Setre Comb
The Setre Comb is a bone
runic inscription
whose interpretation has been extensively discussed.
Overview
The comb, listed as N KJ40 in the
Bergen Museum. Based on the find circumstances in relation to deposition strata, it was dated by Haakon Shetelig and later by Birger Nerman to the second half of the 7th century;[1] Egil Bakka has suggested that the assumption the comb can be dated to when it entered the refuse heap is invalid and it should instead be dated on typological grounds, which might mean it is as early as 575 AD, or possibly 8th-century.[2] Rundata provides a dating to 560/570-600, from 2007.[3]
The inscription features a mixture of
charm word alu and the name Nanna in the inscription, although it is uncertain whether the name refers to the goddess who is known from later attestations.[4]
hᴀl
Hǫll
mᴀz
mær
¶
mᴀ
ma
unᴀ
una,
¶
ᴀlu
ǫllu
na
naa,
ᴀlu
ǫllu
nanᴀ
nenna.
Leaning maiden may repose, attain everything, be pleased with everything.[3]
However, this ignores the reading of the charm word alu. Several other interpretations have been proposed;[5] no interpretation has been generally accepted.[1]
References and notes
- ^ ISBN 3-11-015455-2. pp. 455-456.
- ^ "Setre, comb". Runes database (Comment, in German). Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ a b "NK J40". Runor (Rundata) (in Swedish). Swedish National Heritage Board. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ ISBN 1-84383-205-4.
- ^ The Kieler RunenProjekt lists eight interpretations of the inscription.
External links
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