Viking Language & Writing

Runes in Viking Times

• Elder Futhark (150-800CE)• Anglo-Saxon Futhorc (400-

1100CE)• Younger Futhark (800-1100CE)

Elder Futhark (approx 150-800CE)

Anglo-Saxon Futhorc (400-1100CE)

Younger Futhark (800-1100CE)

• Swedish and Norwegen

• Danish

Uses of Runes

• Magical - for fortune telling or creating spells or charms

• Practical - for sending messages or indicating ownership

• Monumental - for commemorating people, actions, events

• Graffiti – e.g. at Hagia Sophia

What does the Runestone say?• Latin transliteration:

faþiR : lit : hukua : runaR : þisi : uftiR : osur : bruþur : sin : is : nur : uarþ : tuþr : i : uikiku :

• Old Norse transcription:FaþiR let hoggwa runaR þæssi æftiR Azur,

broþur sin, æs nor warþ døþr i wikingu.• English translation:

"Faðir had these runes cut in memory of Ôzurr, his brother, who died in the north on a viking raid."

Oral Storytelling

• Stories passes down generation to generation• Poets and storytellers known as ‘skalds’ • Tales of gods, heroes, kings or great deeds– Viking leaders wanted deeds immortalised and family history

to be proud of– Language was poetic and used ‘kennings’ to paint word

pictures• Corpse beer = blood• Winter’s blanket = snow• Giant’s back scratcher = 2 handed axe• War needles = arrows• Whale road = the sea

The Sagas

• Sagas – stories in written form• Recorded in Iceland and Norway in 12th-14th

centuries• Fate, luck, honour, the supernatural and

character • Literary merit• Preserved in manuscripts made from vellum

(polished leather)

The Sagas as an historical source

• How reliable are The Sagas as a source of Viking life?