This word is etymologically related with ON ótti, ‘fear.’ The inscription on the two bracteates found in a grave in Donaueschingen (Schwarzwald, Germany) reads: alu ota.Ĭopyright notice: photo of Djupbrunns Bracteate used in this article is public domain. Their use seems to be connected with the calling of supernatural forces.Īnother word that is possibly formulaic is ota: These magic runes appear only on bracteates. Enigmatic gagaga on Kragehul I spear-shaft is sometimes interpreted as meaning gibu auja repeated three times. Part of inscription on two identical Raum Køge-C bracteates reads: gibu auja, ‘I give luck’ or ‘I give protection’. Amulets containing auja might be used for protection. These runes are interpreted as referreing to ‘fortune,’ ‘wealth’ or ‘possession’. The possible meaning of auja is ‘good luck’ or ‘hail’. Some researchers explain this by the fact that garlic was often used as a medicine or antidote. A bracteate with these runes might serve as a magical amulet protecting against evil.

LaukaR means ‘garlic, leek’ and the magical use of these runes might have been connected with the notions of growth, fertility and sexuality. The other magic word found in runic inscriptions is laukaR: Runes alu run from right to left, swastika. Below: bracteate Djupbrunns-C, Gotland (Sweden), hoard find. Polomé links runic alu to Hittite * aluwanza-, ‘affected by sorcery’. It denotes the state of the warriors who stayed in Heorot while Beowulf fought Grendel, and almost certainly means ‘mortal fear’. The word ealuscierwen (Beowulf, line 769) contains the same root. May be alu replaced or symbolized such a vessel. Thus the word might have been connected with death-cult, since the dead were often buried with a drinking vessel in order to enable them to participate in the eternal feast. It is supposed that alu refers to the state between the world of the living and the dead, some kind of extasy or trance caused by an intoxicating drink. The formulaic or magic words in runic inscriptions are as follows: alu, laukaR, auja, laþu, ota.Īlu literally means ‘ale,’ but why writing these runes on a stone and bury it in a mound face down? This is what was actually done with the Elgesem rune stone (Norway). Andrén, the four formulaic words in runic inscriptions may reflect four words frequently used on Roman medallions: dominus, pius, felix, augustus (‘lord,’ ‘upright,’ ‘fortunate,’ ‘worthy of honor’). Researchers agree that they are in fact imitations of imperial medallions of the Constantinian dynasty, which are thought to have often been used as magical amulets. In any case, bracteates reflected high social status of their owners. Their use is also unclear: they may be interpreted as regalia, political or diplomatic gifts. “Nobody really knows what these words refer to and why they frequently appear on bracteates.”īracteates are gold single-sided disk-shaped pendants manufactured in the 5th and early 6th centuries in Scandinavia.

Certain words (called formulaic) do seem to have been used for magic, even though, in the words of J.

However, in this case such attribution is more or less justified. Page, in runology, like in too many other knowledge areas, the following principle has been extensively used as a guideline: “Whatever cannot be readily understood must be sorcery.” Indeed, it is quite tempting to declare that runic formulae, which have no clear explanation, were used with magic purposes. Among the most ancient Elder Futhark inscriptions there are a few words that appear pretty often, but what they actually mean is unclear.

Elder futhark runes meaning