Messages in Stone: Runic Carvings in North America and Oklahoma | Mark Kinders | TEDxUCO

Oklahoma hosts one of the largest concentrations of carved Runic artifacts in North America. More than 6,000 Runes are found worldwide, and present a history of Scandinavian life and exploration in the Medieval Age. This TedX lecture explores scholarly efforts to determine the authenticity of North American and Oklahoman stones, and popular television entertainment programs and corporate efforts to capitalize on a different story line.

Mark Kinders is the Vice President of Public Affairs at UCO. In a private pursuit, he is the vice president of the American Association for Runic Studies. AARS investigates North American runes in affiliation with Uppsala University in Sweden, and the Swedish Council of America, and partners with the Smithsonian Institution and other universities. Kinders holds a master’s in history (University of Wisconsin-River Falls) and a doctorate in higher education (University of Arkansas).

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx