What are your thoughts on the Kensington Runestone? Supposedly, a large slab
of stone was unearthed in 1898 in Minnesota with runes enscribed upon it.
When transcribed, the runes said roughly:

Front: 8 goter ok 22 norrmen pa opdagelsefard fra winland of west wi hade
lager wed 2 skjar en dags rise norr fra dena sten wi war ok fiske en dagh
aptir wi kom hem fan 10 man rode af blod og ded AVM fraelse af ille

Side: har 10 mans we hawet at se aptir wore skip 14 dagh rise fram dena oh
ahr 1362


"Eight Goths and 22 Norwegians on a journey of exploration from Vinland very
far west. We had camp by two rocky islands one day's journey north from this
stone. We were out fishing one day. After we came home we found ten men red
with blood and dead. AVM save from evil. Have ten men by the sea to look
after our ships fourteen days' journey from this island. Year 1362"

If the runestone is authentic, it would mean that the Norse where in America
(what is now the United States, that is) in 1362. However, many people
believe that the runestone is a hoax mainly because of the language used
does not match with the Old Norse that would have been spoken in 1362 and
looks more similar to modern Swedish? The largest of these anachronisms is
the word 'opdagelsefard.' Can you help me determine whether the runestone
is real or not? My Old Norse knowledge did not allow me to take on a
project of this size. What are your expert opinions.

The runic inscription, for those who can read it, can be found here:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/6726/kensington/kenrunes.htm

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