Misplaced Pages

#863136

34-654: There are seven known rings of the Anglo-Saxon period (9th or 10th century) bearing futhorc inscriptions. Futhorc are Anglo-Saxon runes which were used to write Old English . The most notable of the rings are the Bramham Moor Ring , found in the 18th century, and the Kingmoor Ring , found 1817, inscribed with a nearly identical magical runic formula read as ærkriufltkriuriþonglæstæpontol A third ring, found before 1824 (perhaps identical to

68-812: A finger ring . Within the context of the Scandinavian Bronze Age , archeological digs of graves suggest that arm rings were most commonly worn by men. Arm rings have also been found in Britain and Ireland, with artifacts dating from the Bronze Age till the Viking Age . Archeological discoveries of Bronze Age arm rings in Denmark suggest they were common Votive offerings during that period, found purposefully deposited in bodies of water or buried near large stones, hills, or barrows . It

102-574: A curse on the ring, along with the rest of the hoard that Loki takes, that it will be the death of whosoever owns it. Throughout the Völsunga saga , curse is fulfilled with the owners of the ring dying, including Otr's father Hreiðmarr , his brother Fáfnir (who becomes a dragon after claiming it) and the hero Sigurð . Arm ring Often, when the word "ring" occurs in Bronze-Age heroic literature it refers to an arm ring, rather than

136-399: A diameter of c. 29 mm. and weighs 40.22 g. The inscription reads: ᛭   ᚫᚱᛦᚱᛁᚢᚠᛚᛏ ærkriuflt ᛭   ᛦᚱᛁᚢᚱᛁᚦᚩᚾ kriuriþon ᛭   ᚷᛚᚫᛋᛏᚫᛈᚩᚾ͡ᛏᚩᚿ glæstæpon͡tol ᛭ ᚫᚱᛦᚱᛁᚢᚠᛚᛏ ᛭ ᛦᚱᛁᚢᚱᛁᚦᚩᚾ ᛭ ᚷᛚᚫᛋᛏᚫᛈᚩᚾ͡ᛏᚩᚿ {} ærkriuflt {} kriuriþon {} glæstæpon͡tol Where k is the late futhorc calc rune of the same shape as Younger Futhark Yr and

170-643: A form of portable wealth; the precise value has been suggested to be an exaggeration due to the impracticality of the high weight. Contemporary to this, in Scandinavia and areas with significant Scandinavian influence such as Britain and Ireland , arm and bullion rings were used in the same manner for hacksilver , where they would be cut up and used in financial transactions. These rings often show nicks which are commonly attributed to metal purity checks. The weights of intact arm and neck rings are always multiples of mercantile units, further supporting their usage as

204-605: A form of wearable currency. Consistent with the Rus' rings being standardised in line with a value of dirhams, in Sweden, weights have been found that are integers of both Scandinavian and Islamic units, suggesting an integration of the trading systems; dirhams have also been found in both England and Scandinavia dating to the Early medieval period , which would have been used as part of the bullion economy or melted down into ingots. Similarly,

238-501: A practice detailed in the sagas, but they were later dated to the Bronze Age where there was less historical evidence for the giving of arm rings as part of oath making. Arm rings may have also been a method of storing silver during the Viking Age, a context wherein coins were less common. When silver was needed for use, a section of the arm ring would have been cut off, leading to the term hack silver . In Indonesia , an arm ring

272-624: A ring found in 1773 at Linstock castle in Carlisle), has a magical inscription of a similar type, ery.ri.uf.dol.yri.þol.ƿles.te.pote.nol. The remaining five rings have much shorter inscriptions. The Bramham Moor Ring, dated to the ninth century, was found in Bramham cum Oglethorpe , West Yorkshire in or before 1732 (now in the Danish National Museum , no. 8545). It is made from electrum (gold with niello ), with

306-443: A ring owned by Baldr that also brought wealth, and may reflect a shared tradition. Draupnir has been seen as the mythical counterpart to the temple ring and has been identified on Norwegian bracteates dating from the 5th–7th centuries CE, where it has been proposed to act as a symbol of Odin's power, and to have a role in legitimising the sacred right of kings to rule. Although the precise interpretation of depictions involving rings

340-894: A ring, while calling on the names of Freyr , Njörðr and an unclear god referred to as the ' almighty Ás ': Baugr, tvíeyringr eða meiri, skyldi liggja í hverju höfuðhofi á stalla. Þann baug skyldi hverr goði hafa á hendi sér til lögþinga allra, þeira er hann skyldi sjálfr heyja, ok rjóða hann þar áðr í roðru nautsblóðs þess, er hann blótaði þar sjálfr. Hverr sá maðr, er þar þurfti lögskil af hendi at leysa at dómi, skyldi áðr eið vinna at þeim baugi ok nefna sér vátta tvá eða fleiri. "Nefni ek í þat vætti," skyldi hann segja, "at ek vinn eið at baugi, lögeið. Hjálpi mér svá Freyr ok Njörðr ok inn Almáttki áss sem ek mun svá sök þessa sækja eða verja eða vitni bera eða kviðu eða dæma sem ek veit réttast ok sannast ok helzt at lögum ok öll lögmæt skil af hendi leysa, þau er undir mik koma, meðan ek em á þessu þingi . A ring weighing two ounces or more should lie on

374-514: A total of 30 signs. Where k is the late Futhorc calc rune of the same shape as Younger Futhark Yr , and the s is the so-called "bookhand s" looking similar to a Younger Futhark k , ᚴ . A ring made of agate , perhaps dating to the 9th century, found before 1824. Now British Museum ring catalogue no. 186. The inscription reads: ᛖᚱᚣ ery ᛫ . ᚱᛁ ri ᛫ Rings in Germanic cultures A prominent position

SECTION 10

#1732780492864

408-651: Is also seen in the Swedish Svíagriss – an ancestral ring of the Ynglings whose name means "Sweden-piglet". The association between pigs and the Ynglings is also seen in the use of boar helmets and through their claimed descent from Frey , a god closely associated with the animal. Together, this has led to the proposal that the ring represents the totemic connection between the Swedes and boar. Related to

442-643: Is believed that arm rings may have been bestowed as gifts by powerful lords to secure or maintain bonds of fealty or Vassalages , with evidence of this practice found in Scandinavian sagas and the Old English epic poem Beowulf . A distinctively decorated set of Danish arm rings within the National Museum of Denmark collection had acquired the name of "oath rings" during the 19th century by archeologists directly connecting those rings to such

476-593: Is called kelat bahu ; it is commonly used by both men and women as traditional jewelry in Javanese , Sundanese , and Balinese traditional costumes, worn usually in wedding ceremony or in traditional dance . The decorative arm rings are usually made of metals such as gold, silver, or brass, and can trace their history from the Indonesian Hindu - Buddhist past of ancient Java. Sri Lankan history notes that brides wore armlets to ward off ill luck. However,

510-488: Is held by rings in early Germanic cultures , appearing both in archaeology throughout areas settled by Germanic peoples , and in textual sources discussing their practices and beliefs. They are notably associated with the related aspects of wealth, being used as forms of currency in the Early Medieval Period , and swearing sacred oaths , often dedicated to, or witnessed by, the gods . The sacrality of rings

544-460: Is not undisputed, their common presence alongside depictions of gods in migration period bracteates and amulets, demonstrates the importance of the symbol to the Germanic peoples . Great wealth is also associated with Andvaranaut , a ring once owned by the dwarf Andvari and taken by Loki through coercion as weregild for his killing of Ótr . Due to Loki's greed and threats, Andvari places

578-516: Is reflected in Germanic mythology and ring bestowal held a central role in maintaining functional relationships between rulers and their retinues. The cultural roles of rings continued to varying extents during and after the Christianisation of the Germanic peoples , such as in gift-bestowal and oath-swearing. Arm , finger and neck rings dating to the Early Medieval Period have been found in hoards throughout Northern Europe, such as

612-611: Is told in Skáldskaparmál to have been forged by the dwarfs Brokkr and Sindri , to drip eight equally heavy rings every eight nights. Accordingly, Draupnir is used in kennings for gold in Skáldskaparmál . Draupnir is typically attributed to Odin however in Skáldskaparmál it is once described as being owned by Baldr , and is lain in Baldr's pyre by Odin according to Gylfaginning . Gesta Danorum also describes

646-583: The n͡t is written as a bindrune . The Kingmoor Ring (also Greymoor Hill Ring) dates to the 9th or 10th century. It is of gold, with a diameter ca. 27 mm. It was discovered in June 1817 at Greymoor Hill, Kingmoor, near Carlisle ( 54°55′0″N 2°58′30″W  /  54.91667°N 2.97500°W  / 54.91667; -2.97500 ). By 1859, the ring was in the possession of the British Museum (ring catalogue no. 184) who has received it from

680-586: The Drävle runestone , and on bracteates dating to the migration era . Anglo-Saxon runic finger rings have been found in England dating from the 8th–11th centuries CE. Some of the inscriptions can be translated, often denoting ownership, however some do not appear to form words and consequently have been interpreted as magic formulae. Single runes are often used consecutively in multiples of 3. It has been suggested that finger rings were uncommon in England during

714-584: The Earl of Aberdeen . A replica is on exhibit in the Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle. The inscription reads: ᛭   ᚨᚱᛦᚱᛁᚢᚠᛚᛏᛦᚱᛁᚢᚱᛁᚦᚩᚾᚷᛚᚨᚴᛏᚨᛈᚩᚾ ærkriufltkriuriþonglæstæpon / / ᛏᚨᚿ tol ᛭ ᚨᚱᛦᚱᛁᚢᚠᛚᛏᛦᚱᛁᚢᚱᛁᚦᚩᚾᚷᛚᚨᚴᛏᚨᛈᚩᚾ / ᛏᚨᚿ {} ærkriufltkriuriþonglæstæpon / tol The final ᛏᚨᚿ tol is written on the inside of the ring. The inscription amounts to

SECTION 20

#1732780492864

748-704: The Spillings Hoard in Gotland and the Silverdale Hoard in Lancashire. Artistic styles varied with region and time, with new styles arising through formation of mixed cultural groups, such as the development of Hiberno-Scandinavian forms through the Scandinavian settlement of Ireland. Rings are also depicted, both in picture stones, often on those relating to the story of Sigurð like

782-572: The medieval period , where rings were hung on church doors, such as the Forsa ring from Hälsingland in Sweden that was at a church adjacent to an old thing mound. Outside of Scandinavia , continental sources describing oaths being sworn on church rings from the 9th to 14th centuries CE. In mythological contexts, rings typically reflect their historical roles and are typically important items of high quality craftsmanship, forged by dwarfs , such as Freyja's neck-ring, Brisingamen . The ring Draupnir

816-606: The ring of Pietroassa , the Elder Furthark inscription of which has been translated from Gothic as "inheritance of the Goths . I am holy". A letter from Bishop Ambrosius of Milan in the 4th century CE also describes arm rings being worn both by heathen Gothic priests and, to his displeasure, the Gothic Arian priests. After the Christianisation of the Germanic peoples , the practice retained some importance during

850-467: The 5th–6th centuries CE with both men and women, however their popularity increased in the 10th–11th centuries, when they became relatively more popular among women. These finger rings are typically made of silver or gold, although bronze and lead have also been found, and can have settings for gems or coloured glass; in the case of the Wheatley Hill rings, the settings seem to have been added after

884-580: The altars of North Germanic heathen temples , upon which oaths would be sworn. During blóts , the ring could then be sprinkled with blood from a sacrificed animal. Temple rings varied in size in accounts, from small rings weighing around 50 g, as in Landnámabók , to that described in Eyrbyggja saga at a temple of Thor weighing around 550 g. In Atlakviða , Atli swears an oath on a ring dedicated to Ullr , while in Landnámabók oaths are sworn on

918-576: The concept of swearing allegiance to a ruler in return for a ring, oaths were also sworn upon rings without an exchange of ownership. In Hávamál , Odin describes how he broke a ring-oath ( Old Norse : baugeið ), and now cannot be trusted. The Anglo-Saxon chronicle records that in 876, the Danes were convinced to swear a peace oath on a holy ring ( Old English : hâlgan beage ) to King Alfred after his victory at Wareham . Sagas such as Eyrbyggja saga and Víga-Glúms saga describe rings sitting on

952-642: The economic value of rings is attested on the Prose Edda account of Fróði's Peace when a golden ring is lain down on Jelling heath without being stolen, as a demonstration of the lack of law-breaking in the period. Giving of rings is a central responsibility of kings in Anglo-Saxon societies, as described in Maxims II : Sweord sceal on bearme, drihtlic isern. Draca sceal on hlæwe, frod, frætwum wlanc. Fisc sceal on wætere cynren cennan. Cyning sceal on healle beagas dælan. The sword must be in

986-567: The inscription as it partially obscures the runes . Explicitly Christian inscriptions are common, representing approximately one third of total inscriptions, consistent with Exeter Book riddles 48 and 59 , however this is lower than the average across all media in England for this period. Neck rings are described in Ibn Fadlan 's account of the Rus' people , where women wear a number of silver or gold rings, each worth 10,000 dirhams in metal, as

1020-511: The lap, the lordly iron. The dragon must be in the barrow, aged, proud in treasure. The fish must be in the water, propagating its kind. The king must wait in the hall, dealing in rings. Beowulf describes ring-giving as having a central role in building social cohesion among the retainers of a lord, who is in turn referred to by the kenning "ring-giver". Thanes are given treasures such as rings, and after accepting them enter into an agreement to remain loyal in return; in this practice,

1054-709: The purpose two or more witnesses and repeat the following words: — "I call to witness in evidence, he was to say, that I take oath upon the ring, a lawful one (lögeid) so help me Frey and Niord and the Almighty God , to this end that I shall in this case prosecute or defend or bear witness or give award or pronounce doom according to what I know to be most right and most true and most lawful, and that I will deal lawfully with all such matters in law as I have to deal with while I am at this Thing ." Sacred rings are also attested in East Germanic cultures, such as with

Anglo-Saxon runic rings - Misplaced Pages Continue

1088-484: The significance for building relations is in the cultural value of the exchange rather than the objective value of the ring, or other treasure, itself. Hrōðgār upholds his responsibility as a king with both deeds and actions, sharing rings during feasts in Heorot . This stands in contrast with Heremod , who did not give rings to retainers while king of the Danes and is given as an example of an unjust and greedy king who

1122-454: The stall in every chief Temple, and this ring should every chief or goði have upon his arm at all public law-motes (logthing) at which he should be at the head of affairs, having first reddened it in the blood of a neat which he himself had sacrificed there. Every man who was there to transact any business, as by law provided by the Court, should first take an oath upon that ring and name for

1156-555: Was eventually removed from his position for abusing his authority. The importance of rings as royal cult objects continued after Christianisation of the Anglo-Saxons into the 10th century CE, as attested in the Anglo-Saxon chronicle when an English king is referred to as a generous ring-giver ( Old English : beaggifa ), a description also used for Jesus in the Old Saxon Heliand . The relationship with kings

#863136