Ancient rune stones stand silently across Sweden, in fields, near churches, and along roads. These stones hold messages carved by Vikings more than 1,000 years ago. Many passersby don’t notice, but the stones speak about love, grief, pride, and everyday life. Experts say new rune stones are still found today, often by farmers or construction workers. These stones were made as public memorials to be seen and remembered. They act like old social media posts, sharing personal messages meant to last forever. Though grey and plain, the stones carry strong emotions. As reported by BBC, one famous rune near Gothenburg reads: “Do you think of me, I think of you, do you love me, I love you.” It feels just like a text message from today. Vikings carved runes on wood, tools, bone, and cloth but stone lasted longest. Many stones marked graves or stood by roads for travelers to see. Owning a rune stone was costly, showing wealth and social rank as well as honoring memory. Rune writing may have started about 2,000 years ago as Northern Europeans adapted writing from Roman and Latin scripts. Early rune alphabets had about 24 letters. Rune stones became popular during the Viking Age, around 800 to 1050 AD. Today, experts know of roughly 7,000 rune inscriptions worldwide. Families used stones to honor loved ones. One stone praises a wife as an excellent housekeeper and sister. Another tells of a son who died in a raid. Some mention land disputes or betrayal. These carvings reveal real human emotions. One Viking, Jarlabanke, raised many stones praising himself and claiming land while alive. The Rök rune stone is Sweden’s biggest mystery. From the 9th century, it has the longest known runic text. Scholars once thought it told heroic legends. Now, some believe it refers to a long cold spell after volcanic eruptions or links to stars during seasons. It might be part message, part cosmic puzzle. Today, rune symbols inspire art and online fun. People search for “birth runes” for amusement, keeping the old Viking spirit alive in new ways.