Rundata
The Scandinavian Runic-text Data Base (Swedish: Samnordisk runtextdatabas) is a project involving the creation and maintenance of a database of runic inscriptions. The project's goal is to comprehensively catalog runestones in a machine-readable way for future research. The database is freely available [1] via the Internet with a client program, called Rundata, for Microsoft Windows and ASCII text files for other operating systems.
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[edit] History
The origin of the Rundata project was a 1986 database of Swedish inscriptions at Uppsala University for use in the Scandinavian Languages Department.[1] At a seminar in 1990 it was proposed to expand the database to cover all Nordic runic inscriptions, but funding for the project was not available until a grant was received in 1992 from the Axel och Margaret Ax:son Johnsons foundation.[1] The project officially started on January 1, 1993 at Uppsala University. After 1997, the project was no longer funded and work continued on a voluntary basis outside of normal work-hours.[1] In the current edition, published on December 3, 2008, there are over 6500 inscriptions in the database.[1]
Work is currently underway for the next edition of the database.
[edit] Format of entries
Each entry includes the original text, its format, location, English and Swedish translations, information about the stone itself, et cetera. The stones are identified with a code which consists of up to three parts.
The first part describes the origin of the inscription. For Swedish inscriptions this contains a code for the province, and, for Extra-Nordic inscriptions, a code for the country (not ISO 3166).
Province code:
- Bo - Bohuslän
- D - Dalarna
- G - Gotland
- Gs - Gästrikland
- Hs - Hälsingland
- J - Jämtland
- Lp - Lappland
- M - Medelpad
- Nä - Närke
- Sm - Småland
- Sö - Södermanland
- U - Uppland
- Vg - Västergötland
- Vr - Värmland
- Vs - Västmanland
- Ög - Östergötland
- Öl - Öland
Country code:
- BR - British Islands
- DR - Denmark (includes Skåne, Halland, Blekinge, and Southern Schleswig). Stone numbers taken from Jacobsen & Moltke Danmarks Runeindskrifter (1941-1942)
- FR - Faroe Islands
- GR - Greenland
- IR - Ireland
- IS - Iceland
- N - Norway
- X - Other areas
The second part of the code consists of a serial number or a previous method of cataloging.
The third part of the code is a character which indicates the age (Proto-Norse, Viking Age, or Middle Ages) and whether the inscription is lost or retranslated.
- # - inscription lost, later replaced with †
- $ - newly retranslated
- M - inscription from the Middle Ages
- U - inscription in Proto-Norse, i.e. before ca 800.
- [inscription from the Viking Age, if M or U are not present]
As such, U 88 would mean that the stone is from Uppland and that it is the 88th to be catalogued. This system has its origin in the book Sveriges runinskrifter (English: "Runic Inscriptions of Sweden")
[edit] Dating of runic inscriptions in Rundata
Most of the time, the Period/Datering information in Rundata just gives the date as V, meaning Viking Age, which is very broad. For some Danish inscriptions from Jacobsen & Moltke a more precise sub-period is given. The periods used are:
- Helnæs-Gørlev -- ca. 800 (or 750-ca. 900)
- för-Jelling (pre-Jelling) -- ca. 900
- Jelling (Jelling) -- 10th c. and into the 11th c.
- efter-Jelling (post-Jelling) -- ca. 1000–1050
- kristen efter-Jelling (Christian, post-Jelling) -- 1st half 11th c.
Many of the inscriptions in Rundata also include a field called Stilgruppering. This refers to date bands determined by the style of ornamentation on the stone as proposed by Gräslund:
The date bands are:
- RAK -- ca. 990-1010 AD
- FP -- ca. 1010-1050 AD
- Pr1 -- ca. 1010-1040 AD
- Pr2 -- ca. 1020-1050 AD
- Pr3 -- ca. 1050 - a generation forward (en generation framåt)
- Pr4 -- ca. 1060-1100 AD
- Pr5 -- ca. 1100-1130 AD
[edit] Original reference works
The catalog numbers refer to a variety of reference works and scholarly publications. Some of the more notable of these include:
- Sveriges runinskrifter, various volumes.
- Jacobsen, Lis; Moltke, Erik (1941-42). Danmarks Runeindskrifter. Copenhagen: Ejnar Munksgaards Forlag.
- Gräslund, A-S. (1991). "Runstenar – om ornamentik och datering". TOR 23: 113–140.
- Gräslund, A-S. (1992). "Runstenar – om ornamentik och datering II". TOR 24: 177–201.
Other bibliography information is available inside the Rundata client program by pressing F4.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Owe, Jan (2010). "Samnordisk Runtextdatabas – Hur kan den Utvecklas?". Seventh International Symposium on Runes and Runic Inscriptions: "Runes in Context". Oslo: University of Oslo. http://www.khm.uio.no/forskning/publikasjoner/runenews/7th-symp/preprint/owe.pdf. Retrieved 27 Dec. 2010
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Samnordisk runtextdatabas (Swedish)
