On the Origin and Early History of the Runic Script

This is a monograph on the development and geographical distribution of runic forms in the older "futhark" (C.200-750 A.D.). Runic forms employed during this period in Scandinavia, on the Continent, in England and in Frisia are compared. The investigation shows that the early Scandinavian inscriptions use more archaic forms and the late ones more innovations than inscriptions from the Continent and England. The latter, which date from c.400-750 A.D., develop very little in comparison with contemporary Scandinavian inscriptions and give a more conservative impression. The author concludes, on the basis of the greater variety of forms, that the runic script was used earlier and for a longer period of time in Scandinavia than elsewhere. The occurence of the various allographs in the above-mentioned areas is presented in statistical tables, and an attempt is made to establish the original form of each rune, and how and when its allograph arose. The final chapter discusses the disputed question of runes. In the author's opinion it can hardly be doubted that it was the Roman alphabet that served as a model when the "futhark" was created some time at the beginning of our era.