àsmund KÃÂ¥resson was a Viking Age runemaster who flourished during the first half of the 11th century in Uppland and Gästrikland, Sweden. The early Urnes style is represented in his art.
Most early medieval Scandinavians were probably literate in runes, and most people probably carved messages on pieces of bone and wood. However, it was difficult to make runestones, and in order to master it one also needed to be a stonemason. During the 11th century, when most runestones were raised, there were a few professional runemasters. ÃÂ smund was active mainly in Uppland, and about twenty runestones are signed by him and an additional thirty stones have been attributed to him. The ornamentation is characterized by variation with firmness and security in the composition. ÃÂ smund is the inventor of the classic Uppland runestone style with one or two animals (rundjur) showing their heads in profile.
One inscription that was found at Bo gÃÂ¥rd on the island of Lidingö, listed in Rundata as U Fv1986;84, is signed by àsmund and dedicated to his grandfather named Steinn. The stone's runic text also states that Steinn's sons were named Sibbi, Geirbjôrn, and Ulfr, but it is not known if one of these was the father of àsmund. In addition, in two inscriptions, U 956 in Vedyxa and Gs 11 in Järvsta, àsmund listed his patronym with the text osmuntr kara sun or "ÃÂsmundr Kári's son."
It has been suggested that ÃÂ smund was identical with the English clergyman Osmundus who became bishop at the court of king Emund the Old, but the reasons for this identification are not deemed sufficient.
Over twenty inscriptions are listed in the Rundata catalog as being signed by àsmund including U 301 in SkÃÂ¥nela, the now-lost U 346 in Frösunda, U 356 in ÃÂngby, the now-lost U 368 in HelgÃÂ¥by, U 824 in Holm, U 847 in VästerÃÂ¥ker, U 859 in MÃÂ¥sta, U 871 in ÃÂlsta, U 884 in Ingla, U 932 at Uppsala Cathedral, U 956 in Vedyxa, U 969 in Bolsta, the now-lost U 986 in KungsgÃÂ¥rden, U 998 in Skällerö, U 1142 in àbyggeby, U 1144 in Tierp, U 1149 in Fleräng, U Fv1986;84 in Bo gÃÂ¥rd, U Fv1988;241 in Rosersberg, Gs 11 in Järvsta, Gs 12 in Lund, and Gs 13 in Söderby. On inscriptions U 859, U 986, U 969, U 998, U 1149, and Gs 13, àsmund shifted the r-rune over one space to spell his name as osmunrt.