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512
THE ALPHABET
others as early Germanic runes; they seem to be written in a Teutonic language, and in a North Etruscan script, but not in runes (Fig. 233, 2-3).
BARTERINGSTEB825 BIFTTEPER
शारतपस्वशानNAY
Fig. 231-Scandinavian runic inscriptions 1. Sepulchral stone from Kallerup (Roskilde, Denmark), of the early ninth century A.D. 2, Stone from the Odense region (Fyn, Denmark), belonging to the sume period. 3. Inscription from Narrenacra, of the second half of the ninth century A.D. 4. The longest early Danish inscription from Glavendrup (Odense) of about A.D. 000. 5. Alphabetic inscription, partly dotted, from Oestermarie Sogn (Bornholm), 6. Funerary inscription from As (Vestergotland, Sweden), of the eleventh century
Origin of Runes The runic script, which can be considered as the "national" writing of the Teutons, especially of the North Germanic peoples, offers many difficult problems. It is still uncertain when and how the runes were invented.
