Runic Inscriptions

No selfrespecting wizard should be unschooled in runelore, and in this little book runemaster Paul Johnson introduces the magic of this archaic script through ancient inscriptions found on stones, bones and other artefacts found around these mysterious isles.With exquisite early engravings, useful correspondence tables, and a new translation of the fascinating old English Rune Poem, this is a beautiful book and an essential introduction to the subject.

• This edition Wooden Books Ltd 2001 First published 1999 AD Illustrations pgs 26, 32, 34, 36, 43b 4
• Most of the illustrations have been reproduced from George Stephens four volumes The OldNorthern Run
• 1 IntroductIon The ancient magical letters of the runic alphabets have appeared in inscriptions from
• 2 3 The most intriguing of characters, runes, were born out of the mists of Old Europe and their beg
• 4 5 The runes first came to these shores in or around the fifth century with the AngloSaxons, who by
• 6 7 Not much is known about the early runemasters who created these runic alphabets and poems except
• 8 9 Elksedge most often dwells on the fen, growing in water, severely wounding and marks with blood
• 10 11 Many of our everyday words are related by their history or etymology to Old English rune words
• 12 13 13 12 OE Old English, MO Modern English, ON Old Norse, Sc Scottish.
• 14 15 The Ruthwell Cross towers over seventeen feet high and is contained within the Ruthwell Church
• 16 17 Steep upon the wild borderlands of Scotland, quite close to Hadrians Wall, lies the small haml
• 18 19 Kept in the possession of the Museum of Antiquities in NewcastleuponTyne this oddly shaped mem
• 20 21 This fragment of a larger runestone was discovered in the structure of the Kirkheaton Church i
• 22 23 Found in the last century this stone panel was once part of a sarcophagus situated in St. Paul
• 24 25 This rare Norse Christian gravestone was chanced upon in the old burial ground of the ruined c
• 26 27 The small but significant Isle of Man is home to over thirty Viking runic crosses, dated betwe
• 28 29 The Orkney islands nestle remotely on the shoulders of north east Scotland, and close to the L
• 30 31 Built before 2700 BC the impressiveness of this ancient structure is reflected in the sunlight
• 32 33 This tiny knucklebone, or astragalus, one inch in length, bears six runes incised across its s
• 34 35 The prominent site at Spong Hill in Norfolk has been an occupation site since Mesolithic times
• 36 37 This inscription is found on the end protrusion of a Red Deers antler along the tine, or sharp
• 38 39 Dated to the early eighth century this attractive silver brooch was found in Hunterston, Ayrsh
• 40 41 The Franks Casket is displayed in the British Museum in London. This fascinating carved whale
• 42 43 The back of the Casket below shows and tells Tituss capture of Jerusalem with his attacking sp
• 44 45 the Amulet rIngs three survive All bearing a similar magical inscription and dated from the ei
• 46 47 This intricately detailed silver gilt dragon with blue glass eyes dates from the ninth century
• 48 49 An AngloSaxon short sword was known as a scramasax OE seaxor and this one was found in the bed
• 50 51 Found inside a lead casket along with about a hundred silver coins in 1634 when a plough turne
• 52 53 The angular shape of the runes primarily arose because the runes were a script designed to be
• 54 55 Certain runes are repeated in other more complex runeshapes, which display a symmetry of these
• 56 57 Feoh wealth Ur aurochs Thorn thorn Os mouth Rad riding Cen torch Gyfu gift Wynn joy Hgl hail N
• 58 notes