Mysteries of Oklahoma: The Heavener Runestone

Today I made my way to Heavener, Oklahoma, to feast my eyes on the famed Heavener Runestones. Heavener is just over two hours from Tulsa, so it makes for an easy day trip. The Spiro Mounds are also near the area, so you can easily hit both in a single day, but unfortunately the Spiro Mounds are closed until at least the end of July due to flooding, so I will have to save them for another day.

I arrived in Heavener around 11 am. One thing you notice as you get closer to the area is MOUNTAINS! That’s right! The Kiamichi Mountains grace the vistas of the area, and the mountains coupled with a perfect Oklahoma sky today made for a wonderful photographic expedition.

Before we get too far, it’s probably important to get a couple of definitions out of the way. First, what are runestones? Runestones are simply stones with runic inscriptions carved or painted on them. Ok, great. So the more important question is, what are runes? Runes are letters from an ancient Germanic alphabet, a cousin to the Roman alphabet. The inscriptions are usually significant. Does that clear things up? They are generally associated with Scandinavia (Yes, Vikings!) Here’s a photo of a runestone that I took in Sweden in 2015:

The Heavener Runestones were discovered in 1923, and in the nearly 100 years since their discovery, their origin has been the subject of controversy and passionate debate. Although the Heavener Runestones are the most famous, they are not the only runestones in Oklahoma, In fact, runestones can be found in Shawnee, Poteau, and Pawnee, making Oklahoma home to more runestones than any other state in the country! It is unlikely that any of the runestones, including the one in Heavener, were actually carved by Vikings, but that does not keep the locals from celebrating a Viking festival every fall and spring! Despite the likelihood of a more modern origin, the runestones are of such good quality that they have garnered the attention of several Scandinavian archaeologists who have visited the area to study them. So their lore is taken seriously!

The park itself sits on 55 acres. Once a designated state park (and still indicated as such on the entrance sign), the park was actually turned over to the city of Heavener in 2011. The trail that leads down to the stone is a short 1/4 mile hike, but those with limited mobility will not be able to access it, due to the number of stairs (which can get slippery) leading down. The stone/wooden pathway really adds to the lore of the area, and it is a prime location for photographers. So get your cameras ready! Here are a few shots from the park:

But of course, you come to see the stones themselves. I was a little disappointed that, while it makes sense that the stones would be protected behind glass, the glass doesn’t seem to have been cleaned many times since it was placed around the stones, making it a little hard to see them, and even harder to get any decent pictures of them. But I did my best.

What do you think? Were the runes left by Vikings who traveled inland to Oklahoma? Or is it a more modern artifact? Whatever the true origin, the Heavener Runestones have captures the imaginations of Oklahomans for a long time!

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_runestones

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavener_Runestone_Park

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runes