Runes and Runic Inscriptions: Collected Essays on Anglo-Saxon and Viking Runes by R.I. Page

How, where and why runes were used is still often mysterious; they continue to set puzzles for those who study them, among whom few are better known than the author of this book. Here he investigates evidence from Anglo-Saxon runic coins to Manx inscribed stones, including many of the known Anglo-Saxon runic inscriptions (notably the Ruthwell cross and the Franks casket) and manuscripts, and looks in passing at some Scandinavian material, both in Great Britain and elsewhere.

In addition to these detailed descriptions of inscriptions, and of the runic futhorc, or alphabet, on which they are based, Page also considers wider issues on which runes throw light: magic, paganism and literacy. Archaeologists, historians and others will find this a uniquely useful and authoritative volume on Anglo-Saxon runes. R.I. PAGE is a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and Emeritus Professor of Anglo-Saxon, Cambridge University.

Norwegian Runes and Runic Inscriptions by Terje Spurkland
Translated by Betsy van der Hoek

1. The Origins of the Runes: Who, what, when and where?
2. The Oldest Runic Alphabet (AD 200-600)
3. Runic Inscriptions in the Elder Futhark
4. The Eggja stone. Blood sacrifice of Norway’s first report of a capsized boat
5. New language, new alphabet
6. Viking Age runic inscriptions
7. Towards the High Middle Ages
8. The High Middle Ages

Das fuþark und seine einzelsprachlichen Weiterentwicklungen

The Fuþark and its Further Developments in Individual Linguistic Traditions

Runes are the oldest known writing system in which texts have been recorded in Germanic languages. The ordering of the runes, which dates from a later period, gives the origin of the term ‘fuþark’. Like all the other writing systems, the futhark underwent far-reaching changes over time. The volume deals with the changes which occurred in the writing traditions of the individual languages.

24 x 17 cm. XXIII, 465 Seiten. Zahlr. Abb. Leinen. Euro [D] 98.00 / sFr 157.00 / for USA, Canada, Mexico US$ 132.30. *ISBN978-3-11-019008-3

Language: German

First published: July 2006
Price: 132.30 USD / 66.40 GBP

http://tinyurl.com/38eq9o

by Sweyn Plowright Rune-Net Press ISBN 0-9580435-1-5

There are now dozens of books on the market claiming to reveal the ancient knowledge of the Runes. Most of these books present superficial and often inaccurate information on runes, and mix it with practices and philosophies from various New Age, Wiccan, or Eastern sources. Often, they just make it up as they go along. With the popularity of the Runes, it is an easy way to make a quick profit.To those interested in the integrity and sacredness of the Runes, this situation is quite deplorable. To those interested in beginning their exploration of the Runes, the situation is just confusing. Why are the books so contradictory? How can you tell if a book is reliable? Where do you start? Hopefully, this primer will give you just enough of a grounding to start your studies with confidence and discernment.

Click on the image for my book review of The Rune Primer

New Second Edition, published 2006

Improved and expanded. Twice as thick as the "Runic Primer" it replaces.This new expanded edition contains new translations of the rune poems, a look at some popular authors, and a chapter on popular myths and misconceptions about the runes. I hope to be giving this a full review in the course of the next few weeks.

One of Krause’s theories is that the word Erilaz, which appears in a small number of inscriptions, had a meaning of “Rune Magician”. This was taken further by Thorsson, who postulated a cult or guild of rune magicians connected with a tribe called by the Romans “Heruli”. There are about a dozen early inscriptions of the form “I the Eril, wrote this” (-az being the masculine singular word ending). There is no indication in the inscriptions that gives a clue to the meaning of the word. However, there is fairly good linguistic evidence. It is accepted by many scholars that there is a linguistic link between the name of the Germanic warriors listed by the Romans as “Heruli”, the “Erilaz” from the runic inscriptions, and the Old Norse “Jarl”, Old English “Eorl”, and modern English “Earl”. However, there is still much debate and disagreement among the experts, many do not accept that “Erilaz” has anything to do with the actual groups called “Heruli”.

If we look at the linguistics, the only viable theory connects all of these words to warriors or armies. The reconstructed Germanic root is “*HarjaN”, = army. The word survives remarkably little changed in modern English as “to harry”, a term still used in the military to describe repeated surprise attacks designed to wear the enemy down, or test their strength. It also survives in German as “Herre” = “Army”. It is also the root word of the warriors of Valhalla, the “Einherja”, and of names such as “Hereward”  (army-protector). The Jarl or Earl was originally the leader of an army. The Heruli were “the army people”, “those who harry”, or “the marauders”. “Ek Erilaz” almost certainly meant “I the warrior”. The word obviously had a lot of prestige, and this is not surprising in a culture that valued warriorship so highly. The word gained further in prestige until it meant “army leader” (Jarl/Earl). There is a clear linguistic theme in which the meaning of the root word remains consistent. It is highly unlikely that such a word would have changed meaning so radically that it ever suggested “rune magician” at any stage.

There is mention in the Rigsthula that a Jarl should be an educated person, who should know runes and also magic, among a many other things. It can not be interpreted as saying that a Jarl was a rune magician, merely that an ideal Jarl should be broadly educated. Warriorship was still the Jarl’s primary business. Virtually all other sources place Jarls squarely in their military and political occupations. Nothing in the linguistic or historical evidence suggests “Erilaz” means “rune magician”. In fact the bulk of evidence points against it. The most widely accepted meaning of “ek Erilaz” is “I the Earl”, indicating a warrior of high standing or a commander who is stating his authority.