Rune stone with "Here rests" inscription found under medieval chapel floor in Faroe Islands

Archaeologists have uncovered a rune stone beneath the floor of what is believed to be a medieval chapel in the Faroe Islands. The find was made at the A Sondum site in the village of Sandur on Sandoy Island, in the southern part of the archipelago.

National Museum archaeologist Helgi Michelsen has offered a preliminary reading of part of the inscription as "Her hvílur…" — an Old Norse phrase meaning "Here lies…" or "Here rests…". This suggests the stone likely served as a grave marker.

The stone has been moved to the National Museum to shield it from environmental damage. Before the fragile surface begins to deteriorate, the artifact underwent 3D scanning to create an accurate digital model. The virtual copy will later allow researchers to examine faint inscriptions that are difficult to see with the naked eye or under natural light. A rune specialist is expected to arrive in the Faroe Islands at the end of August for a detailed study of the stone.

In addition to the rune stone, excavations have yielded fragments of a small statue of the Virgin Mary and an oil or fat lamp. The building's architecture — specifically its east-west orientation with an entrance on the western side, typical of medieval chapels in the region — supports its religious function. Similar prayer houses have been found elsewhere in the archipelago.

The A Sondum site is considered key to understanding the settlement of the Faroe Islands, with evidence of continuous human activity dating back to the Viking era. The current excavation is scheduled to continue until the end of August.