Meldorf fibula

The fibula of Meldorf, also runes fibula from Meldorf, is an archaeological find from near Meldorf in Schleswig -Holstein. It is a bronze roller cap primer ( cloak pin ), from the Iron Age between 50 and 100 AD The fibula has on the needle pierced Hurtling four characters that were carried out by a sure hand with a clean Tremulierstich. The characters are probably a runic inscription.

Fund history and interpretation

In February 1979, the archaeologist Michael Fee came in the magazine of the Archaeological National Museum Schloss Gottorp on the fibula and interpreted the attached to their characters as characters. As a result, a lively discussion developed in the international scientific community about the possibilities of interpretation and authenticity of the characters. Against the interpretation as an ornament is the absence of similar ornaments on the butts of other brooches of this type. For an interpretation as a runic inscription speaks especially the high age of the fibula, and the lack of correspondence of the inserted characters with known writing systems before the general spread of runic writing. Other possible interpretations would be a stunted Latin inscription or the imitation of Latin characters by a non- literate artisans, a so-called pseudo- header. The similarity of the signs with the later widespread runes makes the interpretation as a runic inscription, however, appear most likely. Since the runes were probably modeled after the Latin script, it could be a transitional form or a mixture of Latin and runic characters.

Reading and interpretation of the signs are to be controversial; most likely it is a woman's name in the dative. If it is runes, the engraving could read Clockwise (from left to right) hiwi hot and mean about the Domestic, but you read counter-clockwise (right to left), it could also be a Latin inscription and Idin the Germanic form hot for Ida.

Assuming that the interpretation as a runic inscription was correct, it was the oldest runic Fund at all and certainly to an early stage of the runes, which can be determined unambiguously from the mid-2nd century.

The fibula is in the permanent collection of the National Archaeological Museum of Schleswig- Holstein in Gottorp Castle.

Photographic illustrations

• Tineke Loojinga: panel 13b- c. In this. Texts & contexts of the oldest Runic inscriptions, Brill, Leiden / Boston 2003, ISSN 1569-1462, ISBN 90-04-12396-2. ( The Northern World Vol 4)
• Thomas Brock: runes - the magical characters. In: Adventure Archaeology. No. 1, Spektrum der Wissenschaft ET -Ges., Heidelberg 2006, ISSN 1612-9954, pp. 84-86 (PDF).