A unique gold object found in Wolin 1841 has appeared in Sweden. Researchers have read the following text on the front side:
+ARALD
CVRMSVN+
REX AD TAN
ER+SCON+J
VMN+CIV
ALDIN+
One interpretation of the texts is:
HARALD GORMSEN KING OF DANES + SCANIA + JOMSBORG + CITY OF OLDENBURG
Swedish archeologist Sven Rosborn has a theory that it could be Harald Bluetooth´s memorial plate (see
https://www.academia.edu/9647410/A_...tooth_s_time)
Numismatic Peter Kraneveld has a theory that it could be a golden token wedding gift (see
http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/in...opic=29205.0)
Ethnologist Karen Schousboe has a theory about a talisman (see
http://www.medievalhistories.com/ha...l-find-fake/)
Other thinks of the object as a 18th century product but no theories are outlined.
A philologist´s perspective could perhaps explain why it would be almost impossible for a forger to invent the text on the object.
The text is Latin and the first two words are: +ARALD CVRMSVN+
ARALD is a spelling that Frankish monks used during the Viking era. According to a Swedish linguist it is not a widely spread knowledge that the H is left out.
CVRMSVN would most likely be translated to KURMSUN in Old Norse. The Hällestad runestone (DR 295) says among other things: "tuka kurms sun" and refers to Toke Gormsen who probably was Harald Gormsen´s brother. In the literature from medieval up and until today you cannot find the spelling Kurmsun. Instead you find: Gormsson, Gormson and Gormsen.
REX AD TAN ER would most likely refer to REX AD DANER. The spelling TANER could be the correct spelling at the time of Harald Bluetooth as the transliteration of Denmark on Harald´s runestone is: tanmaurk (Jacobsen & Moltke, 1941-42, DR 42)
Furthermore, the transliteration of Denmark on the runestone of Gorm is: tanmarkaR (Jacobsen & Moltke, 1941-42, DR 41)
The runestone of Gorm was raised around 955 and the runestone of Harald Bluetooth was raised between 960-985.
In year 995, Haralds´s son Sweyn Forkbeard had his own coin with an image in his likeness. The Latin inscription reads: SVEN REX AD DENER (to be compared with:
HARALD GORMSEN REX AD TAN ER) which is translated to Sweyn king of Danes.
Sweyn´s son Cnut the Great (1014-1035) also had his own coin. The Latin inscription reads: CNVT REX IN DENORVM which is translated to Cnut king of Denmark. Now there is change from king of the people to king of the nation.
The spelling Taner, tanmaurk, tanmarkaR is never used again. Perhaps there was a change in the spelling from the time of Gorm and Harald to Sweyn and Cnut?
CIV ALDIN probably refters to Civitas Aldingburg and is an old spelling of Oldenburg in Holstein.
Out of the four old spellings: 1) ARALD; 2) CVRMSVN; 3) REX AD TANER; and 4) CIV ALDIN, the only plausible knowledge for a forger in the 18th century should be CIV ALDIN instead of Oldenburg. Or does anybody know a spelling in the literature of 1) 2) and 3)?
Metal testsFive new metal tests have been made on the object with the following result:
Test No.* AppendixAU AG CU FE Zn Pb
Test No. 1 I 91,84 3,60 4,37 0,135
Test No. 2 Ii 91,55 3,64 4,65 0,153
Test No. 3 Iii 91,75 3,65 4,51 -
Test No. 4 Iv 91,09 3,67 4,55 0,146 0,440 0,113
Test No. 5 V 91,83 3,68 4,33 0,114
It seems that the "pollution" is bigger on the legends than on the object itself. See third test where you only find AU, AG and CU. Could metal tests tell us something about the aging or the manufacturing process?
There are many factors that point towards the time Harald Bluetooth but the object itself seems to be made in a rush. Does anybody have example of goldsmiths´ work around the 10th century that also seems to made in a rush?
Posted 02/15/2015 3:14 pm
