Solving the runic enigma The uses of Runology Revealing what people did and thought in the past satisfies the deep curiosity of humans about their own history. Through , we get a glimpse of the earliest societies resulting in today’s English, German, and Scandinavian speakers. expose cultures and peoples mostly unaffected by the Greeks and Romans and thus letters before the influence of Classical scripts. This is a laboratory by which we may unearth the driving force and principles of pioneer writing, that of our own ancestors.

Sweden’s have generated great interest, as well as study and debate about the authenticity of certain distant inscriptions – not least in America. It would be invaluable if this international interest could be channeled into a chair in Runology at , which is clearly the leading center in this field. Nils Hasselmo, Professor and President Emeritus, University of Minnesota, Honorary Doctor of Uppsala University YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE Solving the runic enigma Figuring out what runic inscriptions really say has been both a popular and a scholarly endeavor for more than a millennium. Front line research is done at Uppsala University, but runic discovery is now entering a critical phase. Are you ready to get involved?

Fulfilling the promise of centuries Runic studies have been carried out in Uppsala since the 1590’s, starting with the founder of Runology, Johannes Bureus. Scientists of many disciplines have played an active role, including the mathematician Magnus Celsius, the professor of medicine Olaus Rudbeck, the botanist Carl Linnaeus, and the professor of eloquence and government Johan Ihre.

Today, the field is still thriving at Uppsala University, leader of this multi-disciplinary and international research community, and the seat of the only comprehensive rune text data-base, the publication series Runrön, and Uppsala Runic Forum.

Runology in Uppsala has consistently been awarded very high grades for its excellence in recent evaluations. Yet it has no guaranteed future. There is no academic position in the discipline at any Swedish university and no chair anywhere in the world.

LEFT: During the Migration Period, wealth and power was displayed using gold medallions with beautiful and mysterious imagery, so-called bracteates. This piece with its yet uninterpreted runes is part of Upp- sala University’s historic collections and is kept in the Coin Cabinet.

RIGHT: in the University Park, commissioned by a woman who had a bridge made for the soul of her daughter. Why Support Runic Studies? and runes are perhaps the two facets of Swedish history that attract the most attention internationally. Even if the Viking Age excels in the use of the runic script it originates nearly one millennium earlier and goes almost a thousand years beyond the Viking period. Runes are the peculiar characters used in north-western Europe on objects of primarily metal, stone, and wood from at least the second century AD until modern times. Many of the runic inscriptions are intriguing to interpret and all contain very valua- ble information from a time with few or no other indigenous sources. But the chief value of runes is their existence as a primary script in societies not as affected by the influence from classical alphabets such as the Greek and Latin. Through runes, we get a glimpse of “pre-literate” literacy.

The study of runes has ancient roots and has been carried out systematically since the 17th century. Modern Runology, however, is a late phenomenon and the number of trained runologists is quite low. They have not been able to satisfy the fascination in runes and runic inscriptions – whether on enigmatic artifacts from the Dark Ages, on Viking Age memorials, or on stones in unexpected locations such as the United States.

The time for a professorship in Runology is ripe. Since the middle of the 1980’s, Uppsala University has been the center of a revival in runic studies. Seven runologists have since gotten their doctoral degree here, far more than anywhere else. This is the seat of the first and only series dedicated to Runology – Runrön with 20 volumes since 1989. Here, also, is the location of the Scandinavian runic-text database, available at: http://www.nordiska.uu.se/forskning/projekt/rundata, now containing almost 7,000 inscriptions and freely available for over 15 years. Its importance to Runology can- not be exaggerated. In Uppsala courses in Runology are taught at beginners, intermediate, and advanced levels.

But, in spite of the central position of Uppsala in this important field, no permanent position has ever been available here. The senior runologists have been professors of Scandinavian languages who have freely devoted their research to Runology. Runic studies have also been done by archaeologists.

An endowed Chair of Runology would finally allow this small but high-profile subject to come into its own. You can make a difference! A gift to Professor Henrik Williams’ project today will contribute to the focused work to realize a permanent Chair of Runology in Uppsala. Every amount matters – there are many needs to be met. Stop the runic abuse! Runes are immensely popular: Internet searches yield millions of results. The huge interest is not, however, always coupled with knowledge about the true nature of the runic script. One result is the belief that runes are primarily magic. A more sinister result is the abuse of runic symbols by right-wing extremists. The SS used runes as its logo during the Third Reich and to propagate Nazi ideology. The exploitation of runic symbols continues today. Only serious research coupled with public information will work as an antidote.

We depend on you Every single runic inscription is a unique record of its time. We are just beginning to tap the wealth of information hidden in these intriguing remnants. Interpreting the runes is always challenging and often pure detective work. A small group of dedicated academics do runic studies, but the future is very insecure. Will this vital discipline survive? Will you be the person to put it on a firm footing by making a donation to establish a chair of Runology?

Make your tax-deductible donation here: www.afuu.org/current-campaigns Stay up-to-date at www.runforum.nordiska.uu.se/ Contact Professor Henrik Williams: [email protected] Questions about how you can support the Runology project? [email protected]