A runemaster or runecarver is a specialist in making runestones.
Most early medieval Scandinavians were probably literate in runes, and most people probably carved messages on pieces of bone and wood.[1] However, it was difficult to make runestones, and in order to master it one also needed to be a stonemason.[1] During the 11th century, when most runestones were raised, there were a few professional runemasters.[1] They and their apprentices were contracted to make runestones and when the work was finished, they usually signed the stone with the name of the runemaster[1] thus making runestone one of the oldest examples of signed art.
More than 100 runemasters are known from Viking Age Sweden and most of them from 11th century eastern Svealand.[2] Many anonymous runestones have more or less securely been attributed to these runemasters.[2]
   | ''Vilka kunde rista runor?'' at the site of the Swedish National Heritage Board - Vilka kunde rista runor? - Runskolan - Riksantikvarieämbetet |
| | Kalle Dahlberg, a modern runemaster. - Kalle Runristare (the runecarver) carving rune stones to the future |
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