Regal Runes: A history of the Germanic and Norse alphabets

                                    The earliest accepted example of Germanic runic writing is the inscription found on the Meldorf Brooch (dated to around 50 CE in northern Germany). It possibly reads "Hiwi" meaning spouse or husband. I theorize that this might have been a wedding gift or a "bride price" of sorts or perhaps a good luck charm/talisman for al  newlywed couple.

The ancient Germanic Tribes and their Norse cousins who followed their example centuries later are unfairly characterized as barbaric, ignorant, and illiterate. This couldn't be any more untrue than it already is. For quite some time the peoples of Germania and Scandinavia had knowledge of a functional alphabet long before the introduction of Christianity into Northern and Central Europe. While in its early stages it wasn't as sophisticated or as legible as the Roman and Greek alphabets the development of the "Futhark" script was still a significant cultural achievement (besides the Celts, the Norse and the Germanic Peoples were the only "Barbarian" group to develop their own writing system independent of Christian missionary activity).

This is the Negau helmet which was found in Slovenia and was dated to 400BCE . This is the earliest example of the Germanic language being put in writing. It reads "harikastiteiva" it is generally read as Harigast the priest. The helmet itself dates back to 400 BCE but the inscription itself was most likely added around 200 BCE.

The First example of a Germanic language being written down is inscribed on the Negau helmet. It is written in the Etruscan Alphabet which Germanic Runes likely evolved from. There are artifacts of a similar type scattered throughout the Alpine Region (the ancient contact zone between the Celtic, Italic, and Germanic peoples) and it shows how quickly the Germanic tribes were able to appropriate a foreign script and adapt it for their own purposes. As runes became a uniquely Germanic alphabet they became to be used in a uniquely Germanic/Norse context. They were associated with magic, strength, and wisdom, and they are often connected to Wotan(Odin). Runic inscriptions of this type are often found on spearheads and jewelry.
A golden disk found in Funen Denmark the inscription reads:
"houaz laþu aaduaaaliia a" 
The term houaz is a cognate with Norse
hávi meaning Odin 

 The runic alphabet did not disappear following the romanization and Christianization of Germany. The Norse and for a time the Anglo Saxons, themselves Germanic peoples continued to make use of runes creating beautiful works of art and stunning rune stones. 

 In conclusion despite their depiction in popular culture the Germanic peoples and the Scandinavians actually have a literary and material culture dating back 200 years before the year zero and all the way into the middle ages! As people today often view Europe as a monolithic cultural block of sameness I believe that it is important to look back on the values and talent of the ancient and medieval cultures for inspiration. After all we will all lose a great part of our global heritage by ignoring this extraordinary cultural history that has been intentionally written in stone for the benefit of future generations.

works cited:
 National Museum of Denmark

Norse Mythology For Smart People

Revolvy

The Development of Old Germanic Alphabets  

Talisman of Charlemagne

As we are learning about Charlemagne I was very interested in some of the artifacts that came around this time, but one that I found is so elegant, the piece is called Talisman of Charlemagne. This piece is a huge necklace sapphire encrusted with pure gold and precious gems. It was also said to be named The Talisman of Charlemagne, because supposedly in 800 Charlemagne was Crowed the Holy Roman Emperor of all of Europe all because he chased the Lombard’s out of Europe, one year after his crowning according to L’Ecole School of Jewelry Arts the piece was made and given to Charlemagne by either the Harun al Rashid or Queen Irene of Constantinople.

After Charlemagne had received the Talisman of Charlemagne it was said by many historians that he had worn it, in battle and he was buried with it, but because he had been unburied so many times the Talisman was taken out of his grave and given to Josephine de Beauharnais, she held on to it for the rest of her live until; She then leaves it to her daughter who love Talismans very much, she even made them to give to people, so on it made it way to Empress Eugenie. When Empress Eugenie was later confronted to return it to Aix-la- Chapelle, but because of I believe World War I she Changes her mind and gives it to the Cathedral of Lies you can actually go see it today.  

Real live picture of Talisman of Charlemagne

Works Cited

Students of Occult History, Los Angeles. “The Talisman of Charlemagne.” Students of Occult History, www.studentsocculthistory.com/talisman-of-charlemagne.html

Joailliers, Itinéraires. “Charlemagne's Talisman at the Palais Du Tau, Reims.” The French Jewelry Post by Sandrine Merle, 9 May 2017, www.thefrenchjewelrypost.com/en/it-joailliers/talisman-de-charlemagne-palais-tau/.

Unknown. “The Talisman of Charlemagne.” L'École Des Arts Joailliers, 31 Mar. 2016, www.lecolevancleefarpels.com/en/video/talisman-charlemagne.

The Ulfberht

When we think of Viking warriors, we usually think of warriors with odd helmets armed with large long swords. While this isn't completely incorrect, its not entirely accurate either. Vikings didn't wear horned helmets, nor did they all use large swords. Most Vikings were armed with axes or long spears. To have a sword was a sign of wealth and strength. 



To own a sword with the brand name "Ulfberht" was to own one of the finest weapons that could be made. These swords were much tougher than your average sword in this time period due to the added carbon. The added carbon not only makes the steel much stronger, but also makes it less brittle. If you were to get this sword stuck in a shield, it would be less likely to break.This is thanks to the added flexibility.With all these added properties the "Ulfberht" swords were more rare and expensive than their average counterparts.

Works Cited 

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/mar/03/viking-world-british-museum-neil-macgregor-exhibition

https://www.realmofhistory.com/2016/03/08/ulfberht-swords-advanced-viking-weapons/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/secrets-viking-sword.html

An Age-Old Curse

When it comes to Viking culture, one of the most distinct elements is the runic alphabet that they used to tell stories of their people, record their beliefs, and in this case, threaten curses upon people.

The Glavendrup Stone, which is a large runestone that dates back to the early 10th century (the middle of the Viking age), resides in Funen, Denmark. It stands at the end of a stone ship, which is a burial site where—as the name suggests—various stones are placed to form the shape of a ship. Nine graves have been found within the stone ship, all of which are empty.

Discovered in 1794, the Glavendrup Stone is the second largest text on a runic stone in Denmark at 210 characters long. The text translates to: 

Ragnhild placed this stone in memory of Alle, priest of the Soelve, honorable clan chieftain. Alle's sons made these runes after their father and his wife after her husband. And Sote carved these runes in memory of his master. Thor hallow these runes. To a "something you do not want to become" become he who uses violence on this stone or drags it away to stand in memory of somebody else.

There is some debate concerning the translation of one of the words (i.e "something you do not want to become"), but it is believed to be along the lines of "warlock," "wretch," and "outcast"—the bottom line being Thor will not be very happy with you if you vandalize the Glavendrup Stone. 

Works Cited

• “Glavendrup Stone Ship And Runic Stone.” Viking Denmark, 1 Jan. 2008, www.vikingdenmark.com/glavendrup-stone-ship-runic-stone-funen-denmark.html.
• “Rune Stones.” National Museum of Denmark, en.natmus.dk/historical-knowledge/denmark/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad/the-viking-age/power-and-aristocracy/rune-stones/.

Vikings Don't Really Train Dragons...Right?

Contrary to its title, the DreamWorks animated movie How to Train Your Dragon is not just about dragons. The film follows the life of a young boy, Hiccup, who just does not fit in when it comes to his family, his village, and even his culture. He feels like an outsider, which is something that could be frowned upon considering Hiccup is...well, a Viking.

Known throughout history as ruthless, barbaric warriors, Vikings "were canny traders as well as cruel raiders" they were "the most fearsome invaders of all" (Bennett). These groups of invaders were spotted along the English Channel, on the continent, the North Atlantic, and the Russian States. But Vikings we actually a very intelligent bunch. Thanks to their extensive knowledge in geography and on the surrounding kingdoms, "strong trade networks helped Vikings know where and when to attack. Raiding, in turn, promoted more trade, as Viking would sell in one place what they had plundered in another" (Bennett). While not the most moral of actions, it's hard to argue that the Vikings weren't unaware of what they were doing when it came to money.

This movie, in particular, may not wholly focus on the factual life of Vikings but instead what their life would be like if they coexisted with dragons. From the beginning, we see the animosity between the village and the dragon species. The Vikings in this movie are seen with traditional clothing such as furs, leathers, and cloths. Even shown are the infamous the horned Viking helmets we all know and love. The characters (execpt for a select few for some reason) all have a heavy Scandinavian accent and wear braids in their hair, ranging from short to long hairstyles. They are also big and burley people--at least a majority of the characters are.

As mentioned before, Hiccup is seen as an outsider. Because he is small, skinny, and does not think of dragons as a nuisance like the rest of the village, he does not fit in. Most importantly, because he does not want to fight and kill, he is seen as weak. Yes, the Vikings are notorious for their violence, but that is not the only defining trait they have. But we see Hiccup can be strong in his own. He eventually learns to stand up for himself and gets the whole village on his side to fight with the dragons to defeat an even bigger threat.

Although this movie may not be the best one to accurately represent how Vikings lived, there are still many characteristics that are consistent with the records shown throughout history such as hairstyles, clothing, and an interest in fighting. Of course, the animated film was "Disney-fied" so many aspects were made for and aimed towards children. All in all, How to Train Your Dragon is a movie that can set the bare, child-proof basics of how Vikings lived back then. And... dragons are a good plot device in a children's movie, too.


Works Cited:

How to Train Your Dragon (2010) DreamWorks

Bennett, Judith M. Medieval Europe: A Short History. McGraw-Hill, 2011.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/03/vikings-ship-burials-battle-reenactor/

Beowulf 2007 Film Review

The movie Beowulf was directed by Robert Zemeckis and it was released in the year 2007. The movie is based off an epic poem called Beowulf. Which was passed on by people telling stories. It wasn’t till 1815 when it got published. The movie is sort of a weird watching at first because of the way it is shown. The people look fake and real at the same time, not till later on does your mind find it to be all fake.

Story begins in a feast hall celebrating. The noise of the singing draws the troll from his cave, where he attacks them and kills and injures many. Nobody in the kingdom is strong enough to defeat the troll. Beowulf and his crew come from the sea. They heard that the king was offering a ransom to destroy the monster (troll named Grendal). Beowulf does succeed in destroying the troll, but the next day the Trolls mother kills all the men still remaining in the hall. Beowulf and a few of his men were not there at the time and survived. Beowulf heads out with his friend to avenge the deaths of his men. Instead of fighting the trolls mother he is seduced by her, leaving a gold dragon cup as a token to keep her from attacking any more. He goes back and lies to the people saying that everything is fine and she is dead when they are not. The king questions Beowulf in private and deduces what really happened in the cave with the Trolls mother, leaving you the impression that the same thing happened to him. The king later announces Beowulf will rule when he dies. Not long after, he falls off the cliff into the ocean.  Beowulf becomes king. Over many years armies come the great Beowulf to defeat the hero, but none do. Eventually the token that was left by Beowulf in the cave is found by someone, saying he found it in the moors. Dragon attacks started happening now that the agreement was broken with the token missing. Beowulf ends up fighting the dragon and defeating it, but dies in the process. He is given a Viking burial with his treasures on a small boat with him burning. The boat is burned along with him. Right before it sinks, the trolls mother reappears taking Beowulf in her arms. The token washes up on shore shortly thereafter.

Through the movie there are references to the how brave Beowulf is not only by him but others emphasis it throughout the movie. It is always okay to over sell your accomplishments to show how brave you are as long the person was able to back it up. The Anglo-Saxon warrior’s culture is all about the glory, and courage no matter if it causes death. In the movie Beowulf made a statement about how “for glory, not for gold.” Which is a great representation of how the warriors cared more about for a lack of a better word Heroes. In the movie religion was mentioned there was some mention of moving towards Christianity which didn’t happen until later on. At the time the movie takes place the people were superstitious and it seemed they were slowly transitioning toward Christianity.

Work Cited:

“Anglo-Saxon Culture.” Brief Timeline of American Literature and Events:1830-1839,      public.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/medieval/anglo-saxon.html.

Full Cast & Crew.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt0442933/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_wr#writers/.

Rees, Margaret. “Beowulf: Tenuous Relationship between Movie and Poem.” Torture and Death in America's Prisons, World Socialist Web Site Wsws.org Published by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), 1 Mar. 2008, www.wsws.org/en/articles/2008/03/beow-m01.html.

“The Anglo-Saxon Hero.” "Death Penalty – Justified", csis.pace.edu/grendel/Proj2004A1/hero.html.

 “What Did the Anglo-Saxons Believe?” BBC News, BBC, 1 Aug. 2018,www.bbc.com/bitesize/articles/zs3gcdm.

Dagobert the First's Favorite Abbey

   

During the 7th century, King Dagobert founded this abbey, which also happened to be built over the tomb of French kings for 800 years. A fun fact about King Dagobert is that this particular abbey was his favorite and allowed the people to have an annual fair, to please God(Bennett 29). The town built themselves up around the abbey over time. Around the year of 1136, Abbot Suger built a basilica for the abbey, which ended up changing the entire western architecture. Suger basically started the Gothic architecture in the west. The best structure to demonstrate this style can be seen in the ambulatory. This is where the beautiful stain glass windows can be seen, as seen below. 

Not only was this structure important to the transition from Romanesque to Gothic structure, but it was also important because it was the first building to have stained glass "rose" windows. They are made up of multiple circular windows that come together to form the shape of a rose. The design of the Basilica is based on Biblical themes and on the Biblical phrase, "let there be light." In other words it was very spacious and these windows were massive, so a lot of light was let in. To go along with the Gothic style of the building, the Basilica forms a cross. A lot of hard work went into this structure, from the building itself to the smallest of detail. This abbey and Basilica are both beautiful works of art.

Works Cited:

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Saint-Denis.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 23 June 2017.

 https://hum120.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/architecture-the-basilica-of-st-denis/

“Architecture: The Basilica of St Denis.” HUM 120 Course Blog, 24 Mar. 2011.

https://www.britannica.com/place/Saint-Denis-France#ref38148

Bennet, Judith M. Medieval Europe: A Short History. 11th ed., McGraw-Hill, 9 Sept. 2018