322 HALLRISTNINGAH. 



in such as are gradually sloping and which have a smooth 

 surface, owing to the action of the sea in past ages or 

 to the dripping of water. Here are seen men, women, 

 horses, oxen, cows, deer, dogs, birds, trees, serpents, 

 ships either with or without masts and sails, boats, 

 waggons, shields, swords, and other warlike weapons, 

 implements of agriculture, etc. By the grouping together 

 of the several figures attempts have been made to repre- 

 sent various events and occurrences ; such, for instance, 

 as battles by land or sea, journeys, hunts, love all'airs, 

 feasts. Like the " Sagas," however, the " lliillristnin- 

 gar " would not seem to contain a general history, but 

 to be merely a sort of biography of certain families or 

 it may be of individuals. 



The figures in question vary greatly in si/e, many 

 being comparatively diminutive, whilst others, occasionally 

 at least, are of life-size. Some are excavared in the rock 

 to the depth of a couple of inches ; but others, a-ain, so 

 slightly as scarcely to be felt by the linger. To make 

 them clearly out, indeed, it is often necessary not only to 

 wet the stone previously, but to view them in different 

 lights; not a few, owing to the action of the air and 

 water on the rock during so many centuries, are all 

 but obliterated. The figures are not so roughly cut as 

 might be supposed ; some less so than those on the more 

 ancient of the Runic-stones, and in many instances evince 

 the hand of a clever artist, as regards both design and 

 workmanship. Certain of the " llallristningur " show 

 that when, subsequent to their original execution, events 

 worthy of record have occurred, additional groups have 

 been added, and that on such occasions the artist has 

 not unfrcquently gone so carelessly to work in the 

 insertion of the new li-mv- as materially to injure those 

 x iotisly existing. 

 The annexed diagram is copied from a " Hiillristning" 



