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CASE #O7D61F · 2 entities · 1 connections
The Kensington Runestone
A Minnesota farmer found a stone in 1898 claiming Vikings reached the American Midwest in 1362 — most experts call it a hoax, but it's never been fully settled.
In 1898, Swedish immigrant farmer Olof Ohman reportedly found a large stone slab covered in runic writing while clearing land near Kensington, Minnesota. The inscription describes a Norse expedition dated 1362 — over a century before Columbus — but most linguists and historians consider the runestone a hoax.
⇄disputed
Quick facts
- →The inscription describes ten Norse expedition members found dead after a fishing trip, apparently killed.
- →Early runologists identified grammar patterns more consistent with 19th-century Scandinavian dialects than authentic 14th-century writing.
- →A modern hoax runestone, deliberately carved by pranksters in 1985, was found near the original site in 2001.
- →The stone is displayed today at the Runestone Museum in Alexandria, Minnesota.
Entities on file
Kensington Runestone (artwork)
Rune-covered stone slab found in Minnesota in 1898; most linguists consider it a hoax.
No outgoing connections on file.
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Olof Ohman (person)
Swedish immigrant farmer who reported finding the runestone on his land in 1898.
→ reported finding → Kensington Runestone✓documented