'K'i^&'.i 
 
 
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 MAES-HOWE 
 
Printed by R. & R. Clark, Edinlutrgli. 
 
# 
 
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 I— 
 
 ii0 
 
 
 
NOTICE 
 
 OF 
 
 RUNIC INSCRIPTIONS 
 
 DISCOVERED DURING RECENT 
 
 EXCAVATIONS IN THE ORKNEYS 
 
 MADE 1!Y 
 
 JAMES FARRER, M. P. 
 
 PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION 
 1862 
 
LOAN STACK 
 

 CONTENTS 
 
 PREFACE .... 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF MAES-HOWE 
 THE EXCAVATION OF MAES-HOWE 
 BARROWS AT BOOKAN 
 
 Large Barrow Containing Graves 
 MOUNDS AT STENNES 
 BARROW AT TENSTONE 
 APPENDIX .... 
 
 Origin of Maes-Howe, and Date of Inscriptions 
 
 Readings of Inscriptions 
 
 Page 
 ix 
 
 II 
 
 i6 
 
 17 
 18 
 
 19 
 21 
 
 21 
 25 
 
 800 
 
LIST OF PLATES. 
 
 I, General View of Maes- Howe from the N.E. to face title page \J 
 II. Interior View of Maes-Howe . . • ■>■, page 15 1/ 
 
 III. General Plan and Section of Maes-Howe . „ 20 
 
 IV. Plan of Central Chamber, Passages, and Cells ,, 20 
 
 V. Sections of East and West Sides of Chamber . ,, 20 
 
 VI. Sections of North and South Sides of Chamber 
 
 and Passage . . . . „ 20 
 
 The numbers on Plates V. and VI. sheiv the situation of the slabs containing the Runic 
 Inscriptions, -which are numbered accordingly. 
 
 VII. Inscriptions Nos. i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 
 VIII. Do. Nos. 10, II, 12, 13, 14 
 
 IX. Do. Nos. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 
 X. Do. Nos. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 
 
 XI. Do. Nos. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 
 
 VThe Inscriptions are dranvn on a scale of Z inches to one foot. ^ 
 
 40 
 40 
 40 
 40 
 
 40 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 A S the following pages are intended only for private circulation Preface. 
 among friends and acquaintances, and for presentation to those 
 few Public Societies to whom such a subject may be interesting, it 
 is hardly necessary to offer any apology for the many imperfections 
 in the description of Maes-howe, which may doubtless be pointed 
 out, and for the brief and cursory manner in which the subject is handled. 
 I desire only to give a plain statement of facts, in the hope that attention 
 may be drawn to this interesting discovery, and possibly some further 
 impetus given to the elucidation of Runic literature. I have received 
 from the learned professors, whose translations are given, much valuable 
 information, of which, however, I can only partially avail myself, in 
 consequence of my very imperfect acquaintance with Runology. 
 
 I may add, that every possible care has been taken to ensure accuracy 
 in the drawings. These and the ground plans were made by Mr. Gibb of 
 Aberdeen — of whose care and accuracy in the drawings of ancient monu- 
 ments Mr. Stuart has spoken so strongly in his "Sculptured Stones of Scot- 
 land," printed for the Spalding Club. The Runes were mostly drawn by 
 my friend Mr. George Petrie of Kirkwall, and the drawings afterwards 
 
Preface. 
 
 Preface, compared by Mr. Gibb with the originals in the building of Maes-Howe. 
 Two separate sets of casts were made for me by Mr. Henry Laing of 
 Edinburgh (one of which is now in the National Museum of the 
 Antiquaries of Scotland, Edinburgh, and the other in the Museum of the 
 Royal Northern Society of Antiquaries at Copenhagen.) Nothing could 
 exceed the pains taken by Mr. Petrie and Mr. Gibb ; and the drawings 
 made by Mr. Gibb were on two occasions collated by him with the casts 
 in Edinburgh, so that I have every reason to believe that they are as per- 
 fect representations of the original writings on the walls of Maes-Howe as 
 can be hoped for, and not the less so that the gentlemen who made the 
 drawings and collations were unacquainted with Runes. I have confined 
 myself to the interpretations furnished by the three eminent northern anti- 
 quaries who have undertaken the task of deciphering these rude inscrip- 
 tions, feeling assured that the high reputation which they enjoy is a sufficient 
 guarantee for the accuracy of their translations. In concluding these few re- 
 marks I am anxious to bear testimony to the valuable assistance I have 
 received from my friend Mr. John Stuart, Secretary of the Society of 
 Antiquaries of Scotland, to whom in reality I am chiefly indebted for the 
 discovery of Maes-Howe, since I owe to his urgent suggestion that the 
 great circle of Stennes, and the tumuli around it, had not been sufficiently 
 examined, the successful excavation of this ancient " howe." It is also 
 highly satisfactory to me to know that Mr. Balfour of Balfour and 
 Trenabie, on whose property this interesting relic of antiquity is 
 situated, has taken the necessary steps to ensure its preservation — a pre- 
 caution, unfortunately, too often neglected under similar circumstances. 
 
 JAMES FARRER. 
 
 Ingleborough, Yorkshire, June 1862. 
 

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 MAE S-H OWE 
 
 "C^ ARLY in the month of July 1861 I was enabled, by the kind Maes-Howe. 
 permission of my friend David Balfour, Esq. of Balfour and v ^ 
 
 Trenaby, to put in execution a scheme long contemplated, but from 
 various circumstances unavoidably delayed, the excavation of some 
 of the great tumuli in the neighbourhood of the Stones of Stennes, or 
 Ring of Brogar. I had in the year 1854 partially explored one of con- 
 siderable size on the east side of the great circle of stones, which stands 
 on the west shore of the Loch of Harray. No discovery, however, of 
 any importance was then made. 
 
 Some days were devoted to excavations close to Stennes, to which 
 allusion will afterwards be made, but as several gentlemen of well-known 
 antiquarian reputation from Edinburgh and Aberdeen were expected, and as 
 I was desirous of having the benefit of their experience and advice, I de- 
 termined at once to commence operations on the great tumulus of Maes- 
 howe, the subject of this notice. My attention had been particularly 
 called to this tumulus by Mr. Balfour, whose decided opinion that a 
 careful examination might result in some important discovery, afforded 
 me great encouragement, as I well knew that he had for many years taken 
 considerable interest in Orkney antiquities, and his opinion that Maes- 
 
12 Description of Maes- Howe. 
 
 Maes-Hoiue howe was a sepulchral chamber, appeared to be confirmed by local 
 ^ traditions.* 
 
 On the afternoon of Saturday the 6th of July, therefore, guided by 
 the experience of Mr. George Petrie, and assisted by the professional 
 knowledge of Mr. Wilson, road contractor, ground was broken on the 
 west side of Maes-howe, and on the same evening, Mr. John Stuart and 
 Mr. Joseph Robertson of Edinburgh, with Colonel Forbes Leslie of Rothie, 
 and Mr. James Hay Chalmers of Aberdeen, arrived by the Prince Consort 
 steamship. As it was anticipated that a couple of days would suffice to 
 make a large opening in the tumulus, arrangements were made for meeting 
 there on the loth of July. Before proceeding with the description of 
 what followed, it may not be out of place to give a short account of the 
 Stones of Stennes, as described by Lieutenant Thomas in a work pub- 
 lished by him in 1 8 5 1 : — 
 
 " The Great Circle of Stennes, or Ring of Brogar, is a deeply en- 
 trenched circular space containing almost two acres and a half of super- 
 ficies, of which the diameter is ^^6 feet. Around the circumference 
 of the area, but about thirteen feet within the trench, are the erect stones, 
 standing at an average distance of eighteen feet apart. They are totally 
 unhewn, and vary considerably in form and size. The highest stone was 
 found to be 13-9 feet above the surface, and judging from some others 
 which have fallen, it is sunk about eighteen inches in the ground. The 
 smallest stone is less than six feet, but the average height is from eight to 
 ten. The breadth varies from 2-6 to 7-9 feet, but the average may be stated 
 at about 5 feet, and the thickness about i foot — all of the old red sand- 
 stone formation. The trench round the area is in good preservation. 
 The edge of the bank is still sharply defined, as well as the two foot- 
 banks or entrances, which are placed exactly opposite to each other. 
 They have no relation to the true or magnetic meridian, but are parallel 
 to the general direction of the neck of land on which the circle is placed. 
 
 * The country people state that the building was formerly inhabited by a person named 
 - Hogboy, possessing great strength. Haugbuie, in Norse, signifies " the ghost of the tomb ; " 
 and Haugr, "tumulus." 
 
Description of Maes- Howe. 1 3 
 
 The trench is 29 feet in breadth, and about 6 in depth, and the entrances Maes-Hotve. 
 are formed by narrow earth-banks across the fosse. The surface of the ^^ 
 
 enclosed area has an average incHnation to the eastward. It is highest 
 on the north-west quarter, and the extreme difference of level is estimated 
 to be from 6 to 7 feet. The trench has the same inclination, and there- 
 fore could never be designed to hold water." 
 
 The Excavation of Maes- Howe. 
 
 On Monday the 8 th of July, a number of men under the superintend- Excavation 
 ance of Alexander Johnson, Mr. Wilson's foreman — a most active and Maes-Hoive 
 
 intelligent fellow — proceeded with the work that had been commenced on ^ ^ ' 
 
 the previous Saturday, and before evening discovered a passage on the west 
 side, which afterwards proved to be the entrance into the interior of the 
 tumulus. This passage was covered overwith large flag-stones, one of which 
 having been with some difliculty upraised, we effected an entrance, but found 
 a considerable accumulation of earth and stones, which was removed on the 
 following day, and Mr, Wilson, after careful examination, in which his 
 engineering experience was of the highest importance, agreed to my 
 suggestion that the excavation should be proceeded with from the centre 
 of the hillock. 
 
 I am chiefly indebted to my friend Mr. George Petrie for the 
 following measurements, which I believe will be found to be substantially 
 correct : — 
 
 The tumulus is about 92 feet in diameter, 36 feet high, and about 
 300 feet in circumference at the base. It is surrounded by a trench 40 
 feet wide, and varying in depth from 4 to 8 feet. It is situated on the 
 north side of the new road leading to Stromness from Kirkwall, being 
 about 6 miles from the former, and 9 from the latter place. It is about 
 200 yards distant from the road, and a mile and a half from the Stones of 
 Stennes. It has undoubtedly been entered at some remote period, 
 probably by the Northmen, who, as is well known, were not deterred by 
 
14 Description of Maes-Howe. 
 
 Excavation feelings either of religion or superstition, from opening and ransacking any 
 Maes.Hoiue. V^^^^ likely to repay them for their trouble. Whether they were 
 
 *■ y ' the first to break into the building, or whether they found it in a state 
 
 of comparative ruin, the natural result of great antiquity, can now only 
 be matter of conjecture. It is obvious that little respect has been 
 paid to the dead, since the stones used for closing up the cells, in which it 
 is supposed they were deposited, were found torn out and buried in the 
 mass of ruins filling up the interior of the chamber to which these cells are 
 attached. 
 
 The passage leading to the central chamber is 2 feet 4 inches wide at 
 its mouth, and appears to have been the same in height, but the covering 
 stones had been removed, or had fallen in for about ii\ feet. The 
 passage then increases in dimensions to 3^ feet in width, and 4 
 feet 4 inches in height, and continues for 16 feet, when it is again 
 narrowed by two upright stone slabs to 2 feet 5 inches. These slabs 
 ^ are each 1 feet 4 inches broad, and immediately beyond them the 
 
 passage extends 2 feet 10 inches, and then opens into the central 
 chamber. Its dimensions from the slabs to its opening into the chamber 
 are 3 feet 4 inches wide, and 4 feet 8 inches high. At the commencement 
 of the passage there is a triangular recess in the wall about 2 feet deep, 
 and 32 in height and width, in front and opposite to it in the passage, a 
 stone of corresponding shape and dimensions, suggesting the idea that it 
 might have been used to close the passage, and that it was pushed back 
 into the recess in the wall when admission into the chamber was desired. 
 From this recess to the chamber, the sides of the passage, the floor and 
 roof, are formed by four immense slabs of flagstone ; three of these stones 
 are broken, and the fourth slightly cracked. 
 
 After a few days' labour the whole of the rubbish filling the chamber 
 was removed, but long ere this was accomplished, the keen eye of Mr. 
 Joseph Robertson discovered the first of the Runic inscriptions. They 
 were high up on the walls of the building, smaller and less distinctly 
 drawn than many that were afterwards discovered, but the important fact 
 of the existence of Runic inscriptions in Orkney, where none had hitherto 
 been found, was at once established. 
 
Maes-howl 
 
 Plate h 
 
 A.KKiMUBl . 
 
 IGvlTm''^'^' \v/iii?W fniii? w ffi If .^ iH^i :ni Wv7 f? ^ 
 
Description of Maes- Howe. 15 
 
 The chamber when cleared out proved to be about 15 feet square -Excavation 
 on the level of the floor, and 13 feet in height, to the top of the Maes-Hoiue 
 
 present walls. Immediately opposite to the passage is an opening in ^ y 
 
 the wall 3 feet from the floor. This is the entrance to a cell or 
 small chamber in the wall, 5 feet 8 inches long, 4!^ feet wide, and 3^ 
 high. A large flagstone is laid as a raised floor between the entrance 
 and the inner end of the chamber. The entrance is 2 feet wide, o.^ high, 
 and ii\ inches long. On the two opposite walls of the chamber are 
 similar openings in the walls. The one on the right is 2^ feet wide, 2 feet 9 
 inches high, and i foot 8 inches long. It gives admission to a cell 6 feet 10 
 inches long, 4 feet 7 inches wide, 3^ feet high, and has a raised flagstone floor, 
 as in the other chamber. The opening on the left is i\ feet wide, 2^ high, 
 and if long, and about 3 feet above the floor of the chamber. The cell 
 of which this is the entrance is 5 feet 7 inches long, 4 feet 8 inches wide, 
 and 3 feet 4 inches high. It has no raised floor like the two other cells. 
 The roofs, floors, and back walls of the cells are each formed by a single 
 slab of stone, and stones corresponding in size and shape to the openings 
 in the walls were found on the floor in front of them. The natural 
 inference is that they were originally the seals of the chambers in which the 
 honoured dead reposed. 
 
 The four walls of the central chamber converge towards the top by 
 the successive projection of each stone or flag, commencing about 6 feet 
 from the level of the floor, as is usually found to be the style of building, 
 both in the Pict's houses or burghs, and in the still more primitive subter- 
 ranean dwellings known as Weems. The top of the chamber would thus 
 necessarily be of small dimensions, and the aperture easily closed by one 
 large flagstone. This top, or cover stone, together with a consider- 
 able portion of the upper part of the walls, has been thrown down, 
 and the highest part of the existing walls is only about 1 3 feet from the 
 level of the floor. At that point, the opposite walls have approached 
 to within 10 feet of each other, so that the chamber is now 15 feet square 
 at the floor, and 10 feet at the top of the walls, in their present 
 condition. 
 
 Large quantities of earth had been piled up over the building when com- 
 
i6 
 
 Barrows at Bookan. 
 
 Excavation pleted. In each angle of the central chamber stands a large buttress, doubt- 
 j^ °*TT less intended to strengthen the walls, and support them under the pressure 
 of their own weight, and that of the mass of earth with which the whole was 
 covered. These buttresses vary somewhat in dimensions, but they are on 
 an average about 3 feet square at the base, and from 9 to 10 feet high, 
 with the exception of one which is only 8 feet high. In each buttress 
 one side is formed by a single slab. The walls of the chamber are built 
 with large stones, which generally extend the whole length of the wall. 
 No lime or mortar of any kind has been used. 
 
 The entire number of Runic characters may be about 935, exclusive 
 of scribbles and many doubtful marks. The monograms and bind-runes, 
 or connected consonants, are considered as forming one letter. There 
 are also some marks which may have been intended to represent a horse 
 and an otter with a fish in its mouth ; also, a winged dragon and a 
 worm knot, which last has much the appearance of one of the great 
 Saurians. The two hind legs are very plainly defined. 
 
 B 
 
 ARROWS 
 
 AT B 
 
 OOKAN. 
 
 This barrow is in the parish of Sandwick, but so near to Stennes that it 
 may have been regarded as connected with the great circle. It is on the 
 property of Mr. Watt of Skail, in the West Mainland. It was opened 
 on the 6th of July, and proved to be a collection of kists or graves. At 
 the north end of the central kist, a flint lance head, and several fragments 
 of clay vessels or urns, were found, together with a lump of heavy metal, 
 supposed to be Manganese, but no bones. In some of the other kists 
 were human remains in a very decayed state, two jaw bones being the 
 most perfect. These were much distorted. 
 
 Mr. Petrie gives me the following measurements: — The Barrow is about 
 44 feet in diameter, and about 6 feet high. About 1 1 feet within the outer 
 margin of the base of the barrow is a circular wall or facing about i foot 
 high. From the south side of this wall a low passage, 6 feet 3 inches 
 
Barrows at Stennes. 
 
 17 
 
 long, 21 inches in height, and the same in width, leads to a chamber or 
 kist 7 feet long and 4^ wide. At the north end of this there was another 
 kist 4 feet 8 inches long, and 3 feet wide. On the east side there was one 
 4 feet 8 inches long, and 1 feet 9 inches wide ; and on the west side two 
 kists, both of which were of the same length as that on the east side, and 
 both were 3 feet in width. They were all about 1 feet 8 inches deep. 
 The foundation of the surrounding wall or facing was considerably above 
 the level of the floors of the kists. 
 
 LARGE BARROW CONTAINING GRAVES. 
 
 The excavation of this barrow was commenced on the 17 th of July 
 1854. It was found to contain graves, in one of which was an urn with 
 a quantity of burnt bones and ashes. It was formed out of a micaceous 
 stone not belonging to Orkney. It was i foot 9 inches in diameter, 
 about 18 inches deep, and 5 feet 10 inches in circumference, the rim, 
 which projected on the outside all round, was an inch and a half wide, 
 the kist in which it was deposited was 2 feet and a half in length, and 2 
 feet in width, but the side stones which protected the kist were nearly 6 
 feet in length, and at the angles, and on the outside of the kist were 
 quantities of small rolled pebbles and gravel, probably intended to assist 
 in draining off water. Clay was placed inside the kist at the different 
 angles ; the flags were about an inch and a half thick, but much decayed ; 
 the cover stone was of an irregular shape, about 4 feet long and i\ 
 wide; the urn rested upon the corners of four flags; it was partly 
 decayed, and could not be removed till after an interval of two days, 
 when I succeeded in raising it. It is now in the Museum of the Society 
 of Antiquaries at Edinburgh, to whom I presented it, with the consent 
 of Mr. Balfour. 
 
 In another grave within the same barrow was found a small urn com- 
 posed of baked clay and gravel, nearly filled with soil, and only one or 
 two small pieces of bone. It was brought to Kirkwall, but could not be 
 
 Large 
 
 Barroiv 
 
 containing 
 
 Graves 
 
i8 
 
 Moitnds at Stennes. 
 
 Large 
 Barrotu 
 containing 
 Graves. 
 
 preserved, in consequence of its decayed condition. It was 5 inches in 
 diameter, 17 in circumference, and 5 deep. The kist was 2 feet 9^ inches 
 long, and i foot 7 inches wide. The bones, in this instance, had not been 
 placed in the urn, but were laid on a flagstone in the north-west angle of 
 the kist. It is not improbable that further investigation might lead to the 
 discovery of other interments within the same barrow, since neither of 
 those before described were in the centre of the tumulus, and several 
 instances have occurred where they have been found near the outside. 
 
 Mounds at Stennes. 
 
 In the year 1854, 1 had partially opened one of the largest of these 
 hillocks, but further examination last July did not encourage the belief 
 that it was sepulchral. I was however advised to examine one on the 
 west side of the Stones of Stennes, and directly opposite to the one 
 previously mentioned. In both of them the workmen penetrated to a 
 depth of 22 feet, and over an area of 9 square feet in the one on the west 
 side of the great circle, but there was no appearance of any kind of build- 
 ing. The material of which these hillocks are composed is precisely the 
 same as that which still exists within the circle of stones, and I infer that 
 when the moat surrounding the circle was excavated, advantage was taken 
 of the circumstance to raise these hillocks. Fragments of animal, but no 
 human bones, were found in each, but in both instances near the top. 
 Building stones are found at the base of both hillocks, but always 
 embedded in the soil; those which were easy of removal having no doubt 
 been long since taken away by the country people. Sections were made at 
 right angles in both of the hillocks, and it was clearly ascertained that no 
 building of any size could be concealed within. 
 
Barrow at Tenstone. 19 
 
 Tenstone. 
 
 In this barrow, which is in the parish of Sandwick, but adjoining Stennes, Tenstone. 
 I found the remains of two stone urns. The barrow had been evidently 
 previously opened. There was reason to believe that these urns had been 
 in separate kists. They were formed out of a micaceous stone, but the 
 attempt to unite the fragments was quite hopeless. A few small pieces of 
 human bone were found. The cover and sidestones of the kists remained 
 in the grave. 
 
General Plan and Section. 
 
 Sc^Lt Of Feet. 
 _'^. y V <i° V y TJI B.0 9,0 i^O 
 
 «^,^*.*M?*-«.' 
 
Mafs hin'A'r 
 
 I 
 
 Cv < ■SS' 
 
 PASSAGE 
 
 PASSAGE 
 
 :z3r 
 
 A. iiiii,.liiC 
 
 S< ale oC Feel, 
 
 ■■<.!;SiSi&iS;S^S!iS!^-jjiiS^^j^^ 
 
 ^lA^ (G)J 
 
Plate IV. 
 
 
^^_ 
 
 _^._i„l-_i, j.-:^-^-i-„ 
 
 SECTION OF WrSI SIDE 
 
 Sc*Lf OF FftT 
 
 3 6 I 
 
 •^-^-,,_zj-; 
 
 
 
 '^' 
 
 m 
 
 \ 
 
 
 k 
 
 N? 9 I 
 
 
 rrv£r:lx--':-x;: 
 
 Sl:'"^ 
 
 ;nF. 
 
MAES-HOWi 
 
 . ,r;L ..'t Lr, ' -v,i -' 
 
 SECTION OF SOUTH SIDE. 
 
 T 
 
 ,«3lC 
 
 ^V^ 
 
 f 9-Vf' 
 
Plate vi 
 
 v= 
 
 i^y 
 
 t 7 
 
 
 iJ 
 
 "y~r= 
 
 ^ 
 
 "'rrw^" ' 
 
 SECTION OF NORTH SIDE. 
 
 J 
 
•*- 
 
 APPENDIX 
 
 ▼ T is proposed now to inquire into the origin of Maes-Howe, at what time, and for what pur- Orhin of 
 ■*• pose it was constructed, and who were the people whose names and writings are found Maes-Ho'we. 
 
 V J 
 
 engraved on its walls. I am indebted to the learned Professors who have furnished me ~^ 
 
 with their translation of the inscriptions, for the information which is embodied in the foUowring 
 pages. 
 
 It is much to be regretted that the inscriptions are so indefinite, and frequently so much 
 defaced. Moreover, Nos. 19 and 20 alone make any allusion to the erection of Maes-Howe. 
 Professor Rafn believes that it was a sorcery hall for Lodbrok,* a female magician, Professor 
 Munch, that it was the burial-place of a woman of the same name, while Professor Stephens, 
 who expresses no opinion as to the time when the building was raised, considers the writings 
 which speak' of Lodbrok's sons, as indicative of its having been used in early times by the 
 celebrated Scandinavian Vikings of that name, as a fortress and place of retreat. The low 
 and narrow cells, as well as the low passage leading to the interior, fully justify the opinion that 
 it was undoubtedly at one time a place of burial. The massive stones forming the floor and 
 side walls of the passage, and also those used in the inside to support the buttresses, are similar in 
 character to the neighbouring circle of stones at Stennes. The architecture also is most 
 
 * Professor Rafn says Lothbrok— a pair of shaggy trousers — was the well-known surname of Ragnar Lodbrok. 
 At the time of the carving of the inscription, a popular tradition current in the Orkneys may have ascribed 
 to far antiquity, and to the said hero of the mythico-historical times, the construction of the barrow ; and on 
 account of the want of historical knowledge, since the word lothbrok is of feminine gender, the hero may have 
 been mistaken for a woman, and besides, the accounts in the sagas of his sons may have been repeated, that they 
 were brave and valiant. The account given in the Fridthiofs Saga of the Earl Angantyre, reminds us of the 
 pre-historic times of the Orkneys [vide Tridthj5ss Saga, c. 5. Thorsteins Saga Vikings). Here a popular tale 
 preserved to us in Runes, does the same by telling us that this barrow was the sorcery platform erected of old 
 for the use of Lodbrok, and was probably also a temple and place of worship. 
 
2 2 Origin of Maes- Howe. 
 
 -^ — ' 
 
 Origin of primitive, and it is evident that the whole work riiust have been one requiring much time and 
 aes-noiue. lajjoy^. The present form of the mound does not favour the idea that it was originally a plat- 
 form, and used for the performance of religious rites, though this would not be inconsistent with 
 the idea that it had been adopted to that purpose at some remote period, having been previously 
 used as a place of interment. 
 
 If we find difficulty in determining the period when the mound was first raised, almost 
 equal difficulty arises in assigning to any fixed time the engraving of the numerous inscrip- 
 tions. Many of them are no doubt to be attributed to the Crusaders, but there are others 
 of probably far earlier date than the twelfth century, when, as stated by Professor Munch, 
 the Orkney Jarl, Ragnvald, about the year 1 152-3, organized his naval expedition to the 
 Holy Land. That the writings have been engraved at intervals during a long period of time — 
 perhaps, as suggested by Professor Stephens, during the ninth, tenth, and eleventh centuries, or 
 even later — is sufficiently obvious. Some of the stones have the words very faintly and imperfectly 
 engraved, while in others the lines are sharply and distinctly cut. The absence of division 
 between the letters (for the dots are very uncertain in their position, and are probably for the most 
 part accidental) sufficiently accounts for the difference of reading, in several of the inscriptions. 
 The variety of type — there being no fewer than 1 8 different forms of A, many of them it is 
 true, like, but still different ; to say nothing of Diphthongs, the Bind-runes, or consonants and 
 vowels connected, as ^ (se) or J^ (a) and ^ (k) J^ or (a) and (^ \ forming AK, Ar, 
 and others of a similar nature — necessarily renders the task of translation, more especially 
 when the letters are indistinct and perhaps unfinished, one of difficulty and uncertainty. 
 
 Very few of the old Northern letters are found. The "Dragon" and "Worm Knot" 
 are still perfectly distinct, and have evidently been carved by superior artists. With the 
 exception of two stones — one of which is shewn in the drawing of the interior of the 
 tumulus, and on which four letters are carved — none have been found bearing any inscription 
 amongst the debris, nor is there any reason to suppose that stones bearing inscriptions have 
 been removed from the walls. The two stones before alluded to had evidently been used to 
 close up the cells, and lay on the basement floor just below the entrances to the cells from 
 which they had been rudely torn. In one of the cells, that on the left side of the chamber, 
 a few letters were indistinctly written. By accident they were forgotten, and no casts were 
 taken of them. It is not easy to account for the various elevations at which the carvings were 
 made. Those on the higher parts could not have been reached by persons standing at the 
 bottom, but they might have been inscribed after the roof had been broken in, and when the 
 building was in a partially ruined state. Many of the marks, possibly some of the " scratches" 
 or " scribbles" to which no importance is attached, and perhaps even some of the doubtful 
 letters, may be the result of violence used in breaking in the roof. Most of the Runes belong to 
 the Norwegian division of the Scandinavian class, and have nothing to do with the Gothic or 
 older alphabet, but, in the opinion of Professor Munch, they exhibit some archaicisms which 
 
Date of Inscriptions. 2 3 
 
 prevent their being placed in the latest times of the Norwegian class ; they must therefore be Date of 
 
 - , , Inscripi'wns. 
 
 referred to about a. d. i i 5 o. ^ -^ ^ 
 
 The meaning of the word Maes-Howe is very obscure. It is, as Professor Munch remarks, 
 not easy to explain. The haugr, pronounced how, is plain enough ; the word Maes might have 
 been derived from Meitis, pronounced almost like Meiss, Meitir, gen. Meiris, which 
 was the name of a fabulous sea king, and was aftei-wards used to denominate any mighty king or 
 warrior. Meiris-haugr therefore might have been synonymous with the how, or tumulus of this 
 fabulous sea king. This opinion of Professor Munch's is at all events not unlikely to be correct ; 
 certainly local tradition has always ascribed a sepulchral character to the mound. Professor 
 Rafn thinks that the word is derived from Mar,* the name of a man, and that valuable informa- 
 tion might be obtained if it were found possible to read with a greater degree of accuracy the 
 Runes Nos. 6 and 7, since Orki and Mar are named in these inscriptions, and it is to be 
 inferred that Mar Orkason had engraved some of these Runes. 
 
 Nos. 13 and 20 are justly attributed to the times of the Crusaders,t but many of the other 
 inscriptions must have been engraved by different persons at different times. Professor Stephens 
 believes that most of them are of a much earlier date than the twelfth century, and this opinion is 
 much strengthened by the worn appearance of some of the Runes, and the uncertain character of 
 others. Some of the proper names cannot be read as certainly correct, owing to the marks and 
 abrasures in the stones. Two of them, Orki and Oframr, are supposed to be hitherto quite 
 unknown, and may therefore perhaps be referred to the earlier inhabitants of the How, whilst 
 Gawkr and Trandill both belong to an historical person in Iceland. The other names are 
 common, and known from Runic inscriptions, as well as from ancient manuscripts and documents. 
 The name Ingibiorg, occurs several times in the Orkneyinga Saga, and was by no means an 
 uncommon name in Orkney. Ingibiorg, the widow of earl Thorfinn (who died in 1064) after- 
 wards married Malcolm, king of Scotland ; but it cannot be safely asserted that this was the 
 Ingibiorg mentioned in No. 8. On the whole, it seems not unreasonable to suppose that all the 
 
 * The word read by Professor Rafn, Maur, instead of Mar, and considered as a proper name, is read mair or 
 more by Professor Stephens. In the engraving No. 7, the letters are f, -f, /^ ^_ obviously m, a, i, r — 
 mair. It must therefore be a matter of doubt whether we can receive this word as a proper name, and consequently 
 whether the derivation of the word Maes-Howe, suggested by Professor Rafn, is admissible. 
 
 ■}■ Professor Munch supposes that the Jerusalem travellers, who are described in No. 13 as having broken into 
 the how, were connected with an expedition organized by Earl Ragnvald to the Holy Land. He says " many of 
 the northern warriors joined the Earl in 115a. They assembled in Orkney, and after passing the winter there, 
 sailed in the spring of 1153, and after being in Spain in December of that year, reached the Holy Land in August 
 1 1 54; they went thence to Constantinople, where they passed the Christmas of 1154-55, returning home by 
 different routes. During their stay in Orkney they had frequent quarrels with the inhabitants." As some of the 
 inscriptions seem to indicate the existence of treasure in the tumulus, it is not unlikely that it should have been 
 examined by these warriors, and that they afterwards inscribed their names, together with other remarks, on the 
 walls. 
 
24 
 
 Date of Inscriptions. 
 
 Date of names found inscribed on the walls may belong to persons who lived since the construction of 
 Inscriptions, jjje barrow, and that we have as yet no certain evidence to justify us in determining either the 
 "^■^ name of the builder, or the period when the tumulus was first erected. 
 
 Most of the inscriptions are in the subjoined form of the later Runic alphabet, or the 
 " Norwegian division of the Scandinavian Runes" as described by Professor Munch. The dots 
 inside the B, and G, do not occur here, and the /II (y) is not often used. 
 
 ^ \ ^. i. I f^. k ^. I. h A r. /. ^. k A. I'h. 1.f. 
 
 A. B. D. E. F. G. H. I. K. L. M. N. O. P. R. S. T. 
 
 UV. Y. R. Q. Th. 
 In the earlier or " Gothic" Alphabet, many of the letters are quite different. 
 
Readings of the Inscriptions by Professors 
 Stephens, Munch, Rafn. 
 
 No. I. 
 
 Thatir Vikinkr ... a, kom, Vtir, Hir, til. 
 
 That'tr the Viking, came here to weary — (perhaps from the sea, or from battle.) 
 
 The inscription is incomplete, several letters being obliterated The a in the Bind-rune 
 Ak is probably the termination of the word Fra, from. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 Plate 
 
 Thatir Vikinkr 
 
 That 'which the IVicing 
 
 komutirhirtil. 
 came outerly here to. 
 
 This is only a fragment, some of the letters being obliterated. It may mean that a pirate 
 or Wicing had been at the tumulus and found something, or that some person had found what 
 the Wicing had left. It may however be merely the name of some person, as Vikingr is some- 
 times used as a Christian name. — Professor Munch. 
 
 That Ir Vikingr 
 This is a Viking 
 
 The inscription is incomplete. Vikingr may be the name of a man. — Professor Rafn. 
 
 A Kom Ut Irhirtil. 
 
 come out is hereto. 
 
 No. II. 
 
 MoLFR Kolbainssonr Raeist Runa Thesa Ghaut. $ 
 
 Molf Kolbainsson carved these Runes to Gaut. 
 
 Probably a memorial to a comrade who had fallen in battle. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 D 
 
26 Readings of the Inscriptions. 
 
 Plate nu Tholfr Kolbeinssonr raeist runar thesa. 
 
 Tholf Colbanesson engraved these Runes. 
 
 The last word, read as haua, seems superfluous. It is possible there may have been some 
 mis-spelling, the first »/ (a) in haua may have been an / (e) the dot having been a little pro- 
 longed, /_ and the A (u or v) may have been intended for an R, the word would then read 
 her a, hereon, or on this stone. — Professor Munch. 
 
 Tholfr Kolbeinssonr reist Runar thessar hatt. 
 Tholf Kolbeinsson carved these Runes on High. — Professor Rafn. 
 
 {Note. — Nos. I and 2 are both engraved on the upper part of the building. — J. F.) 
 
 No. III. 
 
 Bra Hoh Thana. 
 Bra hewed this. 
 
 The third letter h (a) is very rare, and is an indication or the great antiquity of the 
 inscription. The word hew is often used for carve or write. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 Bre Hoh Thena, or, braut haug thenna, 
 Broke this tumulus. 
 
 The inscription seems to be incomplete, some words may have been engraved on another 
 stone and lost. — Professor Munch. 
 
 {Note. — The present state of the stone hardly justifies this supposition. — J. F.) 
 
 Bre hoh Thena, bre hoh Thenna. 
 
 Professor Rafn does not translate this. He remarks that what precedes is " incomplete 
 and undecipherable." 
 
Readings of the Inscriptions. 27 
 
 No. IV. 
 
 Vemuntr Raeist. Plate 
 
 Vemunt carved. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 Vemuntr Raeist. 
 Wemund engraved {these Runes). — Professor Munch. 
 
 ViMUNDR Raeist. 
 Vemund carved {^the Runes). — Professor Rafn. 
 
 No. V, 
 
 F, U, Th, O, R, K, H, N, I, A, S, T, B, M, L, Y. 
 
 This is the Scandinavian Runic Futhork, or Alphabet. The form of the second letter 
 is very rare, the last three are also very unusual, and may be considered as an indication that the 
 building had been for a long period of time in the hands of many people. It was the custom 
 to write the Alphabet wherever it was most likely to meet the eye, and a passing visitor, or 
 treasure seeker, would have hardly taken so much trouble. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 F, U, Th. O, R, K, H, N, I, A, S, T, B, U, L, U. 
 
 The Runic Alphabet — Some of the letters here have been placed out of their proper order, 
 owing probably to carelessness on the part of the writer. Time has also produced its effects 
 upon the letters, the || is clearly j*|, and the long stroke in the third letter k (th) is also 
 accidental. — Professor Munch. 
 
 FUThORK HNIAS TBMLR. 
 The common Runic Alphabet. — Professor Rafn. 
 
28 Readings of the Inscriptions. 
 
 No. VI. 
 
 Plate rii. Orkasonr, Saghthi, a, Runom, thaeim, Ir, Han, Ristu. 
 
 Orkason said, in the Runes 'which he ivrote. 
 
 No. VII. 
 
 NuARi KuLTURMR, SiKURTHR, Iru, Falnir, Kiaebik, Uil Saeghian Ir, So, Mair. 
 
 Orkason said in the Runes which he 'wrote — Nuari, Kulturmr Siiurthr, Iru, are fallen. Kiaebik 
 
 'will say ye {^tell you) so more. 
 
 These two inscriptions must be taken together ; they have been written at the same time, 
 and by the same person. It is probably a military message from some battle-field, sent through 
 a trusty officer who is commissioned to make known the details. The word Nuari is very 
 doubtfiil ; this part of the inscriptiori is very indistinct. It becomes more legible advancing from 
 left to right. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 Orkasonr sagthi a run om theim er halir ristu. 
 The son of Orca dictated the Runes 'which heroes engraved. 
 
 There seems to have been some blunder in the writing. If the dot on the right side of 
 the letter \ , has been the end of a stroke, it would convert the letter into the Bind-rune /f . 
 (Al.) and if the |v. were a combination of L and R, the word would then read Halir, that 
 is Men-fellows-heroes. The second part of the inscription, No. 7, is only a fragment — perhaps 
 some part of a verse, but it is doubtfiil. — Professor Munch. 
 
 Orkason sahthi A Runum Thaeim Ir Han Risti . . . Saethian Ir So Maur 
 The resolution 'which this Mar Orkason mentioned in the Runes he carved. 
 
 The two inscriptions are to be read together, but much of No. 7, is very indistinct. — 
 Professor Rafn. 
 
Readings of the Inscriptions. 29 
 
 No. VIII. 
 
 Ingibiorgh, Hm, Faret, Lutin, Hir, Mighil, ofl, ate. pi^te 
 
 Ingibtorgh, the fair lady. Many a •woman hath fared skinclad (or bent) here, (who) great 
 
 wealth owned. 
 
 Ingibiorgh probably resided here for safety, and, as the word Lutin signifies bent, it may 
 refer to the low cells which are within the walls of the How. (Note. — The entrance also 
 is very low and narrow.) The six Crypt Runes, or secret staves, represent the letters, AJE. 
 R. L. I. K. R., and signify Aalikr or Erling, a proper name, or perhaps the beginning of 
 some sentence. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 Inkibiorh, Hin, Fahra, -EHkia Morhk, Kona, 
 H^efer, Faret, Lut, in Hir Mikil Oflati. 
 
 Ingiburg, the fair widow! Many a woman has wandered stooping In here (although) ever 
 
 so haughty. 
 
 The writer is probably recording the name of some fair woman, who has perhaps slighted 
 him, and then reflects that the women who had been buried here, though ever so haughty, 
 had been curbed by death. Ingibjorg, or Inkibiorh, is a common female name in the north. 
 The other characters in the third line are known as Limouna, or Bough Runes. They were 
 used in the later times of the Runic period, in the same manner as the Irish Ogum, but 
 are not here intelligible. The writer probably intended to represent the chief vowels — 
 A. E. I. O. Y. U. The Runic alphabet was divided into classes ; the strokes on the left of the 
 vertical line indicating the class, and those on the right the rune itself. Figures of fishes were 
 occasionally in use, and were known as Fish-runes. — Professor Munch. 
 
 Ingibiorg Hin Fahra .Shkia a Morhg Kona 
 H-EFiR Farit Lut in Hir Mihkil Oflati. 
 
 Ingibiorg, the fair 'widow, or Ingibiorg the Fair, the 'wldo'w. Many a rather proud woman 
 did walk here stooping (bent forward), or did walk stooping here In (Into). 
 
 The Palm-runes underneath cannot be read in the usual manner ; tlie first, third, and fourth 
 of the runes being a, o, and i ; the writer probably intended to give all the vowels, but some 
 of the letters have been obviously miscarved, and have perhaps been altered and defaced at a 
 later period by other persons. In the first of them a cross line has been added to shew that 
 the letter <t, or (a) is intended. — Professor Rafn. 
 
30 Readings of the Inscriptions. 
 
 No. IX. 
 
 Plate nn. Thorny Saerth . . . Haelghis Raeisto. 
 
 The javelin pierceth . . . Haelghis carved. 
 
 Haelghis was probably an Englishman or Frislander. The inscription is much worn, and 
 evidently very old. The last letter ^. is the old northern Q^ — Professor Stephens. 
 
 Thornu Saerth . . . Haelhi Raeist R. 
 
 Thorny . . , Haelhi engraved. 
 
 Thorny is a female name. Saerth is unintelligible ; something is wanting here ; the last 
 letter R. is clearly the beginning of the word Runar. — Professor Munch. 
 
 Thorny Saerth . . . Haelhi Raeist. 
 
 Thorny Sard . . . Helge carved. 
 
 The word Saerth is of doubtful meaning. — Professor Rafn. 
 
 No. X. • 
 
 Plate IX. Thorer Form I r, a proper name. 
 
 or 
 Thorer Fonimir. Thorer, follow me. — Professor Stephens. 
 Probably the name of a man : there is a rude figure of a horse engraved. — Professor Munch. 
 
 Thorir Fomir, a name of doubtfiil import. Fa mSr, perhaps procure me. Thorer, pro- 
 cure me the cross. The great cross underneath may refer to the Crusade. (Note. — This 
 cross has been apparently engraved at a comparatively late period.) — Professor Rafn. 
 
 No. XI. 
 
 Raeist runar thesar Oframr Sighurthersonr. 
 Ofram Sigurthson carved these Runes. 
 
 Several of the letters at the beginning are obliterated. The crosses may be intended for 
 ornament — Professor Stephens. 
 
Readings of the Inscriptions. 3 1 
 
 Reist Runar Thessar Uframr Sigurtharsonr. Plate ix. 
 
 Ofram, the son of SiwarJ, engraved these Runes. — Professor Munch. 
 
 Raeist Runar Thaesir Oframr Sihurtharsonr. 
 Ofram S'tgurdson carved these Runes. 
 
 The word Oframr, or Uframr, is hardly to be found anywhere else. It signifies « the 
 modest," " the reserved." The seven crosses denote that this man was one of the Crusaders. — 
 Professor Rafn. 
 
 No. XII. 
 
 Otar, Fila, Raeist, Runar Thesar. 
 Otar Fila carved these runes. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 loTAR, Fila, reist Runar thessar. 
 lotar Fila engraved these runes. — Professor Munch. 
 
 Iota Fila Raeist Runar Thisar. 
 lotar Fila carved these runes. 
 This is an unknown name. — Professor Rafn. 
 
 No. XIII. 
 
 That, Man, Sat, Ir, Eki^, He, At, Feuar, Fort, Abrot, 
 Thrim Notom, Uarh, Brot, Fort, Haeltr, .^Enthaeir. 
 
 This is to be read from right to left. (The figure at the beginning is probably a mere scratch. 
 J. F.) It reads thus : — That man who sat here in ache (sorrowfiilly) He at the Fee- Ware 
 (at the treasure-gate — from the treasure-guard) forth a broke, with three comrades from the 
 stronghold broke forth the Hero ^nthaeir. This probably announces the escape of a prisoner, 
 perhaps an Englishman, as is indicated by some of the words — That for Sa, He for Han, as 
 examples. He boasts of his escape. He may, however, have intended to record a message. — 
 Professor Stephens. 
 
32 Readings of the I nscriptio7is. 
 
 No. XIV. 
 
 Plate IX. JoRSALA Men Burtu Hauk. 
 
 Jerusalam Men broke into Hoiu. 
 
 ^hiiminii, a proper name ; the second word is too faintly written to be translated ; ^misris, 
 a proper name. There are some more very indistinct letters ; probably they once indicated — 
 
 Ireskir Maen . . . Irish Men. 
 
 The stone exhibits traces of former writings, which renders the new carvings very doubtful. 
 — Professor Stephens. 
 
 That Man Sat . . .^he At Feuar Fort. 
 
 Abrot Thrim Notom Var Fi Brot Fort Haeltr. 
 
 JEn Thaeir (No. XIV.), Jorsalamen Burtu Hauk thaena. 
 
 Professor Munch reads Nos. XIII. and XIV. together. 
 
 To be read from right to left, and No. XIV. taken in conjunction with it. This does 
 not that (fool !) remember that the treasury was (already) carried away. Three nights was 
 
 the treasury carried away rather {i.e., before) than the Jerusalem travellers broke this tumulus 
 
 Professor Munch. 
 
 That Man Sat Er Igi Saehi At Fe Var F(ert 
 Abrot Thrim Nottom Var Fe Brot Fcert 
 Haeldr JExi Thaeir 
 Iorsalamen Burtu haug thaena. 
 
 It is true indeed, as Inge states, that the goods were carried away during three nights. 
 The goods were carried away before the loraslamen broke open this barrow. Many of the 
 other runes cannot be made out; some of the smaller ones are very indistinct. — Professor Rafn. 
 
 (Note. — Nos. XIII. and XIV. appear to be read as one inscription by the Professor. — J. F.) 
 
 No. XV. 
 pi^f^ ^ Arnfithr, Matr, Raeist Runar thaesar. 
 
 Arnjith Mate carved these Runes. 
 The word Matr may signify « the mighty," or "the greedy."— Professor Stephens. 
 I Arnfithr Matr Raeist Runar Thaesar. 
 Arnjinn Mat {perhaps the greedy) engraved these runes. 
 Matr was a nickname. — Professor Munch. 
 
Readings of the Inscriptions. ^t^ 
 
 Arnfithr Matr Raeist Runar Thaesar. Plate X. 
 
 jirnfinn, glutton, carved these Runes. — Professor Rafn. ^ j-^— «_^ 
 
 No. XVI. 
 
 Maeth, thaeri, Oghse, Er, Ate, Kor, Ukr. 
 Traenilsonr, Fyrir, Sunan lant. 
 
 IVith that Axe which Kor owned hews. 
 Traenaldson along South-lying lands. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 Maeth, Thaeirei 0Hse Erati Koukr Traenilsonr. 
 
 Fyrir Sunan lant. 
 
 With this Axe •which Goukr Traenaldson owned or possessed on the south side of the country. 
 
 The beginning of the inscription is wanting. Gauk Trandilson was the foster-brother of 
 Asgrim Elsdagrimson — described in " Burnt Njai," one of the chiefs in the south of Iceland 
 about 990. The writer probably means to say that these runes were engraved with the same 
 axe which Gauk Trandilson possessed at the end of the lOth century. The runes here found 
 were perhaps engraved about the year 1 1 52. No doubt " the land" here spoken of is Iceland, 
 and the engraver an Icelander, perhaps even a descendant of the old chieftain. — Professor 
 Munch. 
 
 Maeth Thaeri Ohse Er Ati Goukr Traen 
 Ils Sonr Fyrir Sunan land. 
 With this Axe, owned by Gauk, the son ofTrandll, In the South of the country. — Professor Rafn. 
 
 No. XVII. 
 
 Haemuntr, Hartheksi, Raeist Run. 
 Haermunt Hardaxe carved these Runes, — Professor Stephens. 
 
 Haermuntr Hartheksi Raeist Run. 
 Hermund Hardaxe engraved these Runes. — Professor Munch. 
 
34 Readings of the Inscriptions. 
 
 Plate X. Haermundr Harthigsi Raeist Run. 
 
 Hermund Hardaxe carved the Runes. 
 
 Hermund probably had in his possession the axe which formerly belonged to Gauk 
 Trandilson, and was used by him in carving the runes. — Professor Rafn. 
 
 {^Note. — Professors Stephens, Munch, and Rafn, all agree that some letters have been lost 
 or miscarried. The letters Jjf J^ ax. the end of the word mn are obviously wanting. — J. F.) 
 
 No. XVIII. 
 
 RisT Sa Mathr Er Runstr Er Fyrir Vaestan Haf. 
 
 The man did cut most versed in Runes in the nuestern countries. 
 
 Professor Rafn gives nearly the same description of Gauk as Professor Munch. He reads t 
 Nos. xvi. and xviii. together. The words Fyrir vaestan haf, to the west of the sea, refer 
 to the western countries, more especially the British Isles. The Palm-runes are rarely capable of 
 being deciphered. 
 
 {Note. — This No. is taken in conjunction with No. xvi. by Professor Rafn. — J. F.) 
 
 RisT, Sa, Mathr, Er, Runstr, Er, Fyrir, Vaestan Haf. 
 
 {These runes'j risted that man, in Runes most skilful o'er the Western Seas. 
 
 The Palm Runes on the first line indicate Thisar Runar — these Runes. — Professor 
 Stephens. 
 
 RisT Sa Mathr Er Runstr Er Fyrir Uaestan Haf. 
 That man engraved luho is the best runed West of the Ocean. 
 
 No doubt the writer belonged to Orkney, or to some of the other Norwegian possessions. 
 The Bough-runes are not easy to decipher. — Professor Munch. 
 
Readings of the Inscriptions. 35 
 
 No. XIX. 
 
 SiA, HouGHR, Uar, Fyrlathin Haelr, Plate 
 
 Thaeir, Uoro, Huater, Slitu, Oro, 
 Ut, Northr, Er, Olghit, Mikit, That, Uar. 
 Simon, Sighrik. 
 
 SiGRITH. InRONINSE ^I. 
 
 This How luas closed up — luas quite abandoned. Out North is Fee {treasure) buried much. 
 That was in Roninsey {North Ronaldshay Island). 
 
 The writing is in different hands apparently, and it is probable that the How was abandoned 
 when the inscriptions were engraved. The three names are most likely the names of the 
 writers; they point to treasure buried in North Ronaldshay. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 {Note. — North Ronaldshay is a wild island half-way between Kirkwall and the Fair Isle, 
 and not easy of access. — J. F.) 
 
 No. XX. 
 
 LOTHBROKRA SyNAR,' GhAENAR, 
 
 Maen, Saem, Thaeir, Uoro, Fyri, Sir,' — 
 
 IoRSALAFARAR, BrUTU, OrKOUGh' LiFMUT 
 
 Sa, Li, Ai, Aris, Loftir,* — Hir Uar, Fi Folghit 
 Mikit.' (Raeist). Sael Er, Sa, Er, Fina, 
 Ma, Than, Outh, Hin, Mikla." 
 Oko, Naekn, Bar, Firr, Oughi, Thisum/ 
 
 ^Lothbrok's sons. ^Doughty men as they ivere for them, or, "what doughty men they were. 
 ^Jerusalem Farers {pilgrims) broke open Ork How — Shelter mound ; that ill {this bad retreat) 
 aye ariseth lofty {still stands erect). ^ Here ivas fee buried much. 'Happy is he luho find may 
 that treasure the micklc {that great 'wealth). ' Otho Naern bare past part hoav this. Otho ivas 
 carried past this Hoiv in the ship Naern. 
 
 Written apparently by seven different persons, perhaps some of Lothbrok's sons. This 
 first writing was probably inscribed about the year 870 or 880, by the celebrated Scandinavian 
 sea kings, and the others at a later period. One appears to complain of the mound itself — 
 
? 6 Readings of the Inscriptions. 
 
 
 
 Plate X. that bad retreat — perhaps on account of its affording shelter to the pirates who devastated the 
 '^~y^'^ island; another inscription describes the breaking into the How by the Jerusalem travellers, and 
 
 the later writings refer to the common belief at that time of the existence of concealed treasure. 
 
 Naern is frequently used as a name for ships in Scandinavia. The word Baeirt (at the end of 
 
 the fourth line) is not in the same hand as the rest of this line, and can only be considered as 
 
 a mere scribble. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 Nos. XIX. and XX. 
 
 These must be taken together. The two first lines in both numbers, the 3d in No. xix. 
 and the 4th in No. xx., must be read in continuation. 
 
 SiA HouHR Uar Fylathin H . . . r Lothbrokar Syner, Haenar, Thaeiruoro Huater 
 Sletuoro Maen Saem Thaeir Uoro Fyrisir, 
 
 This tumulus -was formerly erected as tumulus (^for Lodbrok, if Haugr is read, or "aj that 
 of" if we read hennar) her sons they •vuere gallant, hardly (there) were men (such as they were. 
 For themselves (/. e. shewed themselves). 
 
 Then read line 3 in No. xx. — 
 
 Iorsalafarar brutu Orkhaug. 
 The Jerusulem travellers broke the Orkhill. 
 
 Then line 3 in No. xix. and 4 in xx., 4 in xix. and 5 in xx., taken in continuation, give — 
 
 Utnorthr Er fe folgit Mikit that er la eftir, her va fe folgit Mikit (raeist Simon 
 Sigh. . . . Sigrith) Saell er sa er finna ma than outh hin mikla. 
 
 North-ivesterly is much money absconded, that ivhich lay behind, here tvas much money 
 
 absconded (Simon engraved) ; lucky is he 'who mayjind that great treasure. 
 
 The raeist Simon, etc., was written afterwards, and does not belong to the sentence. 
 The 6th and last line in No. xx. is — 
 
 Okonaekn Bar Fe Ur haugi thessum. 
 Okonaekn bore money out of [anvay from) this tumulus. 
 
 It seems, then, that it was supposed to have been originally erected for a mighty woman 
 called Lodbrok, who had gallant sons, and that the Jerusalem pilgrims had dug into the Ork- 
 hill, which was probably a different place to this Maes-Howe, that the treasure contained there 
 had been taken away, and that he would be lucky who found it. It also implies that Okonaekn 
 carried off some of the treasure. — Professor Munch. 
 
Readings of the Inscriptions. 3 7 
 
 Nos. XIX. and XX. 
 
 SiA HouHR, Var Fyr Lathin Haelr Lothbrokar Plate :l. 
 
 Syner Haenar Thaeir Voro Hvatir Slikt Voro 
 
 Maen Saem Thaeir Voro Fyri Sir 
 
 Iorsalafarar Brutu Orkhouh Lifmnd 
 
 Sailia Iarls Ut Northr Ir Fe Folhit Mikit 
 
 That Urlofoir Hir Var Fi Folhget Mikit 
 
 Raeist Simon Sihr In Tho Ingi Sihrith 
 
 Saelir Sa Ir Fina Ma Than Outh Hin 
 
 MiKLA. OODONAEGN BaR Fi YR 
 
 Ouhi Thisum. 
 
 This barroixj ivas formerly a sorcery hall, erected for Lodbrok ; her sons were brave, such 
 lucre men as they ivere for themselves (such "we may call valiant men, such as they tvere in their 
 achievements^. 
 
 The Iorsalafarar (visitors of Jerusalem) broke open Orkhotv . . . Earls. 
 
 To the north-west a great treasure has been hid (but few believe that), a great treasure was 
 hid here.* Simon sigr (victor) carved (the Runes) and afteriuards Inge. 
 
 Happy he luho may discover this great 'wealth. Ogdonaegn carried away the goods from 
 this barrow. 
 
 Ogdonagn is probably a Gaelic name, perhaps corresponding to the present O'Donavan, 
 and the person alluded to may have been of Scottish or Irish origin. — Professor Rafn. 
 
 No. XXI. 
 
 Arnfithr, Raeist, Runar, Thisar, Sonr Stains. Plate xi. 
 
 Arnfith risted Runes there, the son of Stain. Thruki Let. 
 
 The beginning of an unfinished formula. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 Arnfithr, Raeist Runar Thisar Sorn Staeins Thrukr Lit. 
 Arnjinn the son of Steins engraved these Runes. 
 
 The other letters are defective and give no distinct meaning. — Professor Munch. 
 
 * There is a similar allusion to liid treasure on the wall of a rock at Berrig, in the Star valley North Thrond- 
 heim County — "gull faitu nin alna nither" — They hid some gold nine ells deep in the earth. 
 
38 Readings of the Inscriptions. 
 
 Plate XI. Arnfithr Raeist Runar Thisar Sonr Stains. 
 
 Thrukr Lit. 
 
 Arnjinn, a son of Steins, carved these runes. Thrud caused .... (incomplete). 
 — Professor Rafn. 
 
 No. XXI r. 
 
 BoT ^R Oktil At Sokua, Suo in Kotalant.* Sua Inhlant. 
 Boot {blood money) is also to seek, so in Gothland, so in England. 
 
 It may also be a fanciful Alphabet. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 There are peculiar Runes, but too obscure for interpretation. Similar ones have been found 
 near BafBns Bay. {f^ide Antiquitates Americanae). — Professor Munch. 
 
 This No. represents some signs belonging to the calendar — similar ones have been found 
 in the Paradise cavern, and at Hof in Iceland. [Vide Rafn. Antiquitates Americanae), — 
 Professor Rafn. 
 
 * This ("evidently very difficult carving," says Professor Stephens) may be taken as a fair specimen of the 
 Bind-rune form of wridng. 
 
 "The first letter is B, a very rare form ; the second an ornamental O, with three side strokes instead of two; 
 the third a T, the strokes being reversed and repeated above and below ; the fourth - here used for JE, ; the 
 
 fifth, R; sixth, O, as before; seventh, Kt — l^ and y^^ ; eighth, / (i and a), the side stroke being placed 
 below; ninth. At, Bind-rune; tenth, an S; eleventh, O again; twelfth, KU — K and U; thirteenth, the 
 monogram Asuo, A \/f\, the side stroke thrice repeated, then S ( \. for <}. ), an uncommon form, then U 
 
 Ipt \ below, and then ( P. j with three strokes ; fourteenth, the Bind-rune Iti K ( j X./^); fifteenth, 
 
 an O ; sixteenth, an ornamental T ; seventeenth, the monogram Alant — A f /f ) L ( /*_ J reversed and below, 
 
 and i* taken again, and N ^/ ) and T (y) above twice; then eighteenth, the Bind-rune Sua, S (^ ) 
 
 U (n) ^"'^ A (*J) in the centre ; nineteenth, The Bind-rune Ink. i /w , and ly ; and lastly the monogram 
 
 lant L ( /^), A •^ , and N K , and T in the centre — formed thus V. " 
 
Readings of the Inscriptions. 39 
 
 No. XXIII. 
 
 Ikikaethir, Kynana, In, Uaensta. Plate 
 
 Inkikaethr, of 'women the fairest. 
 
 Also the figure of an Otter with a fish in its mouth, meant for a decoration. — Professor 
 Stephens. 
 
 Ikikaerth Ir Kynana In Uaensta. 
 Ing'tgerthr is of ivomen the most beautiful. — Professor Munch. 
 
 Igigaerth Ir Kynana In Vaensta. 
 Ingigerth is the fairest of the women. — Professor Rafn. 
 
 No. XXIV. 
 No interpretation of this is offered by the learned Professors. Plate xii. 
 
 Nos. XXV. and XXV [. 
 A Dragon and Worm Knot. — Professor Stephens. 
 
 No. XXV. 
 
 This is a Dragon drawn with art. There is a similar one on a stone at Hunstead in 
 Scania. It may be ascribed to the heathen times, as well as the construction of the barrow 
 itself. — Professor Rafn. 
 
40 Readings of the Inscriptions. 
 
 No. XXVI. 
 
 Plate XII. A serpentine winding like those found on Runic stones in the Scandinavian north and on 
 
 other monuments from the last period of heathenism, and the commencement of the Christian 
 era. — Professor Rafn. 
 
 Plate XIII. The remaining Nos. are considered by all the learned Professors as « scribbles" or scratches, 
 
 and must be considered as unimportant. 
 
Maes -HOWE, 
 
 Plat?: VII. 
 
 N? I. 
 
 ., . fiiWHIl 
 
 ;( V 
 
 N? 2. 
 
 ;'=^«^fS5r- 
 
 M= 4, 
 
 
 N° 3. 
 
 ,-.„5^ 
 
 0V 
 
 N° 5. 
 
 Tlr.i*T. k 
 
Maes-howe. 
 
 S^^^'.;*^tAii-;fA 
 
 wmr- 
 
 ^■.f^^: -.. ■ .■,.::...-'.fta<fc'=: | ^^fp'_> 
 
 PlATl' 
 
 M^' 6. 
 
 ''I'i^"' 
 
 " (/1 1 1\ ,1 
 
 1 1 
 
 1' 
 
 ! ! 
 
 fM 
 
 
 .liliii 1 1 i i 
 
 rr 
 
 
 ill 
 
 / 
 
 ..lli_ 
 
 / 
 
 TTrr^T***^ 
 
 iU 
 
 N° 7. 
 
'lAES-HOWE. 
 
 
 NMQ, 
 
 NMI. 
 
 \P^f^-w^ 
 
 '^gt^ff""^ 
 
 
 I 
 
 V 
 
 
 i \ 
 
 N°14. 
 
Plate !X. 
 
 .iini.At-ittei. 
 
MAES-HOyVE. 
 
 "•'Ti^iiii •'•;i"ii'iftViim>iiii"i( . 'miiiiiii muiiiinifin"' "'iiiiin i ' ii'>'iiii>i'Ti'~'Tir'"j_ 
 
 N° 17. 
 
 * 
 
 W 
 
 \ 
 
 X 
 
 / 
 
 M 
 
 / 
 
 N° 18. 
 
Plafl I 
 
 W 19, 
 
 N?20, 
 
 ►LSai&Cibb 'CitliirfBite.Arften 
 
UES-HOWE 
 
 i^^ i?;;-^:'?'; ?f^.i^^: : I--- 
 
 Plate XI. 
 
 f '■■■■.-}■ i ' ■ 
 
 fill 
 
 ||!l 
 
 "% 
 
 iS^i^tS^istiM^SiikiuiiM 
 
 .f-f^' ■'■'■\i'} 
 
 N?2I 
 
 N°22. 
 
 ^»M.i,l. i " l! « 
 
 ^.Mgif,;,g^ 
 
 I 1 1 il i ti>li"ii'liiil I I II 11 
 
 N? 23. 
 
 ^_^i 
 
 H' 24 
 
 ))t»nbf;(r'^.l8(il 
 
 Haiti i^Cibb pitf^i^Jiia^ 
 
Plate XII. 
 
 
 .* 
 
 
 N° 25. 
 
 ■jltawii.lyJir'EgAJSS, 
 
 v-M^S^Io JillB^BiiifBJliraiffl^, 
 
Ma£S-HOW[. 
 
 l^f!-- XIII. 
 
 
 
 N»28 
 
 N°27, 
 
 N°29. 
 
 N?30. 
 
 >aMi.bfJ?(^#.l83 
 
 fe^ 
 
 N?32 
 
 t^Sfip ■j5i|i^ai«pS->i«pl!i;' 
 
%ll''> 
 w-'- 
 
 o 
 
 r 
 
S:<r^ 
 
 
 ■:'-^- ■;.'>. 
 
 Vj 
 
 ,i~ 
 
'^^■ 
 
 '■rc 
 
4 
 
 mi 
 
 r 
 
 
 ,', >.'^ 'Wj:\*\ 
 
 
 ^V.^. 
 
 i^L 
 
 Ki?