Viking Runes: the pre-Christian writing of the Norse

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RON20406

RON20406

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Jan 22, 2008
280
Hunter 25_73-83 NORTH POINT MARINA/WINTHROP HA IL
An interesting video of extant Viking Runes written before the Christianization of the Viking people. They not only convey important historic information and literary creativity, but also represent a beautiful visual form of communication. These stones have been found throughout the Old and New Worlds and give an interesting picture of a great seafaring people- the first documented European settlers of North America. Best, Ron
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjkgULseT-I
 
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Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,164
CC 30 South Florida
The old stones were mainly memorials commisioned to honor a relative or friend. Never before herd them depicted as conveying important historical information or displaying literary creativity.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Benny if you would learn the history of a people visit the grave yards and if you would know about a people read their contempory fiction.
 
RichH

RichH

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Feb 14, 2005
4,773
Tayana 37 cutter; I20/M20 SCOWS Worton Creek, MD
Not only the vikings but also most of the 'Germanics' including Anglo Saxons, Franks and various other 'german tribes' used runes until nearly the middle ages, until the transition to 'gothic' and 'latinized' alphabets. The german gothic 'black letter' or 'fraktur' (a blend of runic and roman) scripts lasted until the 1940s
 

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Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Maybe this has something to do with sailing, but I just don't see it. Belongs in some other forum?
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Ron20324 said:
Maybe this has something to do with sailing, but I just don't see it. Belongs in some other forum?
Click to expand
Sailing is/was what took the Vikings to the many places where you can find the runes.
 
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Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,164
CC 30 South Florida
Ross it is or real historical importance to find out that Toki Son of Rolf went to England and died there. I don't think he was brought back hence it is a memorial and not a tombstone. The Germanic tribes had a written language, "fraktur" but the Vikings never wrote their history, it came down by word of mouth and we know how that goes. The Vikings were a band of pirates among the Scandinavian people and their history has been embelished by fiction novel writers and hollywood. I just can't imagagine what they will say about Somali pirates a 1000 years from now.
 
RichH

RichH

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Feb 14, 2005
4,773
Tayana 37 cutter; I20/M20 SCOWS Worton Creek, MD
Viking (Norske, Sverige, Danemärk, Islandic) & Germanic "Sagas" were indeed written and usually written in 'runic' in earlier times ≤800AD as well as later in gothic fraktur ≥ 1000AD . The sagas most definitely included 'history' of principal chieftains, etc. The Saxon epic poem "Beowulf" was probably written ~700AD.

The earliest Germanic sagas are attributed to the Alemanni (Suevi/Schwabe) c. < ~200AD ... and their heavy cavalry handily kicked Roman butt deeply into the N. Italian Peninsula. The 'age of the vikings' only began ~700AD and lasted until 1000AD.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
The little bits and pieces of history found in the runes is as it were carved in stone and not subject to the interpretation of the next gang that rules the area.
 
ggrizzard

ggrizzard

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May 27, 2004
2,041
Hunter 30_74-83 Ponce Inlet FL
And, to go "Viking" meant to go on a trade mission or a raid by ship, as far away as the eastern Med!
 
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