On Norse runes generally fell out of use in Scandinavia at the end of the
middle ages.
However in the Dalarna region of Sweden use of the runes died out a lot
slower and were still around in a form in the 1700's.
They are peculiar to the Dalarna region and are best thought of as a rural
'folk' tradition rather than a professional rune carver tradition. They are
often found on wooden bowls, chests and other such houshold items.
They resemble the Old Norse runes but time and a lack of external moderation
of form has lead to changes in the runes used.
They come in two main periods 1500-1600 and 1700-1740, spit by a big decline
and then a big rise in the 1600's.
The decline in the 1600's probably accounting for a lot of the changes.
They do not form precise consistant futharks, but are more typical of a
loose tradition based concept rather than a formal apprentice learned
system. Their language is that of 1500-1700 swedish which differs from Old
Norse quite a lot.

Information on Dalarna runes is sparce.
Most academics see them a 'folk' thing and therefore not true runes. Even
S.B.F. Jannson ignores then in his book Runes in Sweden.

The only book I have that talks about them in anything other than one-line
comments is Runmarkt Fran brev til Klottet, a book from an exibition in
Sweden about late runic inscriptions.


Yes they are remiscent of Tolkiens runes, as are all runes. He was afterall
a professor of Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse.
However Tolkiens are an artifical construct created by himself, whereas the
Dalarna runes are the faded remnants of a once widespread writing system,
which has altered over the years.

Dalecarlian runes were a genuine runic tradition that deserves serious
study. Unlike academic based revivals such as the work of Bureus (which
deserves study as well, but which needs to be treat as artificial rather
than living).

Cheers
Stuntie

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bryce A. Tangvald <anythingthatwurx@...>
> [mailto:anythingthatwurx@...]
> Sent: 07 February 2003 17:12
> To: norse_course@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [norse_course] Re: Digest Number 502
>
>
> Alright, Seeing that nobody replied to my last post... maybe I'll ask
> again...
> What the heck are Dalecarlian Runes and how or why do they
> differentiate from the ON ones that date from a thousand years
> earlier?
> I've learned a bit of the old ones, but am not too certain of the
> Dalecarlian ones. They are VERY reminescent of the Dwarvish written
> Language in any of Tolkein's books... which I am keenly interested in
> as well..
> Any way, thanks for the effort to answer.
> Bryce A. Tangvald
> (~DK~)
>
> --- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, Bryce Tangvald
> <anythingthatwurx@...> wrote:
> >
> > Heil everybody, major thanks to Hauker for all his efforts to make
> this course available online.
> > I found this not too long ago and have been wondering what
> significance Dalecarlian has in any scandinavian language?
> > http://www.geocities.com/jepe2503/hogsvenska/dalrunor.html
> > From what I can tell, it's swedish. I believe that I may be,
> partially, of Dalecarlian lineage, but who can be sure...
> >
> > anyway.
> > Thanks
> > Bryce Tangvald
> >
> >
> >
> >
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