title: Västergötland Runic Inscription 40
text: # Västergötland Runic Inscription 40
  
  The Västergötland Runic Inscription 40 is a Viking Age runestone engraved in Old Norse with the Younger Futhark runic alphabet inserted into the wall of the church of Råda, in Lidköping Municipality, Västergötland, and the style of the runestone is possibly runestone style RAK. It was made in memory of a man who fought and died in a battle between kings, "when kings fought each other". A similar phrase appears on the Danish mask stone.
  
  ## Inscription
  
  Transliteration of the runes into Latin characters
  
      + þurkil ÷ sati + stin + þasi + itiʀ + kuna + sun · sin + iʀ · uarþ + tuþr + i uristu + iʀ · bþiþus + kunukaʀ ×
  
  Old Norse transcription:
  
      Þorkell satti stæin þannsi æftiʀ Gunna, sun sinn. Eʀ varð dauðr i orrustu, eʀ barðus kunungaʀ.
  
  English translation:
  
      "Þorkell placed this stone in memory of Gunni, his son, who died in battle when kings fought each other."
  