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I have not my own copy of Galdrabok - but several books by Edred Thorsson - aka
Dr. Stephen Flowers.
Now, he writes intelligently and authentically about the Runes - magic - symbolism
I can try looking in those I have at my disposal for the things you have mentioned
I shall do my best - but tomorrow - it is nearly midnight.
G'night
Patricia
-------Original Message-------
From: akoddsson
Date: 21/10/2006 22:59:45
Subject: [norse_course] Re: Rögnis reið & gapi (
Heil Patricia! >years ago - yet within MY memory it was called "Charles' Wain" - wain being AFAIK a hay wagon. Yes, wain=wagon; Charles' (ON Karlamagnúsar, gen.) could be a later confusion for *karls/carls? > The Americans call it the big DipperI suppose that it looks like a 'dipper'. I have some words here for magic-symbols: gapaldr, angrgapi, veðrgapi. They are possibly post-ON Icelandic, possibly ON (or even earlier) - not sure. The word gapi is not in any of the dictionaries I have at hand, but it is supposed to mean something like magic- character/symbol - to evoke something/have some effect (for example, veðrgapi is supposed to effect the weather somehow). In a Danish book I am reading on another topic, there terms occur and are cited as being Icelandic. I suspect that they are from the so-called galdrabók, which contains magical symbols and formulae (from the early Lutheran/late Catholic period). I don't have a copy of this with me, but have looked at it in the past. Does anyone have access to a copy of galdrabók? If so, does it mention anything about these words being ON? Anyway, I cite these terms in the context of our discussion about the word *valknútr, which is still a mystery to me. Intellectually, I realize that the compound is knútr (knot) & valr (the slain), but I have no idea where the term comes from. Given that, it seems clear that extant names for symbols in ON are very few. 3 that I can think of: 1)Miollnir (Thors hammer, which we have many old representations of, so no problems drawing pictures of it) 2)Oegishialmr (mentioned in Eddic sources, but no identifiable pictures of it that I know of besides that one in galdrabók, etc. which is an 8-pronged sunwheel w/ extra inner circles and forks on the 8 legs, etc - I cannot confirm that this is the ON oegishialmr) 3)Hrungnis hjarta (named after giant Hrungnir/mentioned in Snorra Edda, but not described in a way that I can draw a picture of it) Unless anyone has better sources or knowledge here, I am forced to conclude that Christianity effected folk's memory negatively when it comes to the names of symbols used in Norse culture/religion. This is perhaps ironic, as we have names for many mythological items due to the chance survival of some Eddic material (and Snorri's decision to incorporate it in his writings). I find it odd that we can name equipment/animals/ etc. in Valhöll, name dwarves, etc., but have no idea what many basic ON religious symbols were called... ;) Still, I would be willing to bet that the symbol *valknútr has to do with the god Óðinn, as he occurs as 1 of 3 in more than one context (búri - borr/burr - óðinn; vílir/vili - véi - óðinn), even if one suspects that 3 is really 1, as the single-lined *valknútr suggests ;) Also, this symbol must somehow be related to the 'triple-drinking- horn' shown on heathen Danish Viking Age memorial stones. Perhaps related to the svastika is the name of Sumar's father, Svásuðr/Svó,suþr. Sváss can mean 'dear/beloved' or something like 'one's/my own'. The Indic word svastika means 'little blessing/auspicious nes', formed with svasti and ko (a diminuative ending = Proto Norse masc. -ka fem. -kô, ON masc. -ki fem. -ka). I wonder is sváss isn't related somehow to Indic svasti? Even if it were, it does not necessarily mean that the symbol was called *sváska in ON - that would be a guess in the dark, even if it could be right. Something with sólar- /sunnu- is probably just as good, if it was understood somehow as the Sun. But my best guess would be that the ON term for svastika started in ey-, well attested in Proto-Norse as auja-, meaning 'auspiciousness' , found in a great many ON personal names (<Proto- Norse), and being to object of prayer in Proto-Norse and ON times (we have attested prayer/blessing material for 'ey' in both ON and Proto-Norse, a rare thing). On the other hand, the triangle-symbol must have had another name. Comments and insights very welcome. -K -K > KveðjaLanguages > - I shall add that to my collection(Ice.), > karlsvognen (Dan.), big-dipper (Eng.) is called Woens waghen -that > is, Óðins vagn. Óðinn is called Rögnir, and the term Rögnis reiðON > Rögnis reið is solid, but I'm not sure how old *karls vagninn is;Modern > English term would be Wodens wagon. | |||
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