[MR] History Blog: Church Grafitto Translated

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Today's History Blog reported on the translation of a Latin and runic
inscription chiseled into the wall of a Danish church.

The first line of the inscription is in old Danish written with runes. It
announces that "Toke took silver from Ragnhild." That was pretty easy. The
second line mixed runes and Latin in an odd way, and remained
incomprehensible until now. The text is, "2. May in the year of salvation
1210."

It is not unusual to find graffiti scratched onto church walls or pillars,
though this is often devotional, prayers for intersession, or just the idle
scribbles of bored parishioners. This inscription is a rare public record
in stone of a debt. Only a handful of similar inscriptions are known.

Unfortunately, we will never know if Toke repaid his debt to Ragnhild.

The story is at https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/67379 .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Keeping Merry Rose relevant and in business for over 16 years.