Today, my husband Chris came home with a back issue of Current Archaeology magazine, issue 365, August 2020. He showed me page 6.
My heart leapt. Cathy Rozel Farnworth from Cornwall had written: “A word of delight for the wonderful article on runes in the Neolithic Maeshowe chambered tomb on Orkney in Current Archaeology 361 by Ragnhild Ljosland. This article was an expert blend of detailed research and informed speculation, and it was wonderful to read of the great variety of runic texts – humour as often as religious inscription. It was really good, too, to see someone paying serious attention to the women’s likely involvement in writing runes.”
Cathy R. Farnworth goes on to make the suggestion that perhaps those who broke into Maeshowe in the 1150s were inspired by tombs they had seen in the Middle East, as the runes do mention a journey to Jerusalem. Thanks for the suggestion, Cathy!
Read more about Orkney’s runes here: The Orkney Book of Runes
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The Orkney Book of Runes, by Ragnhild Ljosland, 2019.
