Viking runestone may allude to extreme winter, study says

Ninth-century Rik stone may deal with fear of cold climate crisis in Scandinavia

One of the world's most famous runestones is now believed to have been erected by Vikings fearing a repeat of a previous cold climate crisis in Scandinavia, a study has concluded.

The Rik stone, raised in the ninth century near Lake Vittern in south central Sweden, bears the longest runic inscription in the world, with more than 700 runes covering its five sides.