Thorsberg chape

The Thorsberg chape (a metal piece belonging to a scabbard), that was found in the Thorsberg moor, Germany, bears an Elder Futhark inscription, one of the earliest known altogether, dating to roughly 200 CE. The inscription reads:

:owlþuþewaz / niwajmariz

The first element "owlþu", for "wolþu-", means "glory", "glorious one", cf. Old Norse "Ullr", Old English "wuldor". The second element, "-þewaz", means "slave, servant". The whole compound is a personal name or title, "servant of the glorious one", "servant/priest of Ullr". On the reverse, "ni-" is the negative particle, "waj-" corresponds to "woe, ill" (Old Norse "vei"). The final element is "-mariz" "famous" (Old English "maēre"), the second word thus translates to "not ill-famous", viz. "famous, renowned" or "not of ill fame, not dishonoured". The translation of the inscription can thus be either "Wolthuthewaz is well-renowned", or "the servant of Ullr, the renowned".

Another reading, avoiding the emendation of the first element, reads the first letter ideographically, "Odal", resulting in "o [þalan] w [u] lþuþewaz / niwajmariz" "inherited property of Wulthuthewaz, the renowned".

External links

*http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~marisal/ie/ngmc.html
*http://www.nordic-life.org/nmh/Krause2.htm