Notes on Viking Runes- there is a handout no need to try to write runes out!

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Proto- Germanic likely spoken in Sweden and Denmark 2000-3000 year ago Language (Old Norse) that the Vikings spoke was part of Germanic Language group And so is modern English (with a few other influences!) We have no written records of Proto-Germanic Earliest written record of Germanic Languages is from about 150CE. The letters used to record the language were called Runes. Runes were phoenetic representation of sounds Slide 3 Origin of Runes The Vikings believed runes were created when their chief god Odin speared himself to the cosmic world tree, Yggdrasil in hopes of receiving occult knowledge. For nine nights he hung on the tree and the mysteries of the runes were revealed to him. Odin sacrificed one of his eyes to receive the knowledge of the rune this is how he lost his eye..,He then passed this knowledge onto his people. This gift from Odin was greatly treasured by the Nordic people. Story is recorded in poem called Hvaml Runes were actually created by the Germanic people who occupied northern Europe sometime around 100 to 200 A.D. It is believed that these Germanic people adopted either the Etruscan or Latin alphabet in developing runes.
There were 3 types of Runes used in Viking times. Elder Futhark (150-800CE) Anglo-Saxon Futhorc (400-1100CE) Younger Futhark (800-1100CE)

Slide 4 ([Link]

Elder Futhark This runic alphabet consist of 24 characters broken down into three groups of eight. These groups are called aett (or the plural aettir). The Elder Futhark is the most ancient of the Runic alphabets. It is named after the first six runes in the alphabet: F, U, Th, A, R and K). Knowledge of how to read this alphabet was lost for several centuries. In 1865 a scholar named Sopus Bugge was able to decipher it.

Slide 5 The Anglo-Saxons and Frisians modified the letters of the Elder Futhark and increased the number of letters to between 26 and 33 to create what would become known as the Anglo-Saxon futhorc. The Anglo-Saxons brought the elder Futhark to England in the 5th century CE where they modified it. They modified it for use with the sounds of their language which was Old English. An example of this is the word Futhorc. The Anglo-Saxons replaced the "a" with an "o" and the "k" with a "c". Each rune had a name and it could 'mean' its name. Example: , its name was sc, meaning 'ash-tree'. It could refer to an ashtree, or be used in a word that needed the 'a' sound we say in words like 'hat'. Ash trees were important because spears were made of the wood of the ash tree. The rune is called 'thorn' and could be used to refer to a thorn on a plant, or as part of a word where a 'th' sound is needed.

Slide 6 Younger Futhark In the 9th century CE the Younger Futhark evolved. This alphabet adds the letter "R" and drops nine of the letters in the Elder Futhark. Many of the letters were now used to represent multiple sounds. The Younger Futhark is divided into two types short-twig (Swedish and Norwegian) and long-branch (Danish). Many scholars believe the shortbranch runes were used in everyday life for messages on wood while the longbranch runes were used to inscribe on stone. Both versions of the Younger Futhark use 16 letters. The cause of this reduction of letters in Younger Futhark is tied to very complex phonological changes that occurred in the old nordic language. As many old letters were removed from the alphabet, several of the remaining letters were overloaded to represent multiple sounds. The Younger Futhark was called the "alphabet of the Norsemen" in Europe. The Younger Futhark evolved further into the Marcomannic runes, the Medieval runes, and the Dalecarlian runes (around 1500 to 1800 AD).

Slide 7 In Viking times, not many people could write. Skilled writers of runes were called Rune Masters. Uses of runes ([Link] Magical To illerate people, the knowledge contained in writing seemed to have magical power. Many believed that runes could be used to cast a spell or as a charm for protection or healing. It is important to point out that runes have NO connection with the occult, with witchcraft, or necessarily with paganism. They have been misused in recent times,. In reality, runes were used to express Christian ideas and ideals as well as for more practical purposes. They were thought to have magical powers because ALL language was once thought to have magical power. The power of runes was used to protect and heal, to show devotion and to express faith in the way later forms of writing have been used to write out prayers, and set down knowledge. (Tolkein Society site)

Practical Uses Runes were developed to be used to write short messages on wood or bone or antler - hard material, cheap and easily available - that could be scratched on. eg Gerhold says come home now. There is even some Viking graphiti Ari made these runes Paper was unknown in north-western Europe when runes were being used, and parchment and vellum, made from animal hide, were very expensive and used only for very important writing such as Bibles, other religious books, and legal documents, all of which were written by hand. Monumental eg Runestones (more on runestones in a moment)

Decorative or even I made this or owners name There is a story of drinking horn inscribed with runes by a rune master. He went to a feast where someone put poison in his drinking horn. When the rune master went to drink, the horn split in two and so he was saved from death. This was attributed to the runes saving him. Slide 8 Spears decorated with runes and symbols

Slide 9 What Are Runestones

Runestones are large raised stones with runes inscribed on them. Most of the over 2000 runestones that have been discovered were erected in the Middle Ages from 950 AD through 1100 AD by the Vikings. The Vikings created these stones for various reasons.

Memorials to the dead To mark territory Describe inheritance To describe important events (like great voyages) For self-promotion

Where Runestones Have Been Found

Most of the medieval runestones that have been discovered were erected in Scandinavia. The vast majority were erected in Sweden with fewer in Denmark and Norway. The Uppland district of Sweden has over 1000 runestones. There have also been a few discovered in areas outside of Scandinavia where the ancient Norsemen visited. ([Link]

Runestone DR 334 This runestone is carved in runestone style RAK and is part of the Vstra Str monument, which has five standing stones and two runestones, DR 334 and DR 335. The monument was in good shape when documented by Ole Worm in 1643, but a survey in 1876 found that all of the stones had fallen except one. The monument was restored in 1932 by the Lund Kulturen. This memorial runestones was sponsored by a man named Fair, who memorializes his deceased brother zurr, who died i wikingu or on a Viking raid or expedition.] From another runestone also sponsored by Fadir, it has been suggested that Fadir, Ozurr and the owner of the ship men may have participated on this raid or expedition.[52] The stone is known locally as the Vstra Strstenen 1. (Wiki) Slide 10 WE CANT TRANSLATE RUNES DIRECTLY INTO ENGLISH. IT IS A PROCESS!!! Latin transliteration: faiR : lit : hukua : runaR : isi : uftiR : osur : bruur : sin : is : nur : uar : tur : i : uikiku : Old Norse transcription: FaiR let hoggwa runaR ssi ftiR Azur, brour sin, s nor war dr i wikingu. English translation:

"Fair had these runes cut in memory of zurr, his brother, who died in the north on a viking raid."[53]

Slide 11 After Vikings converted to Christianity, many of Runestones included the cross and a Christian message.

Slide 12 Most famous runestone is the Jelling runestone in Denmark. Next to a burial mound and a church. Erected by King Harold Bluetooth who brought Christianity to Denmark.

On the larger stone is a figure of Christ standing in the shape of a cross with entangling branches. One scholar thinks this is Christ replacing Odin who you will remember in one myth hung for nine nights in the tree Yggdrasill to get the knowledge of runes. On the other face of the stone is a serpent wrapped around a lion. The inscription reads: "King Haraldr ordered this monument made in memory of Gormr, his father, and in memory of Thyrv, his mother; that Haraldr who won for himself all of Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christian." Slide 13 Spears decorated with runes Slide 14 Perhaps most well-known use of runes is by JRR Tolkein in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) was a major scholar of the English language, specialising in Old and Middle English. Twice Professor of AngloSaxon (Old English) at the University of Oxford.

Tolkein used Anglo-Saxon runes as basis of the elvish runes in The Hobbit. eg on the Map of Thror, Tolkein used the runes he had adapted from the AngloSaxon Futhroc to write the sounds of English words.

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Vikings society was primarily an oral society Story tellers and poets entertained people in the longhouses on long winter nights. Language was very dramatic. Had to set the scene and tell of different battles so didnt just say he was brave in battle. used many different dramatic, descriptive words eg poem by great 10th century Icelandic poet Egil Skallagrimsson (Trans. John Lucas) Ive been with sword and spear slippery with bright blood where kites wheeled. And how well we violent Vikings clashed! Red flames ate up mens roofs, raging we killed and killed and skewered bodies sprawled sleepy in town gate-ways.

Slide 16 Sagas written down versions of tales and poems The Norse sagas had various themes such as early Viking voyages, feuds between families, migration to Iceland, and heroic deeds

There were different types OF SAGAS

Kings Sagas Icelander's Sagas Short tales of Icelanders Contemporary Sagas Legendary Sagas Chivalric Sagas

Icelanders sagas The Norse sagas were written in the 13th and 14th centuries by unknown authors in Iceland. The stories are about life in Iceland around the year 1000 A.D. They are considered by many the most important historical records of Viking life and are also acclaimed by many as literary masterpieces Short Tales of Icelanders These sagas are similar to the Icelander's sagas but they are shorter. The old Norse saga (Viking saga) "The saga of ref the sly" is an example. This saga follows the main character Ref Steinsson as he becomes an accomplished warrior. Contemporary Sagas These stories take place in Iceland in the 12th and 13th century. They were written very soon after the events they describe. Legendary Sagas These Norse sagas combine history and legend (or myth). The authors focus was on making an entertaining story. Slide 17/18 Over the centuries, the original manuscripts of the old stories were copied, transcribed, combined, interpolated, and edited. Material was deleted and new material written to bridge the gap. In some cases, the original stories may have been distorted, but in some cases, the stories may well have been improved.

None of the surviving manuscripts represent the "original" version of the stories as set down by the first author. All the surviving manuscripts date from well after the time the stories were written down. Thus, each represents a different version of the story, and none represent the "original" version. Both early and late manuscripts survive for some stories, and occasionally, the differences are quite significant. The stories survive today in the form of hand written manuscripts on vellum and (Iater) on paper, dating from the 13th through the 17th century. Scholars combed Iceland during the 17th and 18th century in search of surviving manuscripts. One of the best known of these scholars was the Icelander rni Magnsson (right). When found, the manuscripts were brought to Denmark (which governed Iceland at that time) for preservation. Tragically, fire swept through Copenhagen in 1728. While the best manuscripts were saved, many lesser works were lost. ([Link]