Reading Runes in Late Medieval Manuscripts

Abstract

Whilst the runica manuscripta of english tradition, the Scandinavian rune poems, and the occasional use of runes as writers' signatures and in the old High german glosses have been comparatively well-researched, this does not apply to the same extent to the use of runes in late medieval (german) manuscripts.Runes and runic alphabets are found far less frequently in these, for example in the foreign alphabets in the Voyages by Sir John Mandeville or in a manuscript with medical remedies and an invocation of the devil; finally also in a magical treatise relating to the hermetic tradition.However, the use of runes in late medieval manuscripts cannot properly be explained by the functions usually attributed to the runica manuscripta.on the understanding that discussion of runica manuscripta is not just a runic problem in the narrow sense, but can also contribute to an understanding of medieval culture, the specific implications of the use and pragmatics of the late medieval runica manuscripta will be explored.The function of runes in late medieval manuscripts should be determined at the same time with reference to secret written forms, readability and illegibility.

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