Low relief cast of a Viking grave marker. Painted plaster, the carving depicts a dramatically twisting beast and serpent, the side bears a runic inscription. (The original carving, now in the Museum of London, dates from 1125-1150 AD).
A cast of the most important Anglo-Scandinavian carving found in London. The original was discovered in 1852 during the construction of a warehouse on the south side of St Paul’s Churchyard. The slab may have been reused in a wall or floor which would explain its good condition and the survival of remnants of paint which indicate bright colouring. The inscription on the side reads :[k]ina: let: lekia: st | in: þensi: auk: tuki:'. The language is Old Norse and has been translated as “Ginna and Toki had this stone laid” there is no mention of whom the stone commemorated. It is likely that the person was of Scandinavian origin.
