Sigtuna has an unusual concentration of Viking-age rune stones, scattered around the churchyard, along roadsides, and in fields throughout the surrounding area. Most date from the early 11th century and were raised by local families to commemorate the dead — typically merchants who had died travelling, warriors who had fallen in Russia or England, or farmers who had contributed to the building of a bridge or road.
The churchyard near St Mary's Church has several stones collected and preserved in one place, making it the easiest starting point. Others are set into walls or stand in their original locations in the countryside around town. The inscriptions are in the standard Viking-age runic alphabet and follow conventional memorial formulae, but the personal names and the journeys mentioned give an immediate human dimension to the Norse world. The Sigtuna Museum has translated texts and context.