. Initial speculation linked the runes to Viking activity in North America, but this theory was dismissed after further investigation. The runes have been identified as a version of the Lord’s Prayer written in a Swedish variant of the Futhark runic alphabet, likely inscribed by a Swedish individual in the 19th century (source, source, source).

Analysis

The discovery of the runestone has been described as "remarkable" by experts, including Kristel Zilmer, a runologist from the University of Oslo, who noted that such finds can reveal how knowledge traveled with people (source). The runes were analyzed by Henrik Williams, a runologist from Uppsala University, who determined that the script aligns with a 1611 runic guide published by Johannes Bureus, suggesting that the stone was likely carved after this date (source, source).

The stone's carvings are not considered a forgery, unlike the infamous Kensington Runestone, which has been debunked as a 19th-century hoax (source). Instead, the evidence points to the possibility that the stone was created by a Swedish employee of the Hudson’s Bay Company, who were known to have been present in the region during the 1800s (source, source). Archaeologist Ryan Primrose emphasized the need for caution in interpreting the significance of the runestone, as many people might prematurely associate such discoveries with Vikings (source).

The reliability of the sources reporting on this discovery is generally high, with major outlets like The New York Times and Popular Science providing thorough coverage of the findings. These publications typically adhere to journalistic standards of fact-checking and source verification.

Conclusion

The claim that an ancient stone with 255 runes was discovered in an Ontario forest is True. The evidence supports that the stone is a significant archaeological find, likely created in the 19th century by a Swedish individual, rather than being linked to Viking activity. The collaborative research efforts and the expertise of runologists lend credibility to the findings.

Fact Check: Ancient stone with 255 runes discovered in Ontario forest.