The runic inscriptions from Eastern Europe lack a dedicated corpus edition, but here the best attempts to describe these inscriptions are discussed. Unfortu­nately, the main work in this field, Elena A. Mel′nikova’s Skandinavskie runičeskie nadpisi (‘Scandinavian runic inscriptions’), lacks a clear method for distin­guishing between runic, rune-like and non-runic inscriptions. For this reason, many of its inscriptions should be treated with great caution and some are here deemed not to be runic.

The aim of this paper is to provide a new reading and interpretation of the runic inscription on a silver capsule pendant from Birka which has been dated to the early Viking Age, 775–900 CE. It was found in a female grave and in the runological literature is conventionally known as the Birka amulet. The circum­stances of the find are first discussed in order to establish the exact location of the pendant in the grave. This is followed by a discussion of the possible identity of the woman in the grave and the possible location of the amulet on her body. As regards the function of the pendant, it has been determined that it was repurposed from another object in order to serve as a scent box and it was at that time that the runic inscription was carved on the reverse side. Earlier readings and interpretations are then discussed, followed by an analysis of the reading order of the inscription. A new reading based on three separate exami­nations with stereo microscope is subsequently suggested and illustrated with photo­graphs. To conclude, having established both reading order and reading, a new interpretation is suggested for the entire inscription.

The present catalogue is in Swedish and it is a companion volume to Viking-Age Runic Plates. Reading and Interpretations. The aim of this volume is to represent as clearly as possible readings of the inscriptions on the 46 metal plates with runes from the Viking Age known today. Several investigations of the runic plates have been conducted with a stereomicroscope for this purpose. The catalogue provides an argued documentation of these investigations.