Runes: a Handbook
Exploring the history and significance of ancient symbols
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Published:27th May '22
Should be back in stock very soon
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£70.00(9781843837787)
This handbook provides a thorough introduction to runes, their historical significance, and their applications in various contexts.
In Runes: a Handbook, readers are introduced to the fascinating world of runes and runology, exploring their rich history and diverse applications. Runes, often shrouded in mystery, are not merely magical symbols but an ancient form of writing utilized by Germanic peoples. This book delves into their origins, tracing the development of runes from Mediterranean prototypes and their use in various Germanic languages, including Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian dialects. Carved into a variety of materials, runic inscriptions served multiple purposes, from memorializing the deceased to conveying everyday messages and even graffiti.
The narrative continues with an examination of the transition from runes to the Roman alphabet, highlighting their persistence in Anglo-Saxon England and Scandinavia well into the later centuries. Runes: a Handbook offers a comprehensive overview of runes and runic writing, from their inception to their eventual decline. It also addresses contemporary interpretations and applications of runes, discussing topics such as encoded texts, rune names, and the methods behind creating runic inscriptions.
In addition to its historical insights, the book features a practical guide for enthusiasts eager to explore runic inscriptions in person. Authored by Professor Michael P. Barnes, an esteemed authority in Scandinavian studies, this handbook serves as an invaluable resource for both novices and experts interested in the enduring legacy of runes.
A clear and authoritative textbook as well as an attractive, amply illustrated, and well-made artifact. It is written in an accessible style that nevertheless does not oversimplify. Michael Barnes has set a new standard, providing us with a clear and dedicated textbook for teaching the study of runes. * STUDIES IN MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE TEACHING *
Barnes has succeeded in systematizing for students an elusive body of knowledge, and models...a careful, logical approach. * MEDIEVAL REVIEW *
Extremely welcome [and] likely to attract an international readership. The book covers essential aspects of runology and it provides us with a succinct research overview. * NOWELE *
An accessible and useful introduction to the topic. * YEARS WORK IN ENGLISH STUDIES *
Provides students with an introduction to the topic which is both accessible and erudite. It brings the reader up to date on current issues in the discipline and demonstrates the concern with methodological rigour for which its author is well known. * HISTORY *
Not only a handbook but a textbook for the study of runes. * CHOICE *
A prudently structured, lucidly written, and judiciously reasoned overview of a subject that has engendered much divisiveness among experts. [...] A first-rate contribution. * ANGLIA *
[An] immaculately produced book. [...] This book is both a pioneering textbook of runic studies and a reference resource on runes, thus serving the needs of students of language studies, medieval history and cultural matters, and the just plain curious. * REFERENCE REVIEWS *
Overall, the book is abundant in interesting material, well-written, and.is a rare reliable source on this often overdramatized aspect of our field. * COMITATUS *
An immaculately scholarly and notably rational introduction to runology. [It] tells the reader everything he or she needs to know about runes and how to study them. It will be invaluable to students. * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *
ISBN: 9781783276974
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 461g
256 pages