Im not sure when exactly it happened, but some where along the way a great confusion arose, and people began adamantly declaring that the word "viking" is a verb, and not a noun. That you werent "a viking", but went "a-viking"... Typically this argument on both sides is poised with a great deal of "its a well known fact..." and "my friend the linguistics expert.." and "degree in germanic studies.." and lots of other psuedo-official-ness.

While the actual inscription of the N68 is relatively uneventful - "Gunnvor Thrydrik's Daughter made a bridge in memory of Astrid, her daughter. She was the handiest girl in Hadeland."

what is interesting and apropos to the season is the depiction of the Epiphany across the face of the nearly 10 foot tall runestone.

Link to Image

Aside from swearing oaths, one to the ways a person could prove the truth of their story was through Ordeal. One of my favorites is of course Járnburdr - Carrying (Hot) Irons.

The most common method was to grab a piece of iron from boiling water and walk 9 paces carrying it in ones hands.

The most famous example of this was when Inga fra Varteig underwent Járnburdr to prove that her son Håkon Håkonsson was the rightful heir to the throne of Norway.

another method was to walk 12 steps on hot irons, and innocence was proved if 3 days later the wounds were without infection.

Here's quick and dirty little tool to assist in transcribing english into runic letters....just type a few letters in the box and click "Runify". If it doesn't work, you may need to install the font.

Barony of Aquaterra

font: auto* Hnias embedded Hnias space: single dot normal space replace "v" by "w" | replace "x" by "ks" replace "z" by "s"

* font auto: you need a Unicode 3.0 aware browser like Internet Explorer 6.0 (Windows XP)

Barony of Aquaterra

well I didnt get any more insults posted last time, so I will add them this week!
Accusations of Sorcery
From the Rightless Code of the Elder West Gautish Law

§ 5. Þættæ æru vkuæþinsorþ kono. “Iak sa, at þu ret a kuiþgrindu løsharæþ ok i trolz ham, þa alt var iamrift nat ok daghær.” Kallær hanæ kunnæ firi gæræ kono ællær ko; þæt ær vkuæþinsorþ.

Insults, Slander, Defamation... the whole of the world is know to have its turns of phrase that each society feels to be so egregious that the Law must address them.
Today I thought I'd share a few of my favorites..
I'll add some more insults and laws this weekend, but for now lets start with:
Accusations of Bestiality
From the Gulaþing Law of Norway (ca. 100-1200 C.E.):

Today we look at inheritance customs in Viking Age Sweden.

U29, aside from astounding artwork, it is the 2nd longest runic inscription on stone, and details the sad story of a woman named Gerlög, and how she came to claim a vast wealth.

Today I want to look at Fines, more specifically the threefold fine.

again I'll give an example from the Old West Gautish Law:
Takær maþær bo manz vp at vfældu, þæt ær þrænni niv markæ sak: a niv mærkær saksøke ok giald firi bo sit mæþ svornom eþe, niv mærkær konongær ok niv mærkær allir mæn.
"If someone[1] take another's property provided that he is not convicted[2], that is a threefold nine mark penalty: nine marks for the plaintiff and compensation for his property with a sworn oath[3], nine marks for the king and nine marks to the public"

I will be teaching an class on the Runes at September Crown.

you can pre-reg via the Ithra website: http://www.ithra.antir.sca.org

Some thoughts for the weekend.

Neutrality under the law. Unlike some of the more iron fisted rules of dark ages the nobility of sweden often strove to maintain the law and the insistence that nobility was not above the law.

Codex Holmeniesis B193 circa 1220ce and Codex Holmeniesis B59 circa 1280ce give us a great insights into these attempt to make most men equal under the law, a concept that didnt reach the most of europe for quite some time.

From the Rightless Code of the Elder West Gautish Law:

Today lets look at U11, from Hovgården on the island of Adelsö in Uppland Sweden.

U11

Runic transcription:
raþ| |þu : runaR : ret : lit : rista : toliR : bry[t]i : i roþ : kunuki : toliR : a(u)k : gyla : litu : ris... ...- : þaun : hion : eftiR ...k : merki srni... haku(n) * (b)aþ : rista

Normalized Old Norse
Rað þu runaR. Rett let rista ToliR bryti i roði kunungi. ToliR ok Gylla letu ris[ta] ..., þaun hion æftiR [si]k(?) mærki ... Hakon bað rista.