In Relations and Runes a number of specialists from the fields of archaeology, numismatics and runology explore the complexity of developments and relations in the Baltic Sea region during the Late Iron Age and Early Middle Ages. The contributions in the book cover a wide spectrum of topics and approaches highlighting how islands functioned as nodes in interaction and communication, while constructing and maintaining individual identities. With special focus on the islands of Öland, Gotland and Bornholm, in-depth studies of specific archaeological materials are set in a broader context of cultural development and change in the Baltic. This book is the outcome of a joint venture between two research projects – The Viking Phenomenon and Everlasting Runes, and Gotland Museum.