Coded and Secret Runes
A very interesting aspect of runic inscriptions is the Norwegian Lønnruner, a coded way to write runes, which means "secret runes", but in English coded runes might be a better description. The reason for writing runes in this way could be to hide the inscription's meaning, for example, to hide taboo words, but the method could also be another way to simply write embellished runes - without any thought on magic or secrecy of the text. Often what is written in secret or coded runes gives no explicit reason why the scribe would want to conceal, or encode its meaning.
We will deal here with three
aspects: the Methods of writing Coded
Runes, the Bindrunes and the
Coded Runic Inscriptions.
When writing normal runes the writing is based on that the first rune in the
Elder Futhark, Fehu, is counted as the 1st rune, Uruz is
counted as the 2nd rune, Thurisaz is the 3rd rune, Ansuz is
counted as the 4th rune and so on. You find the right rune by counting the
runes consecutive from the beginning to the end.
When writing coded runes, however, the writing is based on that the upper
row in the Elder Futhark, Freya's Aett is counted as the 3rd aett,
the middle row, Hagall's aett is counted as the 2nd aett and the
lower row, Tyr's aett is counted as the 1st aett.
The following table shows how the runes of the Elder Futhark are
represented.
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1st rune |
2nd rune |
3rd rune |
4th rune |
5th rune |
6th rune |
7th rune |
8th rune |
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3rd Aett |
FEHU |
URUZ |
THURISAZ |
ANSUZ |
RAIDHO |
KENAZ |
GEBO |
WUNJO |
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2nd Aett |
HAGALAZ |
NAUTHIZ |
ISA |
JERA |
PERTHRO |
EIHWAZ |
ALGIZ |
SOWILO |
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1st Aett |
TIWAZ |
BERKANO |
EHWAZ |
MANNAZ |
LAGUZ |
INGWAZ |
DAGAZ |
OTHALA |
Literature says that a coded rune is sometimes represented in the form of 3/4, or 34, which means in this case the 4th rune in the 3nd aett, the ansuz. By this system 21 would represent the 1st rune of the 2nd aett, the hagalaz. However, in several cases the aetts are counted in their proper order, and not backwards, as represented above.
Methods of writing Coded Runes
1. The "twig" style.
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The number of twigs on the left side of the staff states which aett the rune belongs to. The number of twigs on the right side of the staff states which rune it is in this aett. The rune in this inscription will then be the 6th rune in the 2nd aett. (However, in some cases the reference to the rune and aett are the other way round.) |
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This is how a Futhark with younger runes will be if you count the aetts in their natural ranking. |
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2. The "scratch line" style
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The long lines state in which aett the rune belongs to. The short lines state which place the rune is in the prevailing aett. The meaning of this inscription will then be the 3rd rune in the 1st aett + the 2nd rune in the 2nd aett + the 5th rune in the 3rd aett. |
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| This inscription is from the Rotbrunna stone. The coded runes says airikr, which is "Eirik", and the 4 following runes say hiuk, which generally means "trace, scratch, chop, hew, inscribe (in stone with chisel)". This inscription is written with the younger runes and the fuþark is counted as the 3rd aett. The runic text can be translated "Eric wrote (these runes)" |
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However,
in some inscriptions the short lines are regarded as indication of the aett and the long
lines as the runes ranking in the aett. |
3. The "Vålsta" style
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The Vålsta stone's inscription, which is shown here, is more or less a summation of methods 1 and 2. The inscription is written with younger runes and fuþark is counted as the 3rd aett. |
4. The "Rök" style
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This
inscription is written on the Rök stone. The system is principally
similar to the methods 1, 2 and 3. Fuþark is counted as the 3rd
aett. |
5. The "Eihwaz" style
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In this
method of writing coded runes a sign is used to give the account of the
rune and aett. The reference to the aett and rune is achieved by using a
number of left turned signs similar to the eihwaz rune followed by a
number of right turned signs. The number of left turned signs gives the
aett and the following number of right turned signs gives the ranking of
the rune in the aett. Fuþark is counted as the 3rd aett. The
upper line says þu and the lower line says r. |
6. The "Norum" style
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This method of writing coded runes is in principle similar in function to method 5. The inscription is from the Norum baptismal font in Norum Church in Sweden. |
7. The "O-S" style
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At
first sight this inscription looks like the scribe has used an
"o-rune" from the Elder Futhark and a "s-rune" from
the younger runes. In this way the inscription says oossoosss. But
this is probably not the case, given that this explanation provides no
meaningful word or sentence, so therefore here we have an inscription with
coded runes. |
8. The Decorative styles
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Among several runic inscriptions from the Middle Ages found at Bryggen in Bergen a runic inscription with coded runes using a man's head as the staff was found. The method of representing the Furhark's aett and the ranking of the runes is in this case similar to several of the mentioned methods. The number of left "beards" indicate the aett, and the number of right "beards" indicate the specific rune. This is a "S-rune", i.e. the 5. rune in 2. aett. |
A runic inscription of this style.
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Also found in Bryggen, Bergen, together with the previous one, this inscription could be seen as a decorated derivative of method 1. Here the staff is in the form of a fish. This inscription says: 6th rune in 3rd aett (k) + 2nd rune in 3rd aett (u) + 3rd rune in 3rd aett (þ) + 6th rune in 3rd aett (k) + 3rd rune in 2nd aett (i) + 1st rune in 3rd aett (f) + 3rd rune in 2nd aett (i), summing to kuþkifi. |
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This is a bindrune made up of 6 t-runes and 4 a-runes. The bindrune is interpreted as a 6 times call on to the god Tiw and a 4 times call on to the Asa Gods. In this bindrune we have so called concept runes, i.e. instead of writing the words fully out with runes, the rune master has used the rune's name to express what he wanted to say. |
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Be aware of that runes like this which is written on the Klyver stone, shall not be read as secret runes. |
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| roughly: raþe sa er kan namn orklaski |
This inscription is written on the baptismal font in Kareby Church in
Bohuslen in Sweden. In Norse the runic text says Ráði, sá er kann,
nafn "orklaski", i.e. "Interpret you who can the name
Orklaski"
If we replace the "name" Orklaski in the written runes,
with the runes which preceed the written runes in the 16 rune Futhark in
ranking in the aett, we will get þorbiarn - "Þorbjorn",
which is the name Torbjørn.
This inscription is one of many in a group of the so called "ráð rétt
rúnar"-inscriptions. One inscription in Gol Church is also written
in "ordinary runes", and it says raþ rett runar þessar,
i.e. ráð rétt rúnar þessar which can be translated "Interpret
these runes right".
On a lost stone cross from the farm Sele in Tangerhaug in Rogaland it was
written ra[þ]rt (Sele II N237). This is a contraction of "Ráð
rétt".
A runic inscription found in Hopperstad Church (Hopperstad kirke XIX N408)
says rrrar which could be raþ ret runar.
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Another method to change the rune places is known from several runic inscriptions, but they are most often interpreted as a training or playing in order to learn the Futhark. One example is a wooden stick found in Iceland on the farm Stóraborg, Austur-Eyjafjallahreppur, Rangarvallasýsla. The fragment of the stick (7,4 x 2,5 x 03 cm) had two inscriptions.
The upper line is interpreted as a training excercise in order to learn the Futhark (rkhnias) based on counting two forward and one backward. The same system would be with the Latin alphabet -fegfhgihgj- etc.
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| r.a.þ.k.m.u:iiiiii:ssssss:tttttt:iiiiii:llllll |
This inscription is attached to the Galder song Buslubæn, in other words Bula's curse which is written in Bóse's saga. It is interpreted "ristil aistil þistil kistil mistil listil" by means of each of the 6 first runes - r.a.þ.k.m.u. One rune is attached in front of each of the 5 groups with i s t i l.
A corresponding inscription is found in Nore Church (Nore kirke II) and it says:
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| ltlsssiiikutramsstltttll |
This inscription is composed by kutram surround of 9 runes on each side. The 2 x 9 runes is 3 i-runes, 5 s-runes, 5 t-runes and 5 l-runes.
On a coffin in Lomen Stave Church another similar inscription is found, but
the oldest inscriptions of this group is on the Grølev stone in Sjælland
in Denmark and the Ledberg stone in Östergötland in Sweden. They were both
written when Scandinavia still was a heathen society: þmk iii sss ttt
iii lll, i.e. þistil mistil kistil.
How these runic inscriptions can or must be interpreted is uncertain, but
the proposed general effect could be to hold demons away.
An another way to write coded
runes is to hide the meaning of the inscription by adding more twigs (lines)
to the runes than there should be. Sometimes parts of a rune could also be
omitted; for example the top of the rune. An example is the
"turn-left" inscription on The Tørvik B-stone. This inscription
is written in the Elder Futhark.
The two Tørvika rune stones, Tørvika A and Tørvika B, were found on the Tørvika
farm at Kvam in Hardanger, Hordaland. Both rune stones had been part of the
walls in a spoiled burial chamber. In addition to the rune stones, fragments
of a funerary urn, horse teeth, remnants of iron tools and cremated bones
were also found. The inscriptions are dated to the first half of 400
P.E. and the language is nSl.
The Tørvika A inscription is written left turned on a stone of quartz slate
(2,34m X 0,70m X 0,08m):
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u |
If we follow the writing rules of the runes, the text would be landawarijaR,
which might be a man's name meaning "land protector, land
occupier". What the Uruz-rune look-alike mark above the man's name
means is uncertain. The runes are up to 15 cm high.
The Tørvika B inscription's runes are approximately 4-6 cm high and are
written on a stone of mica slate (2,70m X 0,68m X 0,09m). The inscription
stand outs from other inscriptions because there are more twigs carved on
the runes than there should be. In addition, several parts of the runes are omitted.
This makes the inscription very difficult to read. Probably was this done in
order to hide the inscription's meaning. We have here what is called "lønnruner"
in Norwegian, or "secret runes".
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The runic inscription is approximately like this. The unbroken red lines represent the extra twigs. The broken red lines represent the omitted rune parts. If we read the runes accordingly, we come to the following complete text:
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heþro dweno k |
The inscription might be translated "Leave (here you will grow numb), Kenaz". The k-rune at the end has to be interpreted by its name and its symbol value. Kenaz stands for "boil, festering, blister". If the inscription is addressed to the dead, the k-rune, or else the spirit the k-rune represents - Kenaz - should make sure that what the runes say happens. But the runic text might also be a warning that the evil spirit Kenaz who caused this is dead. This inscription can, of course, never be accurately interpreted for certain. For example, some of the extra twigs could be parts of a bindrune. Then we would have an infinite number of possible interpretations.