Runes Older Than Jelling Stones Discovered
Archaeologists from the Museum of Odense have discovered the oldest runic inscription in Denmark on a knife blade, which dates back nearly 2000 years, predating the runes on the Jelling stones by 800 years. The 8 cm long iron knife, with the inscription interpreted as ‘hirila’ meaning ‘Little Sword’ in Proto-Norse, was found under a burial site east of Odense. The significance of ‘hirila’ is uncertain; it could be the name of the knife or its owner. This rare find offers insights into Denmark’s earliest written language and the spoken language of the Iron Age. The only other item with a similar dating and runic inscription is a comb found in 1865. The knife will be on display at Møntergården in Odense starting February 2nd.