Kensington Rune Stone: A New Translation

B.L. Freeborn © January 2023

This paper is entirely in the pdf here. It is too long and complicated to be suitable for a blog post. It begins…

Kensington rune stone with runes traced.

Table of Contents

Introduction………………………….2
Before The ‘I’…………………………3
The Lines……………………………….5
The Numbers……………………..12
Calendar Dating…………………15
The ‘Skip’ Cipher…………………16
The ‘End O’ Cipher……………..17
The Telestic and Acrostic…..19
Finding the Lairs ………………..22
Gods and more…………………..25
From Lairs to Layers…………..26
Typical Baalist Statements…29
Summary Translation…………32
Conclusion…………………………..35
References……………………………36
Tables…………………………………….37

Kensington rune stone side text traced.

Introduction

It is time for a new translation of the Kensington Rune Stone from Minnesota. The provenance is known, over studied, over debated and grown dull. The skill of the craftsman is superb. The cuts are clear, clean, and precise. The major problem is the time honored translation. It cries fake! Here’s the gist of it – so many people have looked at it – but not. The following is an entirely new approach to studying this artifact. It is not the intention of this translation to end all debate – only to point out a few things have been overlooked. What is revealed is … well … revealing!

The old translation usually reads as follows:

‘8 Goths and 22 Norwegians on journey of exploration from Vinland over the west. We made camp by 2 slides one days journey north from this stone. We went and fished one day. After we came home (we) found 10 men red with blood and dead. AVM. Save us from evil. (We) have 10 men by (the) sea to look after our ship(s) 14 days journey from this island. Year 1362.’

Text Transliterated maintaining position.

The transliteration used here:

Front:
8 : GÖTER : OK : 22 : NORRMEN : BO :
I : OPDAGELSEFARD : FRO :
VINLAND : OF : VEST : VI :
HADE : LÄGER : WED : 2 : SK(IL)AR : EN :
DAGS : RISE : NORR : FRO : DENO : STEN :
WI : WAR : OK : FISKE : EN : DAGH : ÄPTIR :
WI : KOM : HEM : FAN : 10 : MAN : RÖDE :
AF : BLOD : OG : DED : AVM :
FRÄELSE : AF : ILL(ÜIG)

Side text transliterated maintaining position.

Side:
HÄR : 10 : MANS : WE : HAWET : AT : SE :
ÄPTIR : WORE : SKIP : 14 : DAGH : RISE :
FROM : DENO : ÖH : AHR : 1362 :
RI

This is called the plain text reading and the accepted translation is as seen above. This is what the average reader was supposed to get out of it. Behind this facade is a full and living story. It tells of a journey by a people we never knew existed and of their beliefs. It is told with humor and emotion. For your enjoyment and study – the really real – Kensington Rune Stone’s story……

The translation ………………… see pdf for continuation.

Previous Post              Next Post

Similar Articles by the Same Author

*Easter Tables

** For numeric background see:

**Freeborn, B.L., Validating North American Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Ancient Riddles to Test Our Wits: The Secret Chamber, noahsage.com, January 2016. (Post)

Freeborn, B.L., Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Et in Arcadia Ego – OUOSVAVV DM – Deciphered, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Kensington Rune Stone: A New Translation, noahsage.com, February 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., Lifting the Veil of Time off the Rökstone of Sweden, noahsage.com, April 2023. (This one has also become very long and complicated. It will be a long while yet………..)

Freeborn, B.L., Runic Riddles: Time Capsules, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L. The Long Debated Bourne Stone, noahsage.com, January 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., The Nomans Land – Leif Eriksson Inscription, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Narragansett Inscription: A Translation with its Date of Dedication, Author and Inscriber, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Newport Tower: Finding the Date of Dedication, its Designer and Builder, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Runic Riddles: Younger Futhork, noahsage.com, December 2022.

The Long Debated Bourne Stone

B.L. Freeborn © January, 2023                  (PDF version.)

Photo of Bourne Stone by Gene M. Marchand, The Enterprise – Bourne

2003 rubbing by Scott Wolter, Sherry Malecha and Charlotte Czarnecki.

The Bourne Stone from Cape Cod provides another riddle to be deciphered. Its reading and origin have been long debated. There are four very good write ups on the Bourne Stone listed below. The reader is left to explore these for background and other views. The traced image at the Bourne Historical Society, where the Bourne Stone is displayed, appears to be the one created by Scott Wolter, Sherry Malecha and Charlotte Czarnecki in 2003 and shown in his book (pg. 311).

Below is a translation of the stone based on the drawing which appears to be more than correct. The symbols do translate as runes primarily in the Younger Futhark with two exceptions which are in the older. The number work below is explained in Validating North American Rune Stones.(PDF) It is too long to explain here adequately. Essentially, the numbers 56 and 792 must be found once the runes are converted to their numeric values.

There is an immediate give away that this is Pagan – Runic in nature and probably a riddle. The LI in a vertical line preceding the images which are read right to left is very notable. In the Kensington Rune Stone (pdf), Spirit Pond Long Inscription Stone (post and pdf) and the Rök Rune Stone in Sweden a TI is used. In the Kingigtorssuaq Inscription a BL is used. The proposed significance of the images are: comet, lake, sail; and walk about /tour -or- giant’s footprints/shoe meaning ‘foundation.’

If what follows seems odd or ridiculous to you, remember the Catholic Church went to great lengths to wipe out all Pagans. The victor has taught us what they want us to think Pagans believed. The question becomes as suggested in the movie ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ what was so dangerous to the Church in Pagan beliefs? Perhaps their beliefs were not even remotely what we have been led to believe.

Number Proof of Transliteration

A number proof of the transliteration is required to prove certain values appear. If they do not, then it is either not transliterated correctly or not Pagan / Baalist in origin. (See below.**) (Rune/number charts are below.)

  • Note: G and H are from Older Futhark.
  • Total sum on right (G,H,S,I,S,U,K,I and L) ⇒ (7,9,11,9,11,2,6,9 and 15) is 79.✓
  • Sum of SUKI is 28.✓
  • Sum of GHSI is 36.✓
  • There are 18 runes on the first line.✓
  • GH, SI is 7,9, 11,9 ⇒ 7920.✓
    N to G (N ʀʀʀʀG) (8,16,16,16,16,7) =79 and it is followed by HS (9,11) = 20 or 7920.✓
  • There are 5 images and then it turns and there is a 6th ⇒ 56.✓
    There are 5 I’s and 6 ʀ’s ⇒ 56.✓
    5 I’s is 5 x 9 = 45. 6 ʀ’s is 6 x 16 = 96. Sum is 141 and twice this is 282.✓
  • Also 5 x 9 x 6 x 16 = 4320.✓
  • The four strokes (ʀ’s) are in two groups. Each group is 16,16 or 32.✓
  • The four strokes (ʀ’s) are 4 x 16 = 64. This is preceded by N or 8 so 864.✓
  • The first three strokes are separated off by the fourth that is lower. IʀI is 9,16,9 = 34.✓
  • Then ʀ N and N is tall or 16, 8 = 24.✓
    IL is 9,15 = 24.✓
  • Placement of ‘fingers’ on comet is 1, 3, 1⇒ 113 or twice 56.5✓ and 32.✓

Let’s give some of these meaning:

  • There are 24 hours in a day and 24 hours of longitude mark the planet.
  • There are 360 degrees of longitude and 36 suggests 360.
  • Similarly, the 18 runes of the inscription suggests 180 degrees of latitude.
  • The number of seconds of longitude is 86400. This is also the number of seconds in a day. Half of this is 432,000 or 432 for short.
  • The diameter of the planet is 7920 miles.
  • The 113, 32, 34 and 282 are related to 56. The complementary angle of 56 is 34. The square of 5.65 is 32 and twice 282 is 564. Twice 56.5 is 113.

All of these seem to refer to time, longitude and/or latitude except for the last group.

It would appear the transliteration is correct. Not far from where this is located was the Leif Erikson stone on Nomans Land (pdf and post). This inscription is very similar to it, so we might suspect he used some of the same tricks. In that inscription the date was prominent in the middle, many I’s were used, part of the writer’s name was included in the script and the rest of his name had to be deduced by working the numbers backwards to obtain runes. In that script Leif was spelled out clearly. Here the name appears to be hidden in an anagram.

Translation of Text

In the Younger Futhark I’s can be used as E’s. In this riddle one ʀ becomes R so that:
I ʀ I I ʀ N ʀʀʀʀ GHSISUKI and L is an anagram of ‘Henricus’, ( HENʀIKUS), and other words. After Henricus is removed the remaining letters are Iʀ II ʀʀʀʀ G S L.
The four strokes (ʀ’s) suggest an Æ /O.
The G can be seen as an X as in ‘X marks the spot’ or with O it is ‘go.’
Now remaining S, L, Iʀ II ⇒ S LI Iʀ I ⇒ S lie ire eye or South lies the eye that wandered which is a typical Baalist statement. Other Pagan / Baalist concepts: Iʀ I Iʀ N ʀ ⇒ Ire I Ire, Near, North go.
The enlarged NI provides ⇒ nigh ……and comet, lake, footprints’ of the giant, and foundation.

A Pagan/Baalist reading might be:

South lies the eye that wandered in ire as it went.
There are two foundations now, the Magnetic and True.
The North foundation went South.
It lies nigh in the comet’s lake where it left its giant footprints..

Henricus and Dates

Bishop Henricus (aka Eirikr Gnupson) was believed to be the first bishop in Vinland. He was sent by Pope Paschal II (AD 1099-1118). (Gordon, pg. 93) Although he was sent by the church, it appears he was Pagan and since there is nothing else known about him, except who replaced him, it appears he defected. Hidden in the anagram on the right side are dates which correspond to those mentioned in the Spirit Pond Stones (post and pdf) and seen imbedded in the Newport Tower (post and pdf).

Note that SUKI provides 11 and 2,6,9 ⇒ 1117. Also, GHS provides 11 and 9,7 ⇒ 1116. These are the same dates seen in the aforementioned inscriptions. This is either when he arrived in Vinland or when he took his extraordinary journey to tour the seat of Baal ie. Belcher Island in the giant’s footprints.

Henricus sailed to the comet lake for a tour in 1116 to 1117.
It is where the eye wandered and turned. It lies nigh and near…

Author and Date of Inscription

This stone is dated via the Easter Tables. (The reader is directed to Landsverk’s books below on this method of dating.) The first 5 strokes, N = 8 and 4 ʀ strokes implies the date is found on Line #4, at Golden Number 8 with Day Letter 5 ⇒ 1242. This is the only year that fits. It is confirmed by the N or 8 + 4 strokes = 12 and there are 4 strokes in 2 groups ⇒ 1242.

The author’s name remains to be found. The Nomans Land – Leif Iriksson stone uses a ÞIʀ as three letters from the author’s name. The remaining letters were found by counting and converting back to letters/runes. The same occurs here. The IʀN are central and large which suggests it is important. There are 4 ʀ (strokes) on the right of the N which implies 4 = Æ/O. There are 3 strokes on the left which implies Þ (Th or D). So, we have ÞOʀN I or simply put I am Thorn.

South lies the eye that wandered in ire as it went.
There are two foundations now, the Magnetic and True.
The North foundation went South.
It lies nigh in the comet’s lake where it left its giant footprints.

Henricus sailed to the comet lake for a tour in 1116 to 1117.
It is where the eye wandered and turned. It lies nigh and near…

I am Thorn and I wrote this in 1242 in memory of Henricus.

– – – – –

Previous Post              Next Post

 

From Wikipedia

 

Similar Articles by the Same Author

*Easter Tables

** For numeric background see:

**Freeborn, B.L., Validating North American Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Ancient Riddles to Test Our Wits: The Secret Chamber, noahsage.com, January 2016. (Post)

Freeborn, B.L., Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Et in Arcadia Ego – OUOSVAVV DM – Deciphered, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Kensington Rune Stone: A New Translation, noahsage.com, February 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., Runic Riddles: Time Capsules, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L. The Long Debated Bourne Stone, noahsage.com, January 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., The Nomans Land – Leif Eriksson Inscription, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Narragansett Inscription: A Translation with its Date of Dedication, Author and Inscriber, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Newport Tower: Finding the Date of Dedication, its Designer and Builder, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Runic Riddles: Younger Futhork, noahsage.com, December 2022.

References

Firestone, Richard; West, Allen; Warwick-Smith, Simon; The Cycle of Cosmic Catastrophes: Flood, Fire, and Famine in the History of Civilization, Bear & Company, Rochester, VT., 2006.

Gordon, Cyrus, Riddles in History, Crown Publishers, Inc. New York, 1974.

Landsverk, O.G., Ancient Norse Messages, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1969.

Landsverk, O.G., Runic Records of the Norsemen in America, Erik J. Friis, Publisher, Rushford, MN, 1974.

Nielson, Richard and Wolter, Scott, The Kensington Rune Stone: Compelling New Evidence, Lake Superior Agate Publishing, 2006.

Mongé, Alf & O.G. Landsverk, Norse Medieval Cryptography in Runic Carvings, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1967.

Syversen, Earl, Norse Runic Inscriptions with Their Long-forgotten Cryptography, The Vine Hill Press, Sebastopol, California, 1979.

– – – –

Websites

Chartier, Craig, New Thoughts on an Old Rock or Confessions of an Ignorant Skeptic, January 2016, at: https://plymoutharch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/The-Bourne-Stone.pdf

Hoxie, Nelda, Visiting the Mysterious Bourne Stone at the Bourne Historical Society, 2 September 2015, at: https://wizzley.com/visiting-the-mysterious-bourne-stone-at-the-bourne-historical-society/

Petiet, Mary, New Theory Presented About Bourne Stone Markings, The Enterprise Bourne, 15 October 2015 at: https://www.capenews.net/bourne/news/new-theory-presented-about-bourne-stone-markings/article_c471626c-0d8e-509f-bb5b-c0c235e62f31.html

Wicked Yankee, The Bourne Stone – Bourne, Ma, 31 October, 2012 at:
http://wickedyankee.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-bourne-stone-bourne-ma.html

The Shawnee Runestone: A Sneaky Little Riddle

B.L. Freeborn © January 2023                      (PDF version.)

Photo by Heironymous Rowe at Wikipedia.

The Shawnee Runestone was found in 1969 by three children in Shawnee, Oklahoma. It is on display at Robert S. Kerr Museum near Poteau, Oklahoma.

Arc on Kensington Stone

The shape of this stone alone suggests it might be genuine. It is round oblong and out of the right side there is an ark shaped chip. (Assuming of course that some expert did not chip it away to prove the age of the stone as has been done to the Spirit Pond Stones, the ‘In Camera’ stone (post) and the Kensington Stone which was bored through.)

The shape and ark suggests a Pagan / Baalist origin. The chipped ark shape is seen on the Kensington just below the first line.

The inscription is to the casual observer just five runes. There are two suggested readings: MLDOK and MIDOK.

The present decipherment began with MLDOK. Observe the words: DO ⇒ do, LOK ⇒ look, MK ⇒ make. From previous experience the appearance of ‘look’ suggests a shift cipher which was attempted but was fruitless. So looking again one sees the L might actually be an E or I. It is unusually connected to the first rune and the third. This forms three connected runes followed by two detached runes. This suggests 32 which implies 5.65².✓ This is significant since its validity lies substantially with certain numbers appearing. The reader is directed to Validating North American Runestones (PDF) for a better understanding. In summary of this article, with respect to numbers, 56 and 792 must be present. They are typically found by studying the number values of the runes (gematria). The numbers 76, 51, 90 and 86 are often found as well. If it is of a Norse origin, or most northern people origin, (which means Viking to many) it should also have an Easter Calendar date imbedded (see Landsverk). The true rune master was able to encode his/her name as well. Can these five letters produce? Absolutely!

Alf Mongé felt the I was an E. His decipherment can be found in Syverson (pg. 94). He was primarily interested in dates so his decipherment did not comment on anything else for this stone.

If it is an I, then it is MIDOK. The small words I DO MaKe can be found. If an E, MEDOK, it is ME DO MaKe. If it is an E, another obvious word is formed that is very surprising. Runes are read from both right to left and left to right. Read it from the left and it says ME DO and from the right it says clearly CODE so that it reads: ME DO CODE.

A closer look is now required. Note the top of the O in the photo above is not fully connected. The photo in Syversen actually looks like a complete single rune. (This is probably why Mongé did not see the possibility this is two runes.) As two separate runes it is an X and ∧ which are G and K respectively. This makes the inscription: MEDGK – with K above the G.

This is now 5 runes with a 6th or 56.✓ This confirms this was to be found. KG ⇒ keg is another typical Baalist word. But there is more…

Note that the mysterious second letter is actually an H. It is a bindrune with the D. This makes the inscription: M(HE)DGK and K. Now the words HE ⇒ he, HEM ⇒ hem, and MED ⇒ made, are apparent. Looking further while including the O note KOME ⇒ come.

One should not forget this was found in America and so X is often A with value 10 in the Younger Futhark. If it is an A, it can be verified by converting to numbers at this point. (See charts at end.)

Only the first two have notable sums (✓). It would appear then that A is a possible transliteration of the X. If it is seen as MED(A/G)K then the total sum becomes 86.✓ The word DAG ⇒ ‘day’ or ‘lump of metal’ can be found.

Then in MHDGK/K or 20,9,23,7,6,6 sum from H to end is 51.✓ This is the only 51 found.

As a bindrune HD does not have to appear in that order. It can just as easily be DH but the H is attached to the M. If all three can switch then perhaps it becomes DMHGK/K or numerically:
23,20,9,7,6/6. The three underlined form 7920 in reverse.✓ The sum then becomes 65 / 6 which is very similar to 56.6.✓

Since reversals have been noted, MHDOK sums to 82 or 28 in reverse. (28 x 2 = 56)✓

The only numbers not found yet are the date. To find the date recall ‘day’ was found in the word DAG or (23,10,6). This calls attention to this portion of the inscription. Note that 10 and 6 suggest the year 1006 which is from the same era as other Heavener / Poteau inscriptions and the Byfield, Massachusetts inscription. It should not be surprising then that the name Ago (an old Swedish name) or Gao can be found easily here which is the name found in these as well. It his highly likely the author is the same person since the style and skill level required to formulate this are similar. The date then is here.

If 1006 is the year, then it has Golden Number (GN) 19, Day Letter (DL) 6 and Rati (Line #) 15. (See Easter Table (PDF) and Landsverk below for more information.) The GN is in the KGK arrangement: 6,7,6 is 19. The DL is 6 which is apparent. Where then is the 15? It is found in the original arrangement of 5 runes with the 1 seen above ⇒ 15. The year then is 1006. If it is the same person then he wrote this before the Byfield, Massachusetts rune stone and before going to Oklahoma, unless he traveled back and forth. It is also true that year 1135 can be implied by Rati # 19, GN 15 and DL 6. But 1135 is not supported by the inscription. The final decision lies with the reader.

Mongé obtained the date 24 November 1024 from the inscription. His date of 1024 is easily explained. He also used Day Letter (DL) 6 and Rati (Line #) 15. He saw the O (24) as the year and not as separate runes since in his image it appears joined.

And yet there appears to be more… Notice that the MEH hides another rune. There is a U !! Now the Baalist riddle is complete with a hem, hidden cup, two daggers, X marks the spot and an ark all on a round stone. Surely this cannot have been created by any ‘modern’ person!

It then translates as:

A hem surrounds the hidden cup from the daggers.
The kegs are where it came at the round arcs.
Me, Ago, made this code in 1006.

 

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From Wikipedia

 

Similar Articles by the Same Author (PDF’s)

** For numeric background see:

**Freeborn, B.L., Validating North American Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Ancient Riddles to Test Our Wits: The Secret Chamber, noahsage.com, January 2016. (Post)

Freeborn, B.L., Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Et in Arcadia Ego – OUOSVAVV DM – Deciphered, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Kensington Rune Stone: A New Translation, noahsage.com, February 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., Runic Riddles: Time Capsules, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L. The Long Debated Bourne Stone, noahsage.com, January 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., The Nomans Land – Leif Eriksson Inscription, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Narragansett Inscription: A Translation with its Date of Dedication, Author and Inscriber, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Newport Tower: Finding the Date of Dedication, its Designer and Builder, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Runic Riddles: Younger Futhork, noahsage.com, December 2022.

References

Gordon, Cyrus, Riddles in History, Crown Publishers, Inc. New York, 1974.

Landsverk, O.G., Runic Records of the Norsemen in America, Erik J. Friis, Publisher, Rushford, MN, 1974.

Landsverk, O.G., Ancient Norse Messages, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1969.

Mongé, Alf & O.G. Landsverk, Norse Medieval Cryptography in Runic Carving

Syversen, Earl, Norse Runic Inscriptions: with their Long-forgotten Cryptography, The Vine Hill Press, Sebastopol, California, 1979.

– – – – – –
Liestol, Aslak – Derogatory article of Alf Mongé’s work: http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/41/v41i01p034-042.pdf….
and…. Landsverk responded to these comments in Ancient Norse Messages pg. 126-129; and often in Runic Records of the Norsemen in America.
– – – – – –

The Spirit Pond Rune Stones – Validating and Deciphering

B. L. Freeborn © November 2022

This an excerpt from: Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions –  Full article PDF version.

Map Stone – Front. Photo Scott Wolter ©2009. Used with permission.

Index

Introduction ⇓⇓

SP-3, Inscription stone ⇓⇓

Amulet ⇓⇓

SP-1, Map stone ⇓⇓

Short SP-2 ⇓⇓

Similar Articles by the same author ⇓⇓

References ⇓⇓

 

Map stone – obverse. Photo Scott Wolter ©2009. Used with permission.

Introduction

In the paper entitled “Validating North American Runic Inscriptions” (PDF), by this author, the Spirit Pond Rune stones were discussed briefly. It became apparent that there was too much information on the long inscription stone known as SP-3 to include it all there. This paper repeats the information stated in the aforementioned with respect to the Spirit Pond rune stones and considerably more on the SP-3 and SP-2 that may be too much for the average reader. It then delves into the Leif Erikson (PDF and Post) inscription from Nomans Land and since Narragansett (PDF and Post) is a short distance from where that was found, it is included as well. These six represent the best runic inscriptions found on the east coast of North America.

Apologies are given in advance. This is end to end numbers which makes for poor reading. Do not let the number work deter one from discovering what lays within the inscriptions. The essence can be grasped regardless of the level of interest in the math.

Reading the first paper (PDF) is essential to understanding the importance of the numeric information that is given here and followed by ✓ marks. The ciphers in SP-3 are extensive. The Nomans Land/Leif Erickson stone is a work of genius and the Narragansett is a masterpiece. This is the most thorough study of these inscriptions to date. It follows the work of others who began this study many decades ago. It completes it except for the preservation of the original works. It is up to the reader to motivate those who can.

There are four stones from Spirit Pond, Maine that Scott Wolter discusses in The Hooked X: Key to the Secret History of North America. Cyrus Gordon discusses them in Riddles in History. O.G. Landsverk discusses Alf Mongé’s study of them in his books. The amulet is a small wearable piece. The naming of the other stones here will be consistent with Gordon’s. SP-1 is the Map Stone. Its reverse has ten pictograms. SP-2 has the two line script only on one side. SP-3, the Inscription stone, has ten lines on the front and on the back there are 5 full lines with the start of a 6th. And thus it begins 56.✓

Back to Top  

Inscription stone – obverse. Photo Scott Wolter ©2009. Used with permission.

SP-3 Inscription Stone

Baal found three times.

Three of the inscriptions use the hooked X. SP-3 as the longest uses it a surprising 33 times on the front and 17 times on the back. 33 + 17 is 50 and 33.50 is the complementary angle to 56.5.✓ Similarly, there are 9 H’s with value 7 on the back and 11 more on the front for a total of 20 or 7, 9, 20 ⇒792.✓

One need not study SP-3 in great detail to see it is a cryptogram about Baal. On line six Baal is spelled out clearly and it can be found in four other places. Further, one should notice that on lines five and six in front of this word are four distinct dots in a vertical column (the word dividers). This places four X’s in a square pattern. Their sum then is 40 which implies 56. ✓ This arrangement uses lines 5 and 6.✓

Further still, the word on the sixth line containing Baal has a total of 5 X’s in it so 56.✓ To it’s left there is a 6th X so 56 again.✓

Back to Top   Jump down to Full Translation

Inscription stone – front. Photo Scott Wolter ©2009. Used with permission.

Transliteration of Inscription Stone, SP-3

1. SIKATUMODIN : KILSA : S[LI]A :
2. 17 : DID : HALADHIR : MIBAINBAD
3. HUM : AHR : 1010 : [UU] ULISA SUITNK :
4. 12 : RISI : UIST : 12 : NOR : 10 : SAKAM[LI]
5. UNK : SKIKHILMAN : HAAKON : FAN :
6. HR[IN]IKIN : AT : UIST : BAALAAKA :
7. SILKA : KIYSLRIKN : MIBAINBADH
8. UM : AHR : 1011: SMUALAL[LI][OO]SA :
9. BAMAR[OO]RMAT : THAT :
10. SIKLASHIBI :
11. RI:
12. NAIK[IL]AKTA : BAA
13. MB : UINA : SHIB : UIDH :
14. AKI : 17 : ROIHDHAHOIKUA :
15. KOISAKANK : BANINA : HALADHIR :
16. MIBAINBADHUM : AHR : M11 :

Over lined runes are in bold. Bindrunes are underlined or in [ ].
This transliteration was checked against Gordon’s (pg. 138-140). In line 8 he has SK vs. SM here.

Transliteration of Spirit Pond Inscription Stone- Letter placement is maintained creating the uneven depiction. -B.L. Freeborn @Noahsage.com.

 

Transliteration of Spirit Pond Inscription Stone- Letter placement is maintained creating the uneven depiction. -B.L. Freeborn @Noahsage.com.

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Henricus

What else might this text have to say? Mongé found the name Henricus several times in the Spirit Pond rune stones. (Gordon, pgs 142-143.) This example Gordon gives is from the first two lines of text. Below it is transliterated retaining letter placement. (Bold letters are over lined runes on the stone and this rune master used D for Th.)

Remove the bold letters: I,T,Th and form HINRIKUS with AMO remaining. In Latin ‘amo’ is ‘love.’ Bishop Henricus (aka Eirikr Gnupson) was believed to be the first bishop in Vinland, America. He was sent by Pope Paschal II (AD 1099-1118). (Gordon, pg. 93) This dating and Mongé’s finding of the name Henricus can be filled out further by the text in the vicinity of the name. Notice the 17. If this implies 1117, then it is within this time period. Instead of reading DID (or ThITh) as ‘dead’, as most translators do, read it as ‘did.’ Then one finds it says: Amo Henricus in 17 did he lead.

Inscription Stone with runes traced in white and yellow. Yellow runes are over lined runes.

To where did he lead? The remainder of the two lines has the anagram for sailed twice which implies something hidden. It reads as if it says ‘kill, sa, sail, mi(ghty) bane both.’ A ‘sa’ is a bucket. This suggests they sailed to the place called ‘kill-sa’ or perhaps ‘crater’; and ‘both were mighty and bane.’ This place should be confirmed by the numbers. (They are below for convenience. See table at end for rune number equivalents.) The sum of KILSA is 51 and this is a clue. This 51 when doubled as 51.51̊ gives the latitude of a particularly important place. It is left to the reader to locate it. The next word as an anagram for sail is 11(15+9) 10. Take the 15+9 as 159 then add the 11 and 10. Find the sum 180. There are 180 ̊ of latitude and longitude starts and ends at 180 ̊ .

If one reads HIR as if it means ‘here’, then perhaps the answer is found. Note that H, I are 7,9 while the sum is 21 or 7921.✓

The first word on the next line is HUM implying home. It is actually a continuation of the word from the previous line so it might complete the sentence or it begins a new thought since everything here is well placed. The next word is year spelled (AHR), as it was on the Kensington Rune Stone, and then it is followed by 1010. Since Henricus is mentioned and he lived long after 1010 this can only be a commemoration date. Home implies the settlement of Hoop began in that year. The mention of a date suggests one should be found here. Year (AHR) is mentioned again in line 8 and on the reverse in line 6. There they both state the year as 1011. Oddly though, the last 1011 is spelled with a runic M for Roman M or 1000. Even more oddly, there is a rune just after the date 1010 (line 3) that looks like an M -or- it is a bindrune of 2 U’s followed by another U. The word containing these runes is clearly in two parts without a word divider so something is to be found here. The first part sums to 51✓ (using a bindrune of 2 U’s or 4) which was seen just above and the last part to 48.

During the years 1010 and 1011, Thorfinn Karlsefini reportedly attempted to colonize Vinland. The last place he stopped he called Hop. Here there are stones in a place called Hoop that mention those years. Mongé believed Henricus created the Spirit Pond stones since his name can be found in ciphers on them. However, would Henricus also embed ‘amo’ with his own name? This suggests someone else wrote at least SP-3.

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Front Side Date

Returning to the idea of a date, note that there are two 17’s, one on the front and one on the rear. There are two 12’s. Both in the fourth line. There is a single 10 in this same line with word dividers on both sides. Between the two 12’s are two words with 4 runes each that each sum to 34.✓ Their total sum then is 68. The word between the 17 and 10 (NOR) sums to 17 as well. For clarity the numbers on this line are:

#12 : 34 : 34 : #12 : 17 : #10 : 51+24

Note sums:  34+34 = 68  and 51+24 = 75

The 68th day from the end of the Norse year (see Easter Tables) is October 17th. This is repeated by the 17 sum and #10 that follow it. This then confirms the dedication date.

Looking for the year is more confusing. After much trial and error it seems to be plainly stated by the repeating numerals or year 1217. To confirm this the GN is 2 and the DL is 1. Both of which must have been difficult to embed and even more difficult to identify. The single #10 follows the date (digit sum is 1) and it has word dividers on each side so that it clearly stands out. If this implies GN 1 then a two should be near by. The single word above is divided into two with one empty space between. The left half of the word has 3 U’s (each are a 2) and two of them are joined. There are 2 X’s below, 2 X’s below that and two in succession above. There is a risk here of seeing what is not there. Another confirmation is that this date is five years after the date found on SP-1 the Map Stone. It is also 100 years after the suggested date Henricus arrived, as if it was meant to commemorate his arrival. Further confirmation of his arrival in 1117 is found by reviewing SP-1. A dedication day of November 17th was found which is 11-17. This stone then is dated to 1217.

The years 1117 and 1217 are further confirmed by a vertical line on the front side. It begins at the bottom at the H I and then straight up as TABL – KS to the 1 space that breaks 2 words. This must refer to the Easter Tables. Examining this further find: HI (7,9) is 16 and the GN for 1117. The sum of KS (6,11) is 17 or the year. The H is 7 or the DL. At the other end of TABL is the space and two words. For year 1217 GN is 2 and DL is 1. Both then are confirmed.✓

While here notice two other points of interest on line ten. The HI (7,9) is followed by BI (13,9) or 22 so that the series 7922 is formed.✓  The line also begins with SIKLA which is an anagram for KILSA and also ‘a – skill .’ SIKL is (11,9,6,15) and sums to 41 with the A it is 51. The remainder of the line sums to 49. So, that the total sum is 100. The sums of the two words confirming 1217 just above are 51 and 48 as previously mentioned. These numbers will be of use later.

Running next to TABL is another vertical line. It spells out BHLAAOA SU INB A which is an anagram of: BAAL SU BAIN HOLA … or … Baal sow baneful hole.

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Rear Side Date

Noteworthy numbers on the reverse:

The date 1117 is found and confirmed again on the reverse. The numbers #17 and #11 here imply 1117. This year has GN 16 and DL 7. The GN is found by observing M11 is 14+1+1 = 16. This phrase is found on Line 16. Line 13 sums to 117.

On Line 14 the numbers following #17 are: 5 4, 9 7 3 or 9, 19. Year 1117 is on Calendar Line #19. ✓ For that year the DL is 7. Continuing within that word the next rune/numbers are 7 10 7 4. There are three 7’s in this word. The numbers around each 7 sum to 17. The 10 and 7 sum to 17. The 7, 10 sum to 17. The 7,3,7 to 17. The last two (7,4) to 11. Clearly 1117 is indicated here. The end of the word is 9 6 2 = 17 and A(10). In addition, the two runes above the #17 are UI or 11 which repeats 1117. There are 16 runes on Line 14 which is another confirmation of the GN 16. This date is confirmed.

The sum of the letters preceding the over lined X on line 16 is 76 or the period of Halley’s Comet.✓ The sum of the entire word is 112 or 2 x 56.✓

The following is deduced from this: 1010 to 1011 is the year Hoop was settled by Karlsefini. Year 1117 was when Henricus arrived at the settlement after being sent by the Pope. Year 1217 is the year this was written to memorialize these dates.

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Center Pictogram

There is more of interest besides dates hidden here. There is a pictogram in the center of the front. It runs through the center of all ten lines. View each rune as a picture instead of the rune and find it begins with the ‘two’ dots. Below is a ‘star’ suggesting two stars. The stars fall, as the legs of the letter M show. They strike and strike. (The N’s form skewed X’s.) Then it says it went up (an arrow and line) and fanned out the way the runes are shaped like trees. It ends at an enlarged X.

Line 1: – : –  Rune to the right is K(6).

Line 2: H (7) Rune above is 6 or 7..6… 76.✓ See below.

Line 3: U+U or M, (2+ 2) or (M = 14) and next U(2)…. 14 x 2 = 28✓

Line 4: N (8) Two 2’s from bindrune just above and 8 twice or 2…8 ⇒28✓

Line 5: N (8) ⇒ 28✓ (Two from bindrune above. Used second time.)

Line 6: T (12) Sum 8 + 8 + 12 = 28✓

Line 7: I (9) Letters to each side are R I K or R|K …5|6✓

Line 8: M (14)

Line 9: M (14) Sum 14 + 14 = 28

                Sum to here is (7,4,8,8,12,9,14,14) = 76.✓

Line 10: A (10) Total sum is 86.✓

The arrow and line (TI) in a vertical line in this manner appears on the Kensington rune stone and the Rök Runestone in Sweden. In Elder Futhark it is 17 and 11 which is 28.✓

Some words can be made out in this vertical list. Hu sounds like ‘how.’ The double N could be ‘none.’ Tie has been seen before. Ma is ‘more’ and it ends with the hooked X which looks like two darts heading into a peak or mountain. There is much to ponder here. Surely though, it was set up to repeat 28’s (half of 56).✓ The repetition of 76 at the top and in the sum suggest the period of Halley’s comet. The rune master infers two comets struck by using that number/time period and the depiction.

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Anagrams of a Sort

Lines eight and nine provide interesting anagrams. Line nine has two over lined runes (in bold). The eleven rune word beginning line nine reads: BAMAR[OO]RMAT. ⇒ ROM or ROOM as ‘room’ is obvious. Take the over lined (bold) as a hint and remove those as AR or ‘are’ or perhaps ARA as ‘area’ and what remains is BMAOT. One can see A TOMB remains so that it might read: Area a room, tomb.✓ This is another typical Baalist statement. The sum of the word is 79+22 or 79 AT.

The long ‘word’ in line eight is SMUALAL[LI][OO]SA. This is Baalist in nature as well. To read it several other lines are included:

Find: RSRSA, RIM, NU, AN, XXX, LI, BAAL, LI, ╢╢, BAIN, SA, SA, 3, HIT, A and HATI which forms 7,10,12,9 or 7922.✓ This might read: Raze, raze, rim, now, An, XXX, lie, eye, Baal, lie, net, bane, bucket, bucket, 3, hit, A. It also can be read as five word anagram: AS MU I ALL LOOSA.

It was razed and razed until it is a rim now. Upon An were the three strikes by Baal. It lies in the net at the baneful buckets from the three hits on A. As it mowed the eye all was loosened.

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The Author and Inscriber

Because this author also designed SP-1, The Map Stone, it is easy to spot his name. On the rear, left side, Line 4 find AKI. Perfectly lined up beneath is MK for ‘make’ and just to the right is another I. So it is: I make, Aki. Just above Aki is an M and above this is an N or NM for ‘name’ which clarifies Aki is a name.

My name is Aki and I made this.

 

Acrostic and Telestic

Typically there are ciphers that run along the outside edges called the acrostic and telestic. Part of one was found above when the inscriber’s name was located. This works easily on the reverse. The number of words on each line is counted. Then from the left or right count in that many runes. Here the first line is RI, one word, and count from the right 1 to find I. Similarly the next line has one word (count :’s) and find A. Repeating this from the right for all lines reveals: I A U K H 1. This reads in both directions alternating: AK1⇒ ⇐HUI or I how Aki… which clearly means he designed it as well:

I Aki – how made.

Do the same from the right and find: RAIIIB. Read it by alternating in both directions. It reveals: RI I BI A or 56 I Bi-A or … At 56 is the eye and the bisected A. This is typical of Baalist statements which is very unsatisfying to us because it seems like nonsense.

Reading the front in the same manner produces nothing. However, reading it in reverse acrostic-telestic is productive. This means the word count from the first line is used on the last etc. in a reverse manner. Example: #number of words in line one is three. In the last line, front side, count from the right and left to find K and I.

Again these are typical Baalist statements that tell of a double comet striking the mighty hill of An and in ire it wanders as the eye was hacked. It made a crater in the south. – This describes the details of the apocalypse. The root words of which are the same: a- poc-collapse or at ‘a’ there is a (poc)crater which caused the collapse. Further study of runes, ancient riddles and words will reveal to the reader whether this is accurate.

No doubt Mongé in his extensive study of this inscription found these same lines but ignored them as gibberish. He did obtain a readable acrostic (from the left end) by ignoring the lines with numbers. He also continued working until he found a brilliant substitution cipher using the over lined runes which contains Henricus which follows. (Landsverk, pg. 205-206)

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Over Lined Rune Ciphers

There are 9 over lined runes on the front. (I,T,D,A,A,K,A,R,A). There are 7 on the reverse (B,N,S,A,A,K,A). 79 ✓ The sum of the seven is 68 or 86 in reverse. ✓ The sum of the 9 runes on the front is 75 or 24+ 51. Recall there are 24 hours of longitude and the reader was directed to find 51.51̊ earlier. Notice that the first three (I T D) when read in reverse (Th/D is 3) are ‘3 TI’ or ‘3 at the Tie.’ Two of the A’s (X’s) are next to a B and bindrune (I+L). It is easy to arrange BAAL I or ‘Baal eye’ out of this. The remaining are A ARK or perhaps ‘ark at X.’

On the reverse. AKA appears. Aka can also be taken as AGA which may be ‘āga’⇒ own;‘ege’⇒ terror; ‘oga’⇒ ogre; ‘aga’ ⇒go away. So, perhaps it is ‘The eye of Baal lies where it owned it.’ The other over lined letters on the back: BN SA suggests ‘bane bucket.’ Or perhaps:

The eye of Baal lies in 3 arks at the tie where it owned it. The baneful craters are horrifying.

Mongé’s ciphers are repeated here with a few corrections. He did not use the two letter RI in his acrostic and failed to find any meaning in the four runes SAII and so reported them as numbers. In the second substitution cipher Mongé only found the name Henricus. He assumed the other runes were to be converted to numbers. He also missed one over lined rune. Finding the cipher at all though lies with him. It was a brilliant start. Both are repeated below with the corrections noted.

The second cipher Mongé found is a substitution cipher. Again with corrections it is repeated here. This table requires further explanation. Each word with an over lined rune falls within a group or word. The number of runes in that group except for the over lined is counted. That is listed as the ‘number of letters in group.’ The rune associated with that number is then listed. From line 14 down Mongé found the name Henricus and found no meaning in the remaining first five and listed those as numbers. Here they are filled out.

  • Two of the word groups have more than one over lined rune but counted as if they had one.
  • I is assumed to also stand for E.

Monge found Henricus in the * runes which leaves five unused. For those he substituted numbers and summed them with the five unused from the first acrostic to find 68. Mongé believed 68 was important because he found it often and it confirmed his date of 10/6/1123. Both have digit sums of 14. It is in fact 34 doubled and 34 is the complement to 56. So 68, in and of itself, was not important except that 68 in reverse is 86.✓

The same series is repeated below. Note the name Karlsefini is also -almost- present.
I* F* Th T N* R* K* S* N U H I* I* – L*
A and L are missing. An L can be found if one considers there are a total of 16 over lined runes. ⇒
⇒ In the same manner 16 – 1 = 15 or L. But A is still missing.

It is surprising Mongé did not search for Leif Erikson in this series.
I* F* Th T N* R* K* S* N U* H I* I* – L*
It spells the name: LIIF IRIKSUN. The name Leif is easily seen. U must be used for the Æ /O and I reused then Erikson is found. This leaves four unused.

Thorfinn was Karlsefini’s actual name. The same letters are used as follows:
I* F* Th* T N* R* K S N* U* H I I – L
This leaves six unused. (U was used for O).

The reader may choose which name was intended by the substitution cipher. All things considered Thorfinn, Henricus and Erikson were probably meant to be found. Karlsefini is most likely hidden somewhere else.

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Rhode Island

In that complicated line #14 which was where all the 17’s were found hides something else of interest. The line reads ‘AKI : 17 : ROIHDHAHOIKUA:’. The name AKI on the left was found above as the author. The long word appears to be a four word anagram. Remove the following letters from the long word: I, AKI, HU and what remains is ROHDAHO. ‘OH’ means ‘island’ so remove that ⇒ ROHDA?…. RHODA OH ……… ⇒ I, Aki how in Rhode Island.

On the reverse there is another phrase that is very clear. Begin on the right side third line down reading in a straight line is:
HKHR which ends at the ‘r’ in year (AHR).⇒ ⇒ hack here year…
Next column: UAM (2,10,14) or 1214. ⇒⇒ 1214
Next column: AL-11 or 25-11.⇒⇒ 25th day before year end, in November.
Remaining five runes: ADHIR (10,3,7,9,5) or 29 and 5. Day and day letter. ⇒ On the 29th; R ⇒ 5 the last number/rune is the DL. (Similarly, it could be the 25th, 29 days to end of year!)

Indeed, the full word was HALADHIR or ‘He led here.’ And where is here? It is also includes two anagrams with L as a divider. Find: HA – ADHIR ⇒ Rhadi Ah ⇒ Rhode Oh ⇒ Rhode Island. It repeats! (Recall there are 50 X’s in this. Some o’s and æ’s must have been sacrificed to achieve that number. I can be either e or I.)

So, Aki cut this piece actually on:

29 November, 1214 in anticipation of the 100 year anniversary
of Henricus’ arrival at Rhode Island where he led.

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Longitude and Latitude

Finding the longitude and latitude hidden in these inscriptions requires knowing it in advance. It cannot just be read off. The text gave us the clue Rhode Island so we shall have some area to work with, assuming it is the same Rhode Island we know of today. The location of Newport Tower is 41.48̊N and 71.31̊W and the location of nearby Narragansett is 41.45̊N and 71.45̊W with respect to the Greenwich Meridian

Interspersed through the text is Pentadic numbers such as seen on line two and three. A listing of these in order with the words North and West as they appear in the text follows. There are four tens and they are all the circle and stick shape. The M in the final date is excluded since it is not Pentadic:

17, 10, 10, 12, West, 12, Nor, 10, West, 10, 11,………reverse side: 17, 11 Total sum = 120.

Sum from beginning to just after Nor (17+10+10+12+12+10) is 71.
Sum from the end to just before Nor (11+17+11+10+10+12) is 71 ⇒ 71 North 71

Sum of numbers excluding 10’s to just after West is (17+12+12) is 41.
Sum of remaining numbers excluding 10’s is (11+17+11) is 39.

Sum of numbers from beginning to first West is (17+10+10+12) is 49.
Sum of numbers from second West to end is (10+11+11+17) is 49.
Sum of numbers on reverse side is 28.
Additionally, numbers 17 and 12 are lined up over each other on the left so 29.

Line three reads – UUULISA SUINK which is 41 A 48.
Line four reads – 12 : RISI : UIST : 12 : NOR : 10 : SAKAM[LI] as all numbers this is…
12 : 34 : 34 : 12 : 17 : 10 : 75
The sum of just the numbers 12, 12 and 10 on this line is 34. Two words sum to 34.

Line ten summed to 41 A 49. (See above.)

The text clearly indicates 41.49 / 41.48 and 71.34. These coordinates bring one to just north of Fort Adams (at 41.48̊N and 71.34̊W) and west of Newport in the bay area off Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island. It would seem Aki did mean to indicate the Fort Adams / Newport area where stands the Newport Tower. Its apparent accuracy suggests they were using the Greenwich Meridian as opposed to other available meridians. (See Post: The Newport Tower: Finding the Date of Dedication, its Designer and Builder.)

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Founding Family

There is another section of the text that is of interest. Line five ends with: HAAKON : FAN . Gordon (pg. 142) felt this meant ‘Haakon found.’ Haakon is a common name. A closer look at the text reveals more. As before this requires several lines not just one. Running vertically from FAN is FAN so it forms a square:
Now one can find KAM, NAM and FAMLI in the square implying ‘Haakon (name) came and is the founding family.’ But there is more here. Notice the LOK at a diagonal and the AT both pointing to the same place or ‘look at.’ What then is in this odd word SUITNK? AKI the author’s name can also be found with the A below. Removing AKI what is left is SUTN which suggests NUT … ‘not’ and/or SUN … ‘son’ or ‘is not Aki.’

Perhaps, we are close to it. KINK/G or KUNK/G is here with the K below. King Haakon IV of Norway began his rule as a child in 1204. Removing these from SUITNK leaves SUT or SIT which seems to imply ‘sit.’ King Haakon IV was ‘sitting’ then but this entire inscription suggests the settlement is much older. Newport can be dated to at least 1116 by the Newport Tower (Freeborn, 2022). This is a hundred years prior to Haakon IV. The text offers another possibility. To the left is the name (UU/M) U -LISA with (D)THIR just above as if it says MUTHIR LISA or ‘mother Lisa.’ SUITNK is also an anagram of Kitsun. Just below the IT is K which repeats Kit. So it is: KITSUN KAM 10. Year 1010 is the date stated in the plain text. Perhaps, the founder of Rhode Island then was:

Haakon, son of Lisa and Kit, was the founding family in 1010.

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A Full Translation

By now we have seen many subjects touched on in this inscription. The first was Baal followed by Henricus in 1117; Thorfinn and the founding family of Haakon Kitson in 1010; Rhode Island and its location; and its author, Aki, in 1214. However, there are many words as yet not discussed. After reviewing each line and looking at the remaining words a summary translation that is not so jumbled will be made. The transliterated image retains letter placement to facilitate reading of the text.

Line #1: SIKATUMODIN: KILSA ; SLAI :

The first word was found to be a partial anagram for Henricus and ‘amo’ which means ‘love.’ SIKATUMODIN includes the A, R below the M. This is an anagram of several words: SIT KAM MAR U ODIN or site, came, mar, U, Odin ⇒ At the site of Odin it came. It is a mar, a cup, an O den. KILSA describes the place again: where it killed is a bucket. KILSA is also an anagram for ‘a skill.’ The last word is an anagram for ‘sail.’

Line #2 : 17 : DID : HALADHIR : MIBAINBAD-HUM

17 was used to calculate the longitude/latitude and the years 1117 and 1217. DID is ‘did,’ and HALADHIR was seen to be both ‘he led here’ and ‘Rhode Island.’ MIBAINBAD-HUM appears to be plain text joined words: My baneful bad home. Note that BAD is directly above the SUITNK which was found to include ‘not king.’ So it is ‘Haakon is not the bad king.’

Running vertically under the ‘did’ is AIKI or I, Aki, did.

Line #3 : HUM : AHR : 1010 : [UU] ULISA SUITNK :

HUM is ‘home.’ AHR is both ‘year’ and an anagram of HAR or ‘here.’ 1010 is the year. [UU]U is part of the center pictogram and suggests ‘three cups.’ [UU] is also a Latin M so that MU with the R just below and a TH (D) just above as if it says MOThR LISA or ‘mother Lisa.’ SUITNK with the K below was ‘not sit King.’ It was otherwise an anagram of ‘Kitson.’

Line #4 : 12 : RISI : UIST : 12 : NOR : 10 : SAKAM[LI] – UNK

The numbers refer to the years 1217 and 1010. They were also used to calculate the longitude/latitude. UIST and NOR are ‘North’, ‘west’ or ‘waste.’ Above the NOR is RU or ‘row north.’ RISI with the M and A above form RIM and SAI or ‘rim’ and ‘sea.’ RISI with the A above forms ‘Æsir.’ The Æsir were the primary gods ruled by Odin. The line ends with SAKAM[LI]. SAK is either ‘sack’ or ‘sag’. It can also be SA KAM LI. ‘Sa’ is a bucket in Old English so it becomes ‘bucket came lie.’ The AMLI was part of the words ‘family’ and ‘fan.’ The K has I above and N below so ‘kin.’ If this is an anagram SAM KIN FAN FAMLI or ‘same kin founding family’ certainly makes sense. The word continues onto the next line. The LIUNK is UNKLE or ‘uncle.’ This Haakon Kitson is then uncle to the bad King Haakon.

Line #5 : UNK : SKIKHILMAN : HAAKON : FAN :

The first word UNK is KNO ⇒‘know.’ SKIKHILMAN is ‘skill hill hike man.’ Then follows the founders actual name spelled out, Haakon, with fan repeated both horizontally and vertically which seems to imply ‘founder.’

Line #6 : HR[IN]IKIN : AT : UIST : BAALAAKA :

The first word is an anagram of Henricus using the U and S above. This leaves ‘in.’ Above KIN is another K suggesting ‘king’ again and also ‘kin.’ The ‘in’ is followed by AT or ‘at.’ This ‘in at’ sounds redundant, however AT in Hebrew gematria is 79. HR[IN]IKIN is also HIR NI KIN or hire nigh kin of king.

The H with U above and S below suggests SHU ⇒ ‘show.’

Then follows UIST or ‘west’ or ‘waste.’ Baal follows three times in different directions as shown above. LAAKA is ‘lake’ spelled with three A’s repeating the idea of 3.

Line #7 : SILKA : KIYSLRIKN : MIBAINBADH

SILKA as before is both ‘Kilsa’ and also ‘a skill.’ KIʀSLRIKN seems unintelligible which it should since it is an anagram for ‘Skrilingʀ’ ⇒ ‘scræling’ or foreign person. The last word, ‘my baneful bad home,’ was discussed before. It repeats three times as the refrain of the piece. Mongé felt Kilsa was the year 1124. (See below at Map Stone.)

Line #8 : UM : AHR : 1011: SMUALAL[LI][OO]SA :

This was discussed above. It was: It was razed and razed until it is a rim now. Upon An were the three strikes by Baal. It lies in the net at the baneful buckets from the three hits on A. As it mowed the eye, all was loosened.

This additional comment is added. The vertical runes running through the S might also include the A on the bottom line so that it becomes: ARSRSA of ‘Aesir, Aesir.’

Line #9 : BAMAR[OO]RMAT : THAT :

This was also discussed above. It was: ‘Area a room, tomb.’ THAT is ‘that’ and also was part of the end line anagram HATI or ‘hit A.’

Line #10 : SIKLASHIBI :

SIKLASHIBI appears complicated. It reads better with the M above the A included and the AT above the last I so that it says: ‘I am skil at ship’ ⇒ ‘I am skilled at ship’ which suggests he is either a skilled builder of ships or sailor.

Line #11 : RI :

RI is both 51 and 56. It appears on the Kensington rune stone on the side at the far right; and on the Rok rune stone in Sweden on the top at the far right.

Line #12 : NAIK[IL]AKTA : BAA

NAIK[IL]AKTA with the M below at the start of the line and the IN below the K reads: MANI KIL KIN ATAK ⇒ many kin killed in attack. The BAA is with the B below and DO is ‘ababod.’ This is Old English ‘æbebod’ which means an ‘edict of law.’

Line #13 : MB : UINA : SHIB : UIDH :

MB : UINA : SHIB : UIDH is almost straightforward plain text: move Vine ship with ⇒ moved to Vineland on a ship with…. Also find DOA running down with another A below and to the side N,M which implies …Doa (name). The runes in the square UID /HO spell out: HU I DO ⇒ how I do. The last H begins the ‘hack here Rhode Island 1214’ found previously which runs vertically to the right.

VINA has an R below the A which creates VINAR or an anagram for Vanir. The Vanir are another group of gods in Norse Mythology.

Line #14 : AKI : 17 : ROIHDHAHOIKUA :

The first word is the author’s name, Aki, and as discussed before the acrostic says: I Aki (name) make. The long word, also discussed above, is: I, Aki how in Rhode Island.

Line #15 : KOISAKANK : BANINA : HALADHIR :

The first two words are new. KOISAKANK is an anagram for I KO AS KANK ⇒ I go as King. KANK is directly over BAD so once again he states the King is bad.

BANINA is combined with the AB above the N so that it clearly says BAN, BAN. The U below the N creates ‘now.’ There is an M below the INA so that it is MANI or ‘many.’

Line #16 : MIBAINBADHUM : AHR : M11

MIBAINBADHUM was My baneful bad home. The H is part of another restatement of HAAKON. It moves up and to the left as HKON and up to the right as HAA. One of those A’s is part of BANINA and the M below it forms the word ‘name’ which confirms that it was intentional.

The remaining letters of AHR : M11 were a part of the vertical lines discussed above.

Vertical lines :

Vertical lines included the center pictogram, the Table Date line, and the line next to it which gave: Baal sow baneful hole.

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Summary Translation

In order to summarize these jumbled ideas, their positioning in the inscription and topic will be taken into account. For example: ‘know, skill hike man’ are part of the Henricus anagram so presumably this refers to him. With that said, it translates more or less to: ………

51 / 56
Rhode Island was founded in 1010. Haakon Kitson, son of Lisa and Kit, was the founding family. He was uncle and kin to the sitting bad King Haakon at my baneful bad home.

Beloved Henricus in 1117 did he lead here in Rhode Island. He was a skilled sailor. Henricus was a knowledgeable man and a skilled outdoors man. Henricus hired nigh the kin of the King of the Scrælings to go west to the Baal lakes and show him. He rowed north and sailed with the scrælings in 1124.

I, Aki, made and designed this. I am a skilled sailor. Many of my kin were killed in an attack because of an edict of law at my baneful bad home. I go as the bad King Haakon banned now my many gods. I moved to Vineland on a ship with Doa. This is how I came. For 1217, I, Aki, cut this and designed it in Rhode Island.

He banned my gods Vanir, Odin, and Æsir, Æsir!

At the site of Odin it came. It is a mar, a cup, an O den.
It was killed at the bucket. The home of the three cups from Baal is here.

It wasted the north and it became a rimmed sea.
It was sacked as it sagged to where the bucket came to lie.
Baal, Baal, Baal!
There are 3 lakes. Baneful and bad was its home.

Two comets struck the eye which is the tie. It flew up as it was struck.
It was razed and razed until it is a rim now.
Upon An were the three strikes by Baal. It lies in the net at the baneful buckets.
As it mowed the eye all was loosened. In ire it wandered south as the eye was hacked.
The area is a room, a tomb. That is where it hit.

The eye hill at the eye is where many struck.
At 56 is the eye and the bisected A. It made the craters.

The eye of Baal lies in three arks at the tie where it owned it.
The baneful craters are horrifying.
Baal sowed a baneful hole.

I, Aki, made this on 29 November, 1214 in anticipation of the 100 year anniversary of Henricus’ arrival at Rhode Island, 41.48̊N and 71.34̊W, where he led.

End Translation
It would take a miracle to read this inscription as plain text!

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Spirit Pond Amulet. Image Lenik, 2009.

Amulet

The amulet stone, which is designed to be worn, is part of the Spirit Pond Stones. On the front side is the number 1010 which is presumably the year. The question remains whether it is a commemorative year or the year it was originally devised. Either way the 10’s are composed of a line and a circle which repeats the idea of the Ankh. Above the date are three runic letters, VIN, assumed to represent Vinland. There are then 5 runic figures on this side. The 6th is a hatched symbol for 5 so 56.5 repeats.✓

The runes in the center stand for V I N with numbers 2, 9 and 8. Their sum as 19 is of no interest. But if one sees it as a 2 ̸ 8 then 28 is found.✓ (See Rune chart at end for number equivalents.)

The sum of the 5, 19 and 20 is 44 which interestingly is the latitude of Spirit Pond.

Then by summing 5 and 2, a 7 can be found which provides 7 9 and 20 or 7920.✓

Easy enough, but this leaves no apparent use for the 8 except that 89 x 89 is 7921?!✓ And a square of sides 5.65 has a diagonal of 8.✓

Lastly, here there are 3 letter runes and 2 numbers or 32.✓

The Cross below the circle (string hole) may repeat the idea of the Ankh again. The cross suggests this person had converted to Christianity or wanted to appear Christian despite the Pagan message on the other side.

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Map Stone Front. Runes traced in black.

SP-1, Map Stone, Front

This leaves SP-1 or the map stone to be looked at. This is a sheer pleasure. It transliterates easily as:

The sum of HOOB(P) is 28.✓ The sum of TKA is 28.✓ The sum of TUA is 24.

Very similar to the Kensington and the Kingigtorssuaq Inscription, the first letter, H, has value 7 and there is a 2 and 9 on the following line or 792.✓ The next numbers (8,15,10, 8,2) sum to 43.✓ The last two are 8 and 2 or 28 in reverse.✓ On the left there are 3 word groups on 2 lines or 32.✓ On the right there are 4 word groups on 3 lines or 43.✓

Mongé dates this to 6 October 1123 using the phrase (I+L) A K . (He used L= 14.) He presumes it is an anagram for SIKLA (sailed). Anagrams of SIKLA are also used on SP-2 and SP-3. He dated all the inscriptions then to that date. The associated numbers are (23)10 6. Note the S or 11 is missing. There is a hint in the two lines above it which use 11 runes. If Mongé is correct and L= 14 then the sum is 39 but the 11 (S) is missing. Take the hint and subtract an 11 from 39 and find 28.✓ He uses the rune count of 3 and 7 on line one to prove the GN and DL. Furthermore, the riddle master no doubt assumed the solver would find the date 6 October in the remaining numbers of (I+L)AK. The DN table (See Easter Tables) indicates this is 79 days to the end of the year. 79 and 23 from the joined runes creates 7923 and this is a very clever 792✓ which makes it an unlikely date.

If L = 15 then the sum of (I+L)AK is 40.✓ By similar reasoning the year becomes 1124.

The GN for year 1124 is 4. The DL is 6. Both 4 and 6 repeat in the text. This makes 1124 a plausible year as well. As a date, it is likely the year when Henricus sailed to ‘Kilsa’ or left the settlement for other duties elsewhere as implied by the Vinland map. The GN for the stated year 1011 is 5 and the DL is 7. The Line/Rati is #15. Although there are two 7’s there are no 5’s making it unlikely this is the date of the inscription.

*All of the words in the right word group are either misspelled or anagrams which suggests there is something hidden here. This group is usually taken to mean two days travel by sea since there is an arrow. Two days to the north is Nova Scotia. Two days to the south is Narragansett Bay where lies another rune stone (once at the shoreline). It is as if there were other settlements along the coast.

A closer look at these runes is warranted. Note the riddle master gives a hint. They refer to time (day). It is likely then that this group is where the date is embedded.

The right side numbers: 

Note the repeating 12’s and that 10,6 and 6,10 are in a group and sum to 16. The 10,6 repeats in the last word. The 2 and 10 sum to 12. The GN for 1212 is 16. Moreover, the DL is 7 which is to the right of the 10,6. There are 7 runes on the top line and 3 on the bottom. The Rati is 3. Compare this to year 1216 with GN 1 and DL 2 neither of which is found. Checking year 1006, the GN is 19, DL is 6 which is also unsatisfactory. The likely year then is 1212.

If one studies Mongé’s steps closely for determining the date, another implied dedication day becomes apparent. The sum of the digits in 1011 equals 3. There are seven runes on the line. Using the DN table the 37th day to the end of the year is 17 November. The first two runes of HOOP sum to 11 and the last two to 17 which seems to confirm the date as 17 November, 1212. In the Inscription stone 1117 was the implied date of Henricus’ arrival.

The stone implies the Hoop settlement began in 1011 and was still active in 1212. Archeological dating suggests it was active in the 1400’s. (Wolter, pg. 80) The area is still known as Hoop.

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Map Stone Obverse. Runes and pictograms traced in black.

SP-1, Map Stone, Back

The stone has a significant shape which can be seen from this side. It is shaped like an axe. The left upper corner is shaped like a crater. Both of these ideas are important to the story of Baal.

The back of the stone has eight✓ runes centered at the top between two pictures which immediately suggests 28.✓ There are two pictures on the top line and eight below in the group or 28.✓ The symbol Wolter suggested (X with hoop) meant 40 degrees latitude is present next to a hatch mark symbol. The 40 implies 56.✓ To its right the hatches can be counted two ways evidently. As he did and find 44 which is the latitude of Spirit Pond; and as others do, find 48 which is the latitude of Newfoundland Island.

The runes at the top center are transcribed as M I L T I A K I and correspondingly the numbers are: 14 9 15 12 9 10 6 9.

The sum is a sad and useless 84. However, the sum from 14 to 10 is 69 which is repeated by the last two numbers 6 and 9. This is essentially the longitude of Spirit Pond. The correct modern coordinates are 43.75 ̊ N, 69.81 ̊ W. The location of Newfoundland is 48 ̊ N, 56.5 ̊ W.✓ Imagine that.

The translation of the runes on SP-1 reverse has certainly not satisfied anyone. It appears it can be broken up as follows: MIL TI (A) KI. This is in simple Old English…mill tie (56) key. From this Mongé derived the message: LIT A MIK or seen by me. Or perhaps it is actually stating who wrote and inscribed (let) this stone. Read in both directions: ⇒ Me let…I Aki…… I tell ⇐. Altogether it says:

Mill tie (56) key seen by me. I Aki designed and carved.

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Short SP-2: Photo Scott Wolter ©2009. Used with permission.

The Short SP-2

This is the last of the Spirit Pond stones to discuss. Its inscription is short having 8 runes on the top line and 4 on the second line with 3 on the left and 1 on the right. One rune on each line is a bindrune positioned directly over each other.

There are 3 words on 2 lines for 32.✓ The sum of the top line is 74. The sum of the second line is 51.✓ The total sum is 125. The first number is 8 and the second bindrune is 9. Recall 89 x 89 = 7921.✓ The sum from 15 to the last 6 is 40.✓ The first number is 8 and the last number on either line is 6 suggesting 86.✓ The sum on the left bottom is 45. The sum between the 6’s is 45. Add a 6 from either side and obtain 51 again.✓ The R and K adjoining each other provide 56.✓

The : is directly under 15 and it is followed by 4 and 15. Year 1002 is on line 15 of the Easter table. It has GN 15 and DL 4. This date follows the discovery of Vinland by Leif Erickson by a year, so it is possible. The commemoration date on the others was 1010.

Assuming the day of dedication is suggested by the nearby 6’s both the 6th of October and 11th of June must be checked. The first is 79 days before the end of the Norse year. But 79 suggests 792.✓ The 11th of June is 196 days before the year end but only 125 days before October 14th, the first day of the Norse winter. The sum of the first line was 125! This can then be dated to either day. It is the reader’s choice. Once the date is plainly stated then one can see it in the text 10 : or 10 0 2!

As far as what it says…it reads like it is straight Baalist – strange but true. The second line is an anagram for KILSA which was seen on the other Spirit Pond stones. Taking it bit by bit find:

N over S. North went south.

(ÆRIL) ⇒RÆL I ⇒ roll eye.

KS over A. ⇒ SAK ⇒ sack or sagged.

The L over two dots. ⇒ two suggests a missing letter U so this becomes LU or low.

Then it is ÆL over K ⇒ cull. The last two in reverse KL ⇒ kill.

Kilsa was a place or ‘a skill.’

North went south as the eye rolled and sagged. It is low at Kilsa. It culled and killed skillfully.

This sounds like he is describing the apocalypse or perhaps some element of Ragnarök. His devotion to Baal seems complete but what of his name?

It might be helpful to see the Æ as O. Now notice there are two anagrams for ‘look’ spelled LÆK or LOK. So we should do as directed and look. Mongé points out this implies a shift cipher. If a shift cipher is applied (shift each to the preceding) find:

N (Æ+R)KS L Æ L K ⇒ H (Th Æ) R A B Th B R 

S (I+L) A : K ⇒             A ( N B) I : R

which is not productive. But if you make a mistake and substitute M for B (the following rune) then…

H (Th Æ) R A M Th M R 

 A ( N M) I : R

then one can read: hath name thar (there) I am thr (there)? This suggests it is a forward/reverse cipher. After a some struggle one finds that only the bindrunes are used.

Lother inscribed this stone 11th of June 1002.

That then concludes the Spirit Pond stones but there is another stone from the same period somewhat south which also provides …… a runic riddle. (Continues with The Nomans Land – Leif Eriksson Inscription – which was this previous post and the Narragansett Inscription here.)

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Previous… Newport Tower Post          Next … Shawnee Runestone

Younger Futhark Runic Alphabet

From Wikipedia

Similar Articles by the Same Author

*Easter Tables

** For numeric background see:

**Freeborn, B.L., Validating North American Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Ancient Riddles to Test Our Wits: The Secret Chamber, noahsage.com, January 2016. (Post)

Freeborn, B.L., Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Et in Arcadia Ego – OUOSVAVV DM – Deciphered, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Kensington Rune Stone: A New Translation, noahsage.com, February 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., Runic Riddles: Time Capsules, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L. The Long Debated Bourne Stone, noahsage.com, January 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., The Nomans Land – Leif Eriksson Inscription, noahsage.com, December 2022. 

Freeborn, B.L., The Narragansett Inscription: A Translation with its Date of Dedication, Author and Inscriber, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Newport Tower: Finding the Date of Dedication, its Designer and Builder, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Runic Riddles: Younger Futhork, noahsage.com, December 2022.

References

Firestone, Richard; West, Allen; Warwick-Smith, Simon; The Cycle of Cosmic Catastrophes: Flood, Fire, and Famine in the History of Civilization, Bear & Company, Rochester, VT., 2006.

Gordon, Cyrus, Riddles in History, Crown Publishers, Inc. New York, 1974.

Landsverk, O.G., Runic Records of the Norsemen in America, Erik J. Friis, Publisher, Rushford, MN, 1974.

Landsverk, O.G., Ancient Norse Messages, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1969.

Lenik, Edward J., Making Pictures in Stone: American Indian Rock Art of the Northeast, 2009.

Mongé, Alf & O.G. Landsverk, Norse Medieval Cryptography in Runic Carvings, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1967.

Syversen, Earl, Norse Runic Inscriptions: with their Long-forgotten Cryptography, The Vine Hill Press, Sebastopol, California, 1979.

Wolter, Scott F, The Hooked X: Key to the Secret History of North America, North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc., St. Cloud, Minnesota 2009.

Derogatory article by Aslak Liestol of Alf Mongé’s work: http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/41/v41i01p034-042.pdf  and….

…Landsverk responded to these comments in Ancient Norse Messages pg. 126-129; and often in Runic Records of the Norsemen in America.

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Deciphering the Spirit Pond Rune Stones: Map Stone, SP-1

B. L. Freeborn © November 2022

Map Stone – Front. Photo Scott Wolter ©2009. Used with permission.

Map stone – obverse. Photo Scott Wolter ©2009. Used with permission.

The SP-1, Map stone

This an excerpt from: Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions –  Full article PDF version.

In the paper entitled “Validating North American Runic Inscriptions” (PDF) , by this author, the Spirit Pond Rune stones were discussed briefly. It became apparent that there was too much information on the long inscription stone known as SP-3 to include it all there. This paper repeats the information stated in the aforementioned with respect to the Spirit Pond rune stones and considerably more on the SP-3 (following post here) and SP-2 (next post) that may be too much for the average reader. It then delves into the Leif Erikson (PDF and Post) inscription from Nomans Land and since Narragansett (PDF and Post) is a short distance from where that was found, it is included as well. These six represent the best runic inscriptions found on the east coast of North America.

Apologies are given in advance. This is end to end numbers which makes for poor reading. Do not let the number work deter one from discovering what lays within the inscriptions. The essence can be grasped regardless of the level of interest in the math.

Reading the first paper (PDF) is essential to understanding the importance of the numeric information that is given here and followed by ✓ marks. SP-1, the Map Stone, is discussed here. Its front has a map of Hoop, Maine and the reverse has ten pictograms.

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Map Stone Obverse. Runes and pictograms traced in black.

SP-1, Map Stone, Back

The stone has a significant shape which can be seen from this side. It is shaped like an axe. The left upper corner is shaped like a crater. Both of these ideas are important to the story of Baal.

The back of the stone has eight✓ runes centered at the top between two pictures which immediately suggests 28.✓ There are two pictures on the top line and eight below in the group or 28.✓ The symbol Wolter suggested (X with hoop) meant 40 degrees latitude is present next to a hatch mark symbol. The 40 implies 56.✓ To its right the hatches can be counted two ways evidently. As he did and find 44 which is the latitude of Spirit Pond; and as others do, find 48 which is the latitude of Newfoundland Island.

The runes at the top center are transcribed as M I L T I A K I and correspondingly the numbers are: 14 9 15 12 9 10 6 9.

The sum is a sad and useless 84. However, the sum from 14 to 10 is 69 which is repeated by the last two numbers 6 and 9. This is essentially the longitude of Spirit Pond. The correct modern coordinates are 43.75 ̊ N, 69.81 ̊ W with respect to the Greenwich Meridian which they were apparently using. The location of Newfoundland is 48 ̊ N, 56.5 ̊ W.✓ Imagine that.

The translation of the runes on SP-1 reverse has certainly not satisfied anyone. It appears it can be broken up as follows: MIL TI (A) KI. This is in simple Old English…mill tie (56) key. From this Mongé derived the message: LIT A MIK or seen by me. Or perhaps it is actually stating who wrote and inscribed (let) this stone. Read in both directions: ⇒ Me let…I Aki…… I tell ⇐. Altogether it says:

Mill tie (56) key seen by me. I Aki designed and carved.

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Spirit Pond Map Stone, SP-1, front, with runes and images traced in black.

SP-1, Map Stone, Front

SP-1 or the map stone, front is a sheer pleasure to study. It transliterates easily and the typical translation is shown below.

The Numbers and Dates:

The sum of HOOB(P) is 28.✓ The sum of TKA is 28.✓ The sum of TUA is 24.

Very similar to the Kensington and the Kingigtorssuaq Inscription, the first letter, H, has value 7 and there is a 2 and 9 on the following line or 792.✓ The next numbers (8,15,10, 8,2) sum to 43.✓ The last two are 8 and 2 or 28 in reverse.✓ On the left there are 3 word groups on 2 lines or 32.✓ On the right there are 4 word groups on 3 lines or 43.✓

(This is an excerpt so there is information on dating missing. Briefly, inscriptions can be dated using the Easter Tables which provides a Rati/Line #, Golden Number (GN) and Day Letter (DL) for each year. This is explained in any of Landsverk / Mongé’s books.)

Mongé dates this to 6 October 1123 using the phrase (I+L) A K . (He used L= 14.) He presumes it is an anagram for SIKLA (sailed). Anagrams of SIKLA are also used on SP-2 and SP-3. He dated all the inscriptions then to that date. The associated numbers are (23)10 6. Note the S or 11 is missing. There is a hint in the two lines above it which use 11 runes. If Mongé is correct and L= 14 then the sum is 39 but the 11 (S) is missing. Take the hint and subtract an 11 from 39 and find 28.✓ He uses the rune count of 3 and 7 on line one to prove the GN and DL. Furthermore, the riddle master no doubt assumed the solver would find the date 6 October in the remaining numbers of (I+L)AK. The DN table (See Easter Tables) indicates this is 79 days to the end of the year. 79 and 23 from the joined runes creates 7923 and this is a very clever 792✓ which makes it an unlikely date.

If L = 15 then the sum of (I+L)AK is 40.✓ By similar reasoning the year becomes 1124. The GN for year 1124 is 4. The DL is 6. Both 4 and 6 repeat in the text. This makes 1124 a plausible year as well. As a date, it is likely the year when Henricus sailed to ‘Kilsa’; left the settlement for other duties elsewhere; or, as implied by the Vinland map, he passed away.

The GN for the stated year 1011 is 5 and the DL is 7. The Rati is #15. Although there are two 7’s there are no 5’s making it unlikely this is the date of the inscription.

*All of the words in the right word group are either misspelled or anagrams which suggests there is something hidden here. This group is usually taken to mean two days travel by sea since there is an arrow. Two days to the north is Nova Scotia. Two days to the south is Narragansett Bay where lies another rune stone (once at the shoreline). It is as if there were other settlements along the coast.

A closer look at these runes is warranted. Note the riddle master gives a hint. They refer to time (day). It is likely then that this group is where the date is embedded.

The right side numbers:Note the repeating 12’s and that 10,6 and 6,10 are in a group and sum to 16. The 10,6 repeats in the last word. The 2 and 10 sum to 12. The GN for 1212 is 16. Moreover, the DL is 7 which is to the right of the 10,6. There are 7 runes on the top line and 3 on the bottom. The Rati is 3. Compare this to year 1216 with GN 1 and DL 2 neither of which is found. Checking year 1006, the GN is 19, DL is 6 which is also unsatisfactory. The likely year then is 1212.

If one studies Mongé’s steps closely for determining the date, another implied dedication day becomes apparent. The sum of the digits in 1011 equals 3. There are seven runes on the line. Using the DN table the 37th day to the end of the year is 17 November. The first two runes of HOOP sum to 11 and the last two to 17 which seems to confirm the date as 17 November, 1212. In the Inscription stone 1117 was the implied date of Henricus’ arrival.

The stone implies the Hoop settlement began in 1011 and was still active in 1212. Archeological dating suggests it was active in the 1400’s. (Wolter, pg. 80) The area is still known as Hoop.

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Previous Post          Next Post

Younger Futhark Runic Alphabet

From Wikipedia

 

Similar Articles by the Same Author

*Easter Tables

** For numeric background see:

**Freeborn, B.L., Validating North American Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Ancient Riddles to Test Our Wits: The Secret Chamber, noahsage.com, January 2016. (Post)

Freeborn, B.L., Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Et in Arcadia Ego – OUOSVAVV DM – Deciphered, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Kensington Rune Stone: A New Translation, noahsage.com, February 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., Runic Riddles: Time Capsules, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L. The Long Debated Bourne Stone, noahsage.com, January 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., The Nomans Land – Leif Eriksson Inscription, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Narragansett Inscription: A Translation with its Date of Dedication, Author and Inscriber, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Newport Tower: Finding the Date of Dedication, its Designer and Builder, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Runic Riddles: Younger Futhork, noahsage.com, December 2022.

References

Gordon, Cyrus, Riddles in History, Crown Publishers, Inc. New York, 1974.

Landsverk, O.G., Runic Records of the Norsemen in America, Erik J. Friis, Publisher, Rushford, MN, 1974.

Landsverk, O.G., Ancient Norse Messages, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1969.

Mongé, Alf & O.G. Landsverk, Norse Medieval Cryptography in Runic Carvings, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1967.

Syversen, Earl, Norse Runic Inscriptions: with their Long-forgotten Cryptography, The Vine Hill Press, Sebastopol, California, 1979.

Wolter, Scott F, The Hooked X: Key to the Secret History of North America, North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc., St. Cloud, Minnesota 2009.

Derogatory article by Aslak Liestol of Alf Mongé’s work: http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/41/v41i01p034-042.pdf  and…. Landsverk responded to these comments in Ancient Norse Messages pg. 126-129; and often in Runic Records of the Norsemen in America.

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The Nomans Land – Leif Eriksson Inscription

B.L Freeborn © December 2022               (PDF version here.)

(Excerpt from: Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, PDF here. )

This study would not be complete without some comment on the Leif Erikson inscription found on a rock off the shore of Nomans Land Island, adjacent to Martha’s Vineyard. Photos are scant which severely limits any study. Typically, it is considered a fraud because it contains a letter M or Roman numeral in the date. However, the Spirit Pond SP-3 inscription stone (following post) used the letter M in the final date and it was also used to substitute for a runic M in the center pictogram. Therefore, the use of M1 to suggest a date of 1001 is wholly consistent with it being a valid inscription. The Spirit Pond stones were not found for some 40 years after common knowledge of the Leif inscription so they could not have inspired the M1 date. Furthermore, consider the constraints of using only the runic numbers to indicate a date of 1001 as seen in the SP-2 (following post). There is simply no zero which makes an M very useful. Certainly any educated person of the year 1001 was in the habit of using M1 as a date since Roman numerals were known then throughout Europe. ‘Modern graffiti’ would not use such a strange arrangement. The zero is so common place today it would have been used without a thought. Indeed, it should have been 1003 since that was the date the then current encyclopedias stated Leif discovered Vinland.(Holand, 1944)

Images from Holand, 1944.

The top line of the inscription is straight forward. It consists of four runes spelling out LIIF and eight more spelling out IRIKSSĄN. This is accepted to be Leif Eriksson. The date follows M1 (1001) and then the next line begins clearly with Th I and that is where confusion sets in. The third rune is made to appear as an N in some white marked images. A photo from Holand (1944) has a chalked image which clearly does not show an N. Holand reports that Professor Delabarre in 1935 examined the stone carefully and found no additional markings on the upright staves of the runes after the first Th. He most certainly would have reported an N. Photos however can often reveal more than the eye can see. The first five runes are readable as: Th I ʀ TI. In the enlarged image note the short height of the third line and an arrow shape on top of the fourth can be made out. The remaining group of lines followed by the four on the fourth appear to be just lines or I’s. Holand’s explanation was that Greenlanders often left incomplete runes as part of magical incantations. Mongé and others disagreed.

Erikson is spelled with two S’s in the old Icelandic manner. Each name should be followed by an ʀ but these do not appear. The doubled S and deleted ʀ provides for the correct number of letters and sums as seen below. Other differences and some very good reasons for them are elucidated by Holand. The inscription then reads (retaining letter placement):

There are 12 runes on the first line in 2 groups of 4 and 8. The sum of Leif is 34 while Eriksson equals 63. Their total sum is 97 or 79 in reverse.✓ The second line is 14, 9 = 23; or 14,1 = 15. Finding the difference then 97 – 15 = 82 or 28 in reverse.✓ Then 79 followed by 23 is 7923 or 792.✓ (**See below for more information on numbers and meanings; and Easter Tables.)

Many critics note IRIK is misspelled but by this spelling it gives |5|6 which becomes 56. ✓ The RI pattern was seen on the SP-3 inscription stone which implied 5 + 1 = 6 ⇒ 56. More importantly, it can be seen as far away as Sweden on the famous Rök runestone.
Its double, 112 (56 x 2), is found by adding the sum of the first two lines or 97 and 15 = 112.✓
The S as 11 also supplies 56 since 5+6 = 11. The two S’s are then repeating 56’s.✓
There are 14 I’s in total. Recall 14 doubled is 28 and doubled again is 56.✓

The third line if read: ThI ʀ T I III provides ⇒ 3,9,16,12,9 111 (or 9,9,9).
ThI ʀ: 3,9,16 is 28. T I: is 12,9. If the TI is in the Elder Futhark, it is 17, 11 which sums to 28 as well which was seen in the Kingigtorssuaq and Kensington stones. Three I’s or 9’s suggests 3 x 9 = 27 which supplies all the digits for 792.✓

Typically the TI is in a vertical line. Lying in a nearly perfect vertical line is another I and the runes I M T I. This is 9,14,12,9 or 44…?
The same can be done on the other leg of the M with the R: R M I I or 5,14,9,9 = 37…?
Between them is an I or 9. 44 + 9 + 37 is 90 and 90̊ is the north pole which is portrayed as the center pole of the inscription.

The sum of the vertical lines IMTI, IIII and I between them is 89 and 89 x 89 is 7920.✓
The sum of the entire third line is 3,9,16,12,9,9,9,9 = 76 which was seen above.✓
The sum of the fourth line, if they are all 9’s, is 36 which reminds us there are 360 degrees in a circle.
If it is 9 and then 3 x 9; it is 9 27 or 792 as was seen in the line above.✓

Often a day of dedication is given. After trying many possibilities, the day of dedication appears to be simply stated by the two letter / numbers below the year. The four letters as a group spell TIMI which sounds like time. Let’s take the hint and see that this implies 12 /9 or the 9th of December which is confirmed by the first letter/number of value 15. The 9th is fifteen days before the end of the Norse year. This day also falls on the new moon.

However, this riddle master is much clearer with the latitude. One must know the latitude and longitude to find it in these inscriptions. Noman’s land is at 41.258̊N and 70.815̊W with respect to the Greenwich Meridian. (Its apparent accuracy suggests they were using this meridian as opposed to other available meridians.)

Note the count of the I’s. First line: 4. Second line: 1
Third line from right to left: 4 then 1.
Fourth line total: 4. Then left to right 1 and 3. ⇒⇒ 41.3̊N
Longitude is at 70.815̊and zero’s are difficult to imply. But there are 7 I’s in the vertical line and then left on the third line. There are also 7 I’s in the U shape that included the M. This suggests 7 and implies 0. But then again 7I appears very close to 71. So, the longitude is rounded up.

It is highly likely that the author of this complicated encryption embedded their name in it. Note the M could also be the T and L runes set together which could spell out the word ‘tell’ or ‘let’ – meaning inscribe. The adjoining I would then create : ‘I tell’ or ‘I let.’ There is the beginning of a name on the third line: Th I ʀ. The last symbol, ʀ, typically ends a name, so again it suggests a name is here. It remains elusive until one realizes the whole puzzle lends itself to counting: first line 12 runes, second 2, third 8 and fourth 4. If each of these represent letters, then TUNÆ is found. Interestingly, this is an old Swedish name and short form of ‘Thorniut.’ Looking at the word groups further find 4 and 8 on the first line and 5 and 3 on the third. This gives Æ,N and R, Th. The first is the name of a goddess in the same era as Baal. The latter is two of the missing letters to form Thorniut. Now recall the Th I ʀ. The name is now complete as Thærniutʀ also known as Tunæ, the author.

It would have been more satisfying to find Baal spelled out since An was found. But then again… shift ciphers are sometimes used in runic riddles. If the vertical line I M T I is shifted by one rune over (I ⇒A, M⇒B, etc.) it becomes A B L A or Baal. The right side does not shift but remains as RM III meaning ‘Rim 3.’ For sure, this is another one of those weird Baalist statements that appears to be true once you understand what they are talking about.

This inscription seems to be wholly valid. It certainly fits the riddle pattern of other stones, the date is supported by embedded Easter table values, and the syntax has suffered in favor of the numbers. There is also an embedded author name. It displays typical Baalist numbers and indeed, the name Baal in a classic shift cipher is a bonus. All of this is in common with others seen from the period. Consider that this is very near the southerly most tip of Martha’s Vineyard and once was probably ashore on Noman Island before the coast eroded. As the land washed away it dropped the stone into the ocean as well. As noted by many, Martha’s Vineyard most certainly fits the description of Vinland. Holand (1944) argues other reasons for its validity. One might want to err on the side of caution and retrieve it from the ocean before a possible work of great historical value is lost forever.

Leif Eriksson
9th December 1001
by Thorniutʀ, also known as Tunæ,
at Latitude 41.3̊N, 71̊ W

Previous Post             Next Post

Similar Articles by this Author (pdfs uploaded as available)

* Easter Table pdf

** For numeric background see:

**Freeborn, B.L., Validating North American Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Ancient Riddles to Test Our Wits: The Secret Chamber, noahsage.com, January 2016. (Post)

Freeborn, B.L., Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Et in Arcadia Ego – OUOSVAVV DM – Deciphered, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Kensington Rune Stone: A New Translation, noahsage.com, February 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., Runic Riddles: Time Capsules, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L. The Long Debated Bourne Stone, noahsage.com, January 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., The Nomans Land – Leif Eriksson Inscription, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Narragansett Inscription: A Translation with its Date of Dedication, Author and Inscriber, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Newport Tower: Finding the Date of Dedication, its Designer and Builder, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Runic Riddles: Younger Futhork, noahsage.com, December 2022.

 

References

Holand, Hjalmar Rued. “The Runic Inscription on No Man’s Land.” The New England Quarterly, vol. 17, no. 1, 1944, pp. 56–70. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/361994. Accessed 26 Nov. 2022.

Marstrand, Vilhelm. “The Runic Inscription on No Man’s Land.” The New England Quarterly, vol. 22, no. 1, 1949, pp. 85–92. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/361538. Accessed 26 Nov. 2022.

**Mongé, Alf & O.G. Landsverk, Norse Medieval Cryptography in Runic Carvings, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1967.
– – – – –
Liestol, Aslak – Derogatory article on Alf Mongé’s work: http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/41/v41i01p034-042.pdf  and….

…Landsverk responded to these comments in Ancient Norse Messages pg. 126-129; and often in Runic Records of the Norsemen in America.

The Narragansett Inscription: A Translation with its Date of Dedication, Author and Inscriber

B.L. Freeborn © October 2022  – Updated April 2023            (PDF version here.)

The Narragansett Runestone is the work of a genius. Besides the initial plain text reading, there are additional phrases, the date and even the correct location concealed in the text. This is a lot for nine symbols to convey. The proposed transliteration and subsequent translation of symbols imbedded in the rock once on the shores of Narragansett, Rhode Island are shown below. The proof that the correct symbols are used is very math heavy, so it is at the end for those who are interested. What enables the cipher is that the text is in three alphabets: Younger Futhark, Elder Futhark and Latin. The reader is directed to the charts on the last page for Futhark (runic) alphabets.

The extra letters appear after one notices several other possibilities are present. The S (in Futhark) can be seen as a backwards Latin N. The Æ symbol (in Futhark) can also be seen as a Latin F. The X can be seen as an A in Younger Futhark or a G in the Older. The T in the Younger Futhark is upside down. There is no reason to assume the adjoining M is not also upside down. If it is, it becomes a Y. There is also no reason to assume it is in the Younger Futhark, since the symbol appears in the Elder as does the S and O in the forms shown. This adds Z to its possible transliteration. Indeed, reading the pairs as shown provides AF, GA, FA, LT, TL, ZT, ZL, MT and MZ as easily readable. They suggest Af(ter), Go, Foe, Let, Tell, Set, Zeal, Meet and Maze.

We move on with reading the text. Find the runes: A H R. This is exactly how ‘year’ was written in both the Spirit Pond and Kensington runestones including the rune forms. This confirms these runes are part of or near the date. The date is found in the transliteration proof below.

Studying the inscription further leads to the correct plain text reading. Take the first letter as N and notice that the H looks like two arrowheads coming together. It is followed by RO which seems to reinforce the idea of an arrow. Take the hooked X as a G (in Elder Futhark) and now GÆN can be found. The letters forming ZT (set) were seen in the 5th and 6th runes. See the I erroneously as a T and now one has everything needed to interpret the inscription as:

……. N ……………… ARROW ……………………….. GAN ………………….. ZTT ………………

⇒⇒ Narragansett.

Now in the transliteration find: ÆR HOM LI ………………..Our homes lies…

This suggests the location is also embedded. The longitude and latitude is also deciphered below.

Now find:

AS SHÆ RO YMZ ML TI I TL ROZY………As she row amaze mill tie eye – I tell Rozy.
AF HÆ RO YMZ ML TI I LT HR OM…..After he row amaze mill tie eye – I letter here OM.

As she rowed to the amazing mill tie eye, I tell Rosy.
After he rowed to the amazing mill tie eye, I letter here. OM.

DESIGNED BY O. M. – TOLD TO ROZY – AFTER THEIR AMAZING
JOURNEY TO THE MILL TIE EYE
AROUND YEAR 1157
NARRAGANSETT FOUNDED 1011
OUR HOME LIES ∙ 41.45̊ N 71.45̊W

O.M. is the person who designed and built the Newport Tower which was completed about this time. Rozy was his departed beloved. He is known as Bishop Henricus mentioned in the Vinland Map. It appears as if it is a couple, Hrom and Rozy, but it is Henricus missing his beloved. (This is confirmed by another source, the study of which will be published in the future.)

Transliteration Proof

The gematria (number) associated with each rune is as found in that alphabet with the exception of the L which uses the value for L from the Younger Futhark. The correctness of the transliteration can be checked but it requires substitution to numbers and summing. Sums found should be typical numbers found in Baalist** encoded inscriptions. They are so noted with a ✓ check mark. The reader is directed to the paper Validating North American Runic Inscriptions (pdf) for further information on this topic since it is a new approach to deciphering runic inscriptions.

Below is the proposed transliteration which includes all three versions of the 5th rune and two provided by the 6th. This positioning at the 5th and 6th eliminates the possibility of the undecipherable rune (?) ever actually being present. If it was, these would shift to 6th and 7th positions. The 7 and 2 pattern provides a required number. (7 + 2 = 9) or 792.✓ The number 28 or its double 56 must be found. The 5th and 6th runes were just discussed. This provides 56.✓ Further still, 3 versions of the ‘M’ and 2 of the ‘L’ suggest 32 which is 5.65².✓ Look at it again and see there is a group of 3 double letters followed by a group of 2 or 32.✓

We have now found four numerical verifications of the stone’s validity. Others are easily found but number substitution is required to see them. (See chart of runes/numbers at end.)

In this case the dot is next to the [Æ, F]. Letter F has value 6. Notice the R of value 5 is just above so that 56 is found.✓

The 7 is followed by 5 and 24 which sum to 29 so that one finds 7, 29 ⇒⇒ 792.✓
The group of four numbers: 8,11,4,6 sum to 29 next to a 7 ⇒⇒ 792.✓
The sum of the five numbers in brackets is 15+14+16+15+12=72. This is followed by 9 or 72,9.✓

Running the sum across the top line (in bold) as written find 86.✓ (86400 seconds of longitude.)
The sum as typically transliterated (with M, T) is 82 which if read in reverse is 28 or half 56.✓
The sum of A Æ or 10, 4 is 14 which is half of 28.✓

This is a significant number of numerical verifications. The transliteration appears to be correct.

Finding the Date

Easter Tables were used in earlier times for determining when Sundays and Easter would fall. Each year has a Golden Number (GN) and Day Letter (DL). This can be used to confirm a date is read correctly. (See Easter Table here and Mongé,1967) There are two dates here. The first is the founding date of Narragansett. The second is the date the stone was designed.

There is a 10 below the 11. The 7 and 4 sum to 11. The 4 and 6 sum to 10…..1011….1110. This appears to be a date. The Spirit Pond rune stones date themselves to the year 1011. Finding the Golden Number (GN) for both years may settle the matter. GN was commonly used at the time for determining Easter. The GN for 1110 is 9. Its Line # on the table is 18. The Day Letter (DL) is 2. The two is not found so 1110 is eliminated. ✗

The GN for year 1011 is 5. A five is immediately to the right of this group of numbers. More so, the Line # is 15 which appears twice (Z, L).✓ The DL is 7. To the left of the five is 7.✓ The implied date is year 1011.✓ Further confirmation for 1011 is found in the number of runes. There are 7 runes on the first line. Day letter = 7. ✓ There are 11 runes from the doubled runes. Year is 1011.✓ There are 15 runes in total. The Line # is 15.✓

We may conclude that 1011 is the date of the founding. The second date is much easier.

Note that by reading it in reverse I MT ROZY O ÆHR SRH; and H,R,F,AG,AN,NS ⇒ 7,6, 5,17,18,19.
⇒ I meet Rozy O / around year 1157.
Years 1156, 1157 and 1158 have GN 17, 18 and 19 respectively. Their day letters are 7,6 and 5 respectively. Note the 56, 56 and 76 which once again are important Baalist numbers. This is then the date this was designed.

The numbers can be played with for some time. Eventually even a novice solver will come to the conclusion there is no mysterious missing rune on the first line. In other rune riddles a missing letter is required to be guessed to solve the riddle. Here it is the opposite. The missing letter was only a ruse.

Finding the Location

It is possible to confirm the latitude and longitude if it is known.
Recall the numbers are:

The full top line of the inscription provides N (7, 5, 24, 14, 12, 9) = N 71.

ZMT (15,14,12) = 41 and MLT (14,15,12) = 41.
ZMY (15,14,16) = 45 and must be used twice.

So that 41.45̊ N, 71.45̊ W is found which is correct with respect to the Greenwich Meridian. (Its apparent accuracy suggests they were using this meridian as opposed to other available meridians.) It is important to note – one must know beforehand the location to find it in the inscription. One cannot just read it out.

DESIGNED BY O. M. – TOLD TO ROZY – AFTER THEIR AMAZING
JOURNEY TO THE MILL TIE EYE
AROUND YEAR 1157
NARRAGANSETT FOUNDED 1011
OUR HOME LIES ∙ 41.45̊ N 71.45̊ W

From Wikipedia

Previous Post         Next Post

*Easter Table PDF

Similar Articles by the Same Author

** For numeric background see:

**Freeborn, B.L., Validating North American Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Ancient Riddles to Test Our Wits: The Secret Chamber, noahsage.com, January 2016. (Post)

Freeborn, B.L., Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Et in Arcadia Ego – OUOSVAVV DM – Deciphered, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Kensington Rune Stone: A New Translation, noahsage.com, February 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., Runic Riddles: Time Capsules, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L. The Long Debated Bourne Stone, noahsage.com, January 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., The Nomans Land – Leif Eriksson Inscription, noahsage.com, December 2022. (An excerpt from the above.)

Freeborn, B.L., The Narragansett Inscription: A Translation with its Date of Dedication, Author and Inscriber, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Newport Tower: Finding the Date of Dedication, its Designer and Builder, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Runic Riddles: Younger Futhork, noahsage.com, December 2022.

References

*Monge, Alf & O.G. Landsverk, Norse Medieval Cryptography in Runic Carvings, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1967.

Landsverk, O.G., Runic Records of the Norsemen in America, Erik J. Friis, Publisher, Rushford, MN, 1974.

Landsverk, O.G., Ancient Norse Messages, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1969.

Syversen, Earl, Norse Runic Inscriptions with Their Long-forgotten Cryptography, The Vine Hill Press, Sebastopol, California, 1979.

Derogatory article by Aslak Liestol of Alf Mongé’s work: http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/41/v41i01p034-042.pdf  and…. Landsverk responded to these comments in Ancient Norse Messages pg. 126-129; and often in Runic Records of the Norsemen in America.

 

The Newport Tower: Finding the Year of Dedication, its Designer and Builder

B.L. Freeborn © October 30, 2022        (PDF version here.)

Who built the Newport Tower is a long standing question. It has been well proven by James Eagan that the tower is used for keeping time as the celestial bodies align with its numerous small windows. Eagan also noticed that certain letters formed with stones appear in the arches of the structure. Most notable and hard to miss is the >OI<. He found the Delta and P (shown as R). He also thought the h was a Greek η. From there he determined, probably correctly, it spells out Rode as in Rhode Island. His theory states John Dee had the tower built in 1583 in connection with a colonization attempt which failed.

The tower is shown on the “Woods Map 1635’ by William Woods a colonist in Providence, RI (Syverson, pg.32) The map notes it as Old Plymouth. This is the earliest known record and predates Benedict Arnold senior’s ownership. Evidently Arnold knew what it was and probably who built it, but because of the possibility of these prior claims resurfacing he referred to it as an old windmill knowing very well only a fool would believe that.

After studying Eagan’s discovery, the other letters shown above were identified. There are eight arches. Three of which have one letter displayed and five display two each. There is also a round stone on the interior opposite the >OI< stone on the northwest side. This makes fourteen altogether. To complicate the picture there is a runic inscription found over the southwest pillar (see images below). It was translated by Mongé (1967) and it reads Henricus 1116. This refers to Eirik Gnupsson, a Bishop from Greenland that was sent to Vinland. Other theories as to the tower’s origin abound. The Henricus theory is at least supported by an inscription imbedded into the tower itself in the manner of a corner stone.

This paper is a study of the inscription and stone letters. It is also an addendum to Validating North American Runic Inscriptions (PDF). The translation is given here and the study with its numeric work follows. The aforementioned paper will be helpful in understanding it.

Translation

The round stone on a peg in the NW arch is as indicative of Baal as a cross is to Christ. (The >OI< stones.) Furthermore, it would seem the stone letters spell out Baal. This leads to studying the ‘inscription’ as if it is of Baalist origin and if so, certain numbers must be present. Validating North American Runic Inscriptions describes how certain numbers are embedded in Baalist inscriptions. One should recall that the Catholic Church went to great lengths to stamp out Paganism in the time preceding, during and after Henricus’ tenure as Bishop. Apparently, Baal was central to that religion which is why there are so many references to it hidden in runic riddles. The dedication to Baal at Newport tower is unmistakable. The stone letters are repeated here:
Reading in a clockwise manner – b O O L T I h Δ I O >I< P/R O
These are transliterated as:           B A A L T I h D I A I R O

Note that the P in some languages is R. The O’s can be either O or A.
Reading from the top clockwise find: RO, BAAL, TI, HI, HID, DI, O, >I<
Also find: HIT, I TOOL, O LO, BOR, ROB, POL, RODE or RHODE and OH.

The first line suggests: Row, Baal, Tie, die, high, hide, eye, two strikes at I.
The second adds: hit, I tool Rob, hole low, bore, pole; rod, red or road; and oh. We may conclude:

R.O.B. designed and built.
Baal at the high tie hit. It hit twice at the eye in rows.
The hole is low where it bored the eye of the pole.
Rhode Island

These are typical Baalist statements except for the last one. The words are easily found in the inscription. Rhode Island perhaps requires an explanation. RHODE appears to be a combined anagram for Rod (or Red) and Oh (meaning island). A rod is a measuring length of 16.5 feet. The clay on the shores of Rhode Island is notably red so it might also refer to red. This suggests the name, Rhode Island, is much older than cited by modern authorities. The name Rob or R.O.B. is the name or initials of the designer. The H represents his pseudonym, Henricus.

Then Comes Henricus

Above the southwest pillar of the tower is a runic inscription. Harek Williams examines it in a video with James Eagan and confirms it is human carved and nothing more. A much better source for proving it is an authentic runic carving is Alf Mongé. Why the latter? Harek Williams reads plain text runes from that period. He does not delve into runic puzzles or dated riddles. Alf Mongé was a cryptologist. He deciphered the deep scratch marks into runic letters and decoded them. He found it reads: Henricus 1116. This gives a lower limit to the age of the tower. Based on other runic inscriptions found along the east coast and the Narragansett inscription nearby this seems plausible.

The rapidity with which the tower is giving away to nature demands that it must be under constant care. This requires that, regardless of when it was built, it must have been periodically repaired. It has been nine hundred years since Bishop Henricus visited (circa 1116) as stated in the Vinland map legend. The Spirit Pond stones are dated to 1214-1217. (Freeborn, Deciphering.., 2022) They commemorate his visit. The Kensington Stone’s date is 1362. It states the travelers came from Rhode Island. In 1525 Verazzanno explored the coast but did not mention the tower. In 1583 John Dee sent an expedition to the area. By the 1600’s it was settled by colonists and it came under the care of Benedict Arnold senior. This could mean it received periodic maintenance since the time of its construction, on or after 1116, until Arnold’s ownership five hundred years later.

The date and builder need not be total speculation. The aforementioned inlaid letters tell the story of Baal. If they were chosen in the manner of a runic riddle they may reveal more. Since Henricus was a master at runic riddles, and if this was built by him or in honor of him, then the symbols should contain further information. These riddles often contained a date.

As far as John Dee being the designer, that is possible as well. However, and it is a very big however, he was a devoted Christian and this tower is clearly a dedication to Baal. A study of Dee’s mathematics does not display the numbers so prevalent in Baalist inscriptions which suggests he is not the creator. The two are not mutually exclusive since Henricus was a Bishop of the church, but he lived at the point in time when Paganism, through genocide, was actively being stamped out. To continue their religion and live, they were forced underground or in this case, off the European continent. It is possible he was of both beliefs.

After a mathematical study (which follows) of the letters’ number equivalents more information was derived. As seen, it was erected to commemorate the great story of Baal. It also commemorates Henricus’ visit in 1116 and again in 1153, thirty years after his supposed death. In keeping with his humor, or some might say his ego, he designed and oversaw the construction himself.

DESIGNED and BUILT by R.O.B – DEDICATED 1160
to HONOR BAAL and BISHOP HENRICUS’ VISIT IN 1116
LOCATED at 41.48̊N, 71.3̊W
RHODE ISLAND

Number Work and Proof of Transliteration

Certain numbers** appear when the letters in any Baalist inscription is converted to their numerical equivalent (gematria). The Newport Tower’s hidden letter/numbers are studied here. Numbers that are typically found are noted by a ✓ check mark. Simply put, if the numbers are not found, it is -not- a true Baalist inscription -or- the letters have been misinterpreted. Once the correct letters are proven via their gematria then the message about Baal can be read and also, possibly who wrote it and when. The result of this study is as noted above.

The proposed transcription of symbols imbedded in the arches of the Newport Tower is shown below. The numbers are studied for repetitions and pertinent numbers.

Norse Runic Gematria

Sum from T and around to first A = 79. From the same A to L is 23. So that it is 79,23.✓
Total sum is 98 or 89 in reverse which reminds one 89 x 89 = 7921.✓
The sum from the Δ around again to the 7 is 89. ✓ The 79 is also imbedded in the text.✓
Even more notable the 9,3,9 sum to 21 so it becomes 7921.✓
The sum from the first A to first I is 51.✓ The sum from H to the right and around to L is 86.✓
The 28 appears twice which is half of 56.✓ The sum from B to the left around to the I (by H) is 56.✓
The sum from first I to the last O is 43.✓
Note the 12’s at T, ID, DI. Note the 13 at AI just following the 12.
Note the 14 at IR. Lastly, note 7 and 9 sum to 16.
By summing adjoining numbers find: 13,17, 19, 15, 19,12, 16, 12, 12, 13, 13, 14, 9, 17…
On either side of the 16 is a 12, then 12, 12, 13, 13, 14.

Years 1112,1113, 1114, 1115,1116 and 1117 are all implied by the series. These numbers coincide with the period of time Henricus was believed to be in Vineland. In dated runic riddles the Golden Number (GN), Day Letter (DL) and Line # are used to denote a year since every year has specific values that can be found in Easter Tables (a calendar device created in 525 AD). The main legend on the Vineland Map has the phrase: ‘anno p. ss. nrj.’. This uses a 1, 2, 3 sequence and if it is Line #1, Golden Number (GN) 2 and Day Letter (DL) 3 then 1160 is indicated. This date repeats the idea of 16. For reasons seen below in the arch count study, this date is preferred. Without this corroborating interpretation, the other dates would remain as possibilities. This continues below.

The location can also be found in some runic gematria riddles. One cannot just ‘read’ the location. It is just a bit of bragging by the inscriber that he knew the correct coordinates. Hence, one must know the location beforehand! The values are: 41.48̊N, 71.3̊W. The sum from H to the last I is 41. The sum from B to T is 48. This suggests 41.48.✓

Similarly, 71 runs from the H to the end and around to the T. From the R back around and including the second A is 30. So 71.30.✓ It would seem the inscriber did know the correct coordinates.

The tower also spells out RHODI or Rhode. These letters have values: 5,7,4,3,9 = 28.✓

The Structure Contributes

The structure is set up to provide numbers as well. There are 8 pillars and 10 symbols that appear on five arches (two each). One symbol (the red stone) is in the inside and three arches have only one symbol for a total of 14 symbols. 4 x 14 = 56.✓ There are five arches with two symbols each or 10. There are three with one each for 3. Total 13.
There is a single round red stone on the interior. So 1. 1 and 13 ➟ 113 = 56.5 x 2.✓
There are 8 pillars and of course, 8 arches. A square of sides 5.656 has a diagonal of 8.✓
There are double symbols in 5 arches and single symbols in 3.
If the first arch with B is #1, then the arches with two symbols are found on: 3, 5, 6, 7,8. The ever present 3 is represented, then 56 and 7 x 8 is 56 again.✓ Similarly, if B is #1, then it is 1 symbol, then 1 symbol, then 2 symbols; or 112 which is twice 56.✓

One may again conclude after finding so many numbers typically found in Baalist documents that the transliteration is correct. The set of numbers is then 5,3,2,2,2,2,2,1,1,1 and 10. Let us view this another way. There are 3 arches with only 1 symbol. This is part of the story of Baal. There are 3 arcs.✓ The repeating 2’s suggest there were 2 Baals ✓ and two trips by Henricus. This leaves 2,2,2 which is 6 and with the 5, it is 56.✓ Another important number is 792. It can be found by adding.

Also note the number 532. This is the number of years in the Easter Table before the table starts to repeat. Its presence infers a date. The 1,2,3 suggests year 1160 as seen above. The date 1153 is also easily found here. The sum of the digits in 1153 is 10.✓ It is suggested that Henricus began his journey or the structure in 1153, and the tower was completed on or before 1160. This accounts for some of the confusion in the Vinland Map that says, ‘He remained a long time summer and winter and later returned toward Greenland.’ He was presumed dead in 1123 but reappears thirty years later.

Further information is here about Henricus. If the letter sequence is viewed using the Elder Futhark gematria we find:
18 4 4 21 17 9 11 23 11 4 11 5 24 …18
B  A A L  T H  I   D   I  A I R O… B ⇒… repeats..

It is believed Henricus died in 1123 because a new Bishop of Greenland was consecrated in 1124.

Find: I, DI, H 1123…… I die 1123 as Henricus.
I HID 1123 ……… I hide 1123.
I R O B …. I R.O.B …or… Born O.R. I. or I Rob.

This still leaves us plenty of mystery but the time period has narrowed to a window beginning in 1116 to around 1160.

Runic Inscription Study

This is a summary of Mongé’s decipherment. It is a group of five runes and two are joined runes: (HE) N (IK) R S or Henricus. There is an arrow to the right. The arrow is another feature common on Baalist inscriptions.** Using runic gematria, the year 1116 is found. The (HE) is 16. The S is 11. The R is 16. The (IK) is 15. The line number on the Easter Table is 15. The date 1116 is confirmed by the grouping 4 then 1 for GN 4 and DL 1. It is worth reading Mongé’s study (Mongé, pgs 128-129).

Conclusion

The Newport Tower’s embedded letters when converted to gematria reveal numbers typical to Baalist documents. Their transliteration and subsequent translation educate us in a long lost religion. That this tower displays these features severely narrows the field of possible builders. It also strongly suggests that the northern peoples, Norse and others, inhabited this region known as Rhode Island for some time and built an elegant edifice by the year 1160. The study implies that it was Bishop Henricus who designed and oversaw the construction. He apparently hid for thirty years. His Pagan / Baalist beliefs are apparent in the design of the structure. It would seem the Church Fathers discovered he was not as devout as presumed. Henricus also went by Eirikr Gnupsson. He could also have been known by R.O.B., or Rob. The first name is documented by records in Greenland. Indeed, he may have used other names. His skill as an architect is apparent to this day.

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*Easter Table PDF

Similar Articles by the Same Author

** For numeric background see:

**Freeborn, B.L., Validating North American Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Ancient Riddles to Test Our Wits: The Secret Chamber, noahsage.com, January 2016. (Post)

Freeborn, B.L., Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Et in Arcadia Ego – OUOSVAVV DM – Deciphered, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Kensington Rune Stone: A New Translation, noahsage.com, February 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., Runic Riddles: Time Capsules, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L. The Long Debated Bourne Stone, noahsage.com, January 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., The Nomans Land – Leif Eriksson Inscription, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Narragansett Inscription: A Translation with its Date of Dedication, Author and Inscriber, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Newport Tower: Finding the Date of Dedication, its Designer and Builder, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Runic Riddles: Younger Futhork, noahsage.com, December 2022.

References

Creedon, Marc, Runologist Henrik Williams Examines the Newport Tower, Youtube, April 2015.

Eagan, James Alan, Elizabethan America: The John Dee Tower of 1583/ A Renaissance horologium in Newport, Rhode Island, Cosmopolite Press, Newport, Rhode Island, 2011.

*Monge, Alf & O.G. Landsverk, Norse Medieval Cryptography in Runic Carvings, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1967.

Syversen, Earl, Norse Runic Inscriptions with Their Long-forgotten Cryptography, The Vine Hill Press, Sebastopol, California, 1979.

Derogatory article by Aslak Liestol of Alf Mongé’s work: http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/41/v41i01p034-042.pdf  and….

…Landsverk responded to these comments in Ancient Norse Messages pg. 126-129; and often in Runic Records of the Norsemen in America.

ET IN ARCADIA EGO – OUOSVAVV DM – Deciphered

B.L. Freeborn © December 2022        (PDF version here.)

Shugborough Inscription beneath Anson’s Version of Poussin’s Et In Arcadia Ego – From Wikipedia

The Shugborough Inscription is a sequence of letters ‘OUOSVAVV’ on the first line and ‘DM’ spaced far apart on the second line. It is on a monument built between 1748 and1756 commissioned by Thomas Anson. Above it is a relief by sculptor Peter Scheemakers which is a variation of the Poussin painting Et in Arcadia ego. The famous painting by Nicolas Poussin displays this inscription on a tomb. It translates from Latin as ‘I am also in Arcadia.’ This inscription has eleven letters on top and three on bottom. The Poussin painting was done in 1637-1638. He did an earlier version in 1627. Previous to this, Guercino painted a similar but different version in 1618-1622. The original inspiration is a poem by Roman poet Virgil known as Ecologues. In this poem from 40 BC the inscription on the tomb of Daphnis is described. The tomb is in ‘Arcades.’ Daphnis was a shepherd in ancient Greek mythology.

Although the number of shepherds changes from two to three as the work progresses they all include a tomb. At some point in time the full phrase ‘Et in Arcadia ego’ was developed. The fact that Anson invokes this phrase and adds several elements to it suggests there is more to it besides his still undeciphered cipher some 270 years later.

It would seem he saw something in Et in Arcadia ego that others had not and added the lower inscription as a clue to revealing what is in the original phrase which is most definitely a cipher as well.

Indeed, his efforts resulted in creating a perplexing mystery. The solution to Anson’s ‘OUOSVAVV’ and to the riddle concealed in Et in Arcadia ego follow.

Part I: OUOSVAVV DM

Image Details

Et in Arcadia Ego, relief of painting by Poussin at Shugborough – From Wikipedia

Before solving it, note what the image gives us:
• A woman on the left stands tall but looks down.
• The sky is tumultuous. On the upper coffin is a round wreath.
• Her right arm is bent and rests on her hip. It forms an arc.
• There are 3 shepherds each of whom has a staff. One leans to the left by the woman. The other two lean to the right. Two of the staffs seem to join at the bottom in a very large V.
• Two of the shepherds gesture at the inscription. Their thumbs are out creating V’s. It is said they are pointing at the N and R but in fact they frame the letter A.
• The third shepherd rests his arm on the tomb with 3 fingers together. This also appears in the Poussin version.
• Their arms form two arcs. The Poussin uses a shadow to depict a third arm /arc.
• While the other three look at the inscription, the shepherd on the left looks directly at the observer with a smile on his face.

Is he laughing because this is a riddle? With those images in mind, the solutions move forward.

Cipher #1: O U O S V I V V – D M

For background purposes:
Many alphabets have numerical equivalents for their letters called gematria. Hebrew, Greek and Futhork are three which have gematria. Hebrew and Greek gematria are still in use today. Then to complicate matters, just slightly, do not forget there are also Roman Numerals which are letters as well. The solution requires the Hebrew gematria – first.

The gematria used by Anson is:

  • O is A or 70.    U is Vav or 6.    S is S or 60.
  • D is D or 4.   M is M or 40. 
  • The I is both 10 and /or Roman numeral 1. 
  • V is Vav or 6, but then again it is also a 5 as in a Roman V.

The O and U are reversed. There is only one S. The I is in the correct position but there is no N. However, there is an M just below. In Hebrew gematria M has value 40 and N has value 50.
There are two V’s where there should be an N. Two Roman V’s equal 10 and 40 + 10 = 50 ⇒ N. Missing N found. ✓

It is convenient that the UO is reversed because then by putting the D in front the word DUO can be spelled. An S follows. Perhaps he meant a DUO of S’s. Missing S found. ✓

The first letter is O and as stated previously it has value 70. The P in Hebrew has value 80. Once again add two V’s or 10 and find 70 + 10 = 80 ⇒ P. ✓

Notice that the DO creates the word ‘do’ which refers to Poussin. He did it. Similarly, if the V’s are replaced by N the last two letters spell NM which sounds remarkably like ‘name.’

The inscription then simply reads: DO POUSSIN NaMe. – – One mystery solved. ✓

By creating this exercise, Anson has shown us several clues to resolve the riddle in the original inscription. Note that it required two numeric systems to solve it (Hint #1) and more importantly, fixed the value of the O’s at 70 (Hint #2).

Before going further, see this puzzle in a new way – as an image. It has 3 V’s. (This is similar to the V’s and three formed by the shepherds’ hands.) It has a pattern OUO. Recall this used Hebrew gematria and the name of god in Hebrew is Yahweh spelled יהוה. It portrays the same alternating pattern. The numbers in Yahweh are 565 10.

We must pause for a moment for a bit of seemingly irrelevant information. In drafting, when drawing an image of an object, two versions are often shown: the plan view – as if one is looking down; and the side view – as if one is looking at the side. Now – in your minds eye – look at the O’ and U’s as if they are plan and side views of an object. This will be called Anson’s Big Hint.

These -3- letters are followed by an S. Recall S often represents the word South. This idea will repeat later.

Cipher #1 Numbers

This requires numbers for a while…distasteful to many… lovely to others.

  • Yahweh or יהוה or 565 10 can be seen in the last four letters. The V is 5 and then VI is 6. Two V’s is 10. In the fifth and sixth position from the left is V and I. This is 5th and 6th then 5 and 6.

Fully substituting now for the phrase but using only Hebrew gematria it equates to:

70 6 70 60 6 10 6 6
     4 40

  • Find 76 twice at the start. And it repeats again with 70 60. It repeats again with 60,6,10.
  • If the last four are seen as Roman numerals 5 1 5 5 = 16 and 60. Together 16+60 = 76.
  • The last four as shown sum to 28. The pattern of the layout is 2 letters and 8 letters or 28. The product of 4 (on line two) and 70 is 280.
  • The 4 repeats in the 40. They sum to 44. The top line sums to 234.
  • If the I is seen as a Roman 1, then the top line sum is 225 and 4 x 225 is 900.
  • If the I is seen as a Roman 1, the sum from 60 right becomes 79. The remaining numbers sum to 190. See this as a series 79,190…..or…. 7919.
  • There are four 6’s or 24.

Let’s give some of these meaning.

  • The period of Halley’s comet is 76 years.
  • There are 24 hours in a day and 24 hours of longitude mark the planet.
  • Each hour has 60 minutes.
  • The number of seconds of longitude is 86400. This is also the number of seconds in a day. Half of this is 432,000 or 432 for short. Reverse this number and find 234.
  • The 900 reminds one the pole lies at 90̊.
  • The diameter of the planet is 7920 miles.
  • The 28 is repeated twice so it must be important. Indeed, a 40 is present and a square of sides 40 has a diagonal of 56.56 which is a number similar to that just seen above.

All but two of the numbers reference time and/or longitude. One reference is to God and the other is to a comet.

How many of these numbers will repeat in that first phrase ET IN ARCADIA – EGO?

Cipher #2 ET IN ARCADIA EGO

To continue, we convert these lines to their numeric equivalent in Hebrew.

  • Each line begins with 79. (70+9) and (70+3+6). T to A (9+10+50+10) is also 79 and it is followed by 200. This is 79200.
  • Sum of top line (376) minus second line (79) is 297. A jumbled 792.
  • IN (10+50) provides 60.
  • NA (50+1) provides 51.
  • I to R (10+50+10+200) provides 270.
  • N and O (50+6) provides 56. The number of letters on the first line is 11 and on the second is 3 so together as 113 it is twice 56.5.
  • From C to A (20+1+4+10+1) is 36.

This much shorter list gives us 51, 36, 376 and 270 that are new.

  • There are 360̊ in a circle.
  • Due west is at 270̊.
  • The Greenwich Meridian is at latitude 51.51̊.
  • 3 76 should be seen as 3 and 76. We have seen the 3 in the Big Hint OUO.

Evidently then, these numbers do relate to longitude and latitude.

The following important note is made. Normally E should equal 1 and A should equal 70. If this arrangement is chosen, nothing is found. Anson did the same manipulation in his riddle. ‘O’ normally has value 6 but he changed it to 70.

The original phrase Virgil used in his poem was only ‘Arcades.’ Someone in turn added the ET IN and EGO with the latter on the second line and changed ‘Arcades’ to ‘Arcadia.’ Presumably this was done in the same manner we say American for someone from America. The endings are just a change in suffix.

Let’s make it worse. After all, Hint #1 suggests two gematrias may be in play here. Having tried Latin and found nothing, the next one attempted was Futhork. This alphabet is used primarily only by the most northern peoples. This inscription is very reminiscent of their style of runic riddles except in Latin letters. Since positioning is of great importance to runic riddles, it is likely the E was aligned under or almost under the I when this was first written. Furthermore, since it is in Latin and Hebrew gematria provides numbers of interest, it is likely the writer was extremely well educated. So, we proceed by using the Younger Futhork. (E and I share value 9. See chart at end.)

This seems random except the 5 and 6 follow each other. So we begin there:

  • RC is 56.
  • NGO is 864.
  • Sum from R to end is 43.
  • Sum of phrase ‘In Arcadia’ is 70. There are two 9’s one above the other and to the left is (9+12) or 21 so…70, 9,21 or… 7921.
    The letters IN provide 98 which reminds one 89 x 89 = 7920.
  • Sum from first I to last I is 60.
  • Sum from first I to R is 32. Sum of ADIA is 32.
  • Sum from first I to D is 51.
  • Sum from C to last I is 28.
  • Sum of A above O is 14.
  • 9+9 = 18.
  • Sum of the top line is 91 and of the second is 19. Note 91 in reverse is 19.

A few of these are new but actually repeat the same ideas.

  • 14 is half of 28 which is half of 56.
  • 32 is 5.65 x 5.65.
  • There are 180̊ degrees of latitude.
  • There are 19 lines in the Easter table. (See below.)

Evidently, it is far from random! Indeed, it can be summed as follows to find something else of great interest.

When was ‘he’ in Arcadia

This is a date. All the runic riddles, as shown by Alf Mongé (1967), are dated via the Easter Tables. This form of calendar was invented in 525 AD by Dionysius Exiguus but was in use in other forms since 390 AD. In the Easter Tables (used to place Easter – a moveable holiday) each year is identified by three numbers: Line #, Golden Number (GN) and Day Letter (DL). There are 19 lines for 532 years and then the calendar recycles. Each line represents 28 years by GN and DL. Each DL tells what day of the week the year started. (The period of years during which these runic riddles were being written is covered by the appended chart.)

‘Vinland: 1011’ As seen Spirit Pond Map Stone

Above we see how a year date is implied by the riddle master. The date should appear twice. Once literally and once at least by confirmation with Line #, GN and DL. One must proceed somewhat by trial and error. Notice the 15. If this is a Line #, it begins with year 1000. Numbers 1010, 1011 and 1012 are present. The first, 1010 has GN 4, DL 1 which is indicated by the 4 next to the 15. Year 1011 and year 1012 are indicated by GN’s 5 and 6 which appear just above them. They have DL’s 7 and 5,6 (leap year) respectively. The DL’s for 1012 are just above. There is no 7 or sum to 7. This gives a span of years from 1010 to 1012 which is very significant. The Spirit Pond runestone SP-3 from Maine dates itself to 1010 and 1011. Also part of the same collection, the amulet stone clearly states Vin 1010; and the Map Stone states Vinland 1011. It can be said then there is support for this interpretation. But it gets better….

Who Wrote It

We know Virgil wrote the original phrase ‘Arcades’ about the year 40 BC. The age of Rome and widespread Paganism. We know Poussin and Guercino both immortalized it around 1630 in its present form. The era of the Pilgrams and witch trials. The above dating suggests that before or in the year 1010 ‘someone’ added the Et In /Ego to the phrase. The era when northern kings of Norway, Denmark and Sweden chose Christianity and began to oppress Paganism earnestly. Anson added his own two lines to those words around 1750. The age when freedom of religion was beginning to take shape. Who then added those three words during the era of Pagan oppression in the north?

Fortunately, many of these encrypted riddles do include the name of the author. Often it is concealed in the telestic/acrostic lines. These are the end letters running down or up the left and right sides of the inscription. In this case EE/AO reveals nothing. Now one should check the letters from both ends as noted by the word count for each line. In this case there are three words on the first line and one on the second. The third letters in, on the first line, are I and D. The first letters on the second are E and O. This is IE from the left and DO from the right.

The letters tell us two things. Anson also found this since he repeated the same ‘DO’ in his riddle. The name of the writer is then IE. But, this is a problem. It is not a name but the Latin phrase ‘ie.’ which is still in use. It essentially means ‘to restate’ or ‘as stated.’ The name then is obvious. ??? It turns out EGO is a male name of Swedish/ Danish/ Norwegian origin. But the text also uses the word ET which means in Latin ‘and.’ Interestingly, another name is also apparent at the same point in the inscription: IN and below it GE – Inge. So it reads:

INGE ET EGO DO – IN ARCADIA – 1010 – 1012

Inge and Ego wrote this – who were in Arcadia in 1010 to 1012

Another mystery appears. Where was Arcadia of the myths and was it a real place in 1010?

Conceal and Anagram

It has become blatantly obvious something else is concealed here. As it happens often in these riddles when an acrostic or telestic requires a letter in a certain position something will be misspelled or words will be compressed together. Let us look at it again. Perhaps if the D is used twice and EGO becomes AGO then it reads:

ET IN ARC / A D / D I / A AGO

Now note: ET spells ‘eat’and AD means ‘fire’ in Old English. It means ‘hell’ in Russian. DI can be taken to mean ‘die’ and ago means ‘in the past.’ Now the phrase becomes: Eat in arc, fire, die, A – a long time ago.

It was eaten in an arc. By fire died A – a long time ago.

The letter framed by the shepherds hands was A. This then is a tomb in memory of ‘A.’ Sound strange? It is about to get even stranger.

We have just assumed the word spacing was compressed. What if this contains anagrams? What words do we see? Die, eat, go, roc(k), net, near, gore, dare, tear, gear, care, gone, ran. And then there is that Big Hint Anson gave…cup or was it a can?

Perhaps this says: ET I I CANADA GORE

No? We can be relatively certain this is the intended meaning by looking at the gematria in Hebrew:

ET I I CANADA       70 9 10 10 20 1 50 1 4 1

GORE                        3 6 200 70

These are found: 7920, 40, 60, 51, 51, 56, 77, 141 and 36, 270, 279. All of which were seen above. But again we have compressed CANADA into one word. Should it be CAN 141? Or CAN AD A? Either way, the whole thing becomes strange. Were Ego and Inge actually in Canada in 1010? Was it even called Canada then?

Virgil used the word ‘Arcades’ and it was where ‘Daphnis’ the shepherd was from. In Latin: ‘arc’ is arc, ‘cade’ is fall, ‘ad’ is to, and ‘caed’ is kill (the root of cadaver). It ends in S. Together it is: arc-fall to death-S. Whereas, Daphnis is not quite so obvious. It is four words together as well: hid-pan-I-S or hid-pan-eye-S. The ending ‘nis’ is remarkably close to ‘N is S’ and English ‘ness’ seen in other runic riddles. A study of many of the names Virgil used are like this. Perhaps the common theme here is Paganism.

It was eaten in an arc. By fire died A – a long time ago.

Inge and Ego wrote this – who were in Canada in 1010 to 1012

Remember – history is written by the victor.

The remainder of the secret is now easy to grasp, if the mind is willing.

Image at Virgil’s Tomb is reminiscent of Ragnarok.

 

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From Wikipedia

Similar Articles by the Same Author

** For numeric background see:

**Freeborn, B.L., Validating North American Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Ancient Riddles to Test Our Wits: The Secret Chamber, noahsage.com, January 2016. (Post)

Freeborn, B.L., Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Et in Arcadia Ego – OUOSVAVV DM – Deciphered, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Kensington Rune Stone: A New Translation, noahsage.com, February 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., Runic Riddles: Time Capsules, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L. The Long Debated Bourne Stone, noahsage.com, January 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., The Nomans Land – Leif Eriksson Inscription, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Narragansett Inscription: A Translation with its Date of Dedication, Author and Inscriber, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Newport Tower: Finding the Date of Dedication, its Designer and Builder, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Runic Riddles: Younger Futhork, noahsage.com, December 2022.

References

Gordon, Cyrus, Riddles in History, Crown Publishers, Inc. New York, 1974.

Landsverk, O.G., Runic Records of the Norsemen in America, Erik J. Friis, Publisher, Rushford, MN, 1974.

Mongé, Alf & O.G. Landsverk, Norse Medieval Cryptography in Runic Carvings, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1967.

Derogatory article by Aslak Liestol of Alf Mongé’s work: http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/41/v41i01p034-042.pdf  and….

…Landsverk responded to these comments in Ancient Norse Messages pg. 126-129; and often in Runic Records of the Norsemen in America.

Wikipedia articles on: Guercino ‘Et in Arcadia Ego’ ; Virgil ; Poussin ‘Et in Arcadia Ego’ ; Shugborough Inscription ; and many others.

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The Runic Riddles: Younger Futhork

B.L. Freeborn © December 2022           (PDF version here.)

Some riddles lay in plain sight for generations and no one sees them for what they are. The Younger Futhork is just such a riddle. It replaced the Older Futhork and was certainly created by someone at some point in time. Indeed, his name and the year are concealed in the script.

The sixteen rune uses the same symbol for multiple sounds. Whereas the original Futhork had twenty-four symbols that provided for the sounds of the language very well. Why then digress?

There are riddles hidden in runic inscriptions such as the Kensington Stone and the Rök runestone of Sweden. A few of the ciphers in the Rök were decrypted over a century ago. Alf Mongé revealed others in the Kensington in 1967. Other inscriptions were examined which led to the attached paper Validating North American Runic Inscriptions (pdf). Other studies followed and they are listed below.

The rune forms of the Younger Futhark evolved from the older over time and in different places. The Younger Futhark as an alphabet was ‘invented’ by someone who placed them in the known specific order at some point in time. This order prescribed the numeric value attached to each sound. It changed the gematria of the system drastically while the form of the runes continued to evolve. The two different ‘s’ shown in the image below are a prime example. They cannot be any more different. The first is very close to its form in the Older Futhark. It is not as if the older just abruptly stopped either. It was used alongside the newer for both its sound value and numeric value. This in and of itself is confusing.

From Wikipedia

It was presumed by the author that the Younger was developed to help conceal numeric data and to confuse readers of the actual reading of the script – which it does. It was developed during a time when there was increased pressure to end paganism and to convert northern Europeans to Christianity. Part of the process was to end the use of runes and use Latin letters.

If one looks at this new alphabet as a riddle, the when and who are answered. It is such a clever riddle that overnight it must have gone viral, as we say, and supplanted the older twenty-four rune Futhork. Mongé notes that often a riddle master will create an alphabet within a riddle to conceal a message. This is what this fellow evidently did and the rest is history.

Here, then, is the riddle, the writer and when:

Younger Futhark transcribed to Latin letters: FUThARKHNIASTBMLʀ

This begins just as the original Futhark alphabet with the same six letters, same order, similar appearance. The last five are the most interesting: TBMLʀ. It almost says ‘table’ or even ‘tumble.’ Immediately preceding this is AS and then just before this is NI as if it says ‘nigh’ which means ‘here.’ The H of nigh precedes it. The letters have been ‘tumbled.’ Clearly then, it says ‘nigh as table’ with an M stuck into the middle to add confusion. There are many arrangements that can be made if one were to form a table from these sixteen symbols. The obvious break is after the first six original runes and indeed, if one reads it again it says: KH or HK in reverse which is similar to ‘hack.’ By hacking it off there the first line is presumably formed. By trial and error the riddle can go forward or one can simply notice that there are ten runes remaining.

This gives us two lines, one of 6 and one of 10 runes. These runic riddles were laced with numbers. The numbers 56 and 792 were always present in a riddle. They often included 51 and 76. By dividing the last ten into 5 and 5, two other groups are formed which is how the aetts (sets) known today must have been derived. This gives 6, 5 and 5 runes in each aett. The preferred order should have been 565 in the same way Hebrew Yahweh is numerically 5,6,5,10. The logical way to form a table is then to use 5,6,5 runes per line. Now after a bit of trial and error the following table is created and preferred for numeric reasons as shown below.

  • Notice the first column sums to 20. The 7 and 2 sum to 9. The 8 and 1 sum to 9. Then 8 and 9 are just to the right. So that 89 x 89 = 7920 and the numbers at the start were 7, 9 and 20. Find the 9, 2,3,4 in the center and note this also creates 792. Also 7,2,9 form a jumbled 792. This repeats this number 792 five times.
  • The sum of the last column is 32 which is 5.65 x 5.65. The 56 repeats at the middle end.
  • Total number of runes in inscription is 16 or half of 32.
  • If this is a Baalist/Pagan inscription then BL (ie. Baal) has values 13,15. Their sum is 28, or half of 56.
  • The sum down then up the diagonals (7,2,14,4,11) is 38 or half of 76. The sum of the bottom row is 70 then up to the 6 is 76.
  • The sum of the top row is 45 and then down to the 6 is 51.

This provides all the required numbers typically seen in Baalist/Pagan documents: 792, 56, 76 and 51.**

But this is just a simple row of numbers broken into three lines. Hardly that exciting, coincidental at the very least but not exciting to us. Now look at the letters. Those were assigned those values.The telestic and acrostics are important in riddles of this nature. Typically they reveal the name of the author and often some indication of his role.

On the right it is S K ʀ in an arc shape. Or in a bit of a loop: SKRAI. This is very suggestive of the word ‘scriva’ in Swedish meaning ‘to write.’ It is also the root of the word inscribe.

Now in an arc again from the I to A ..R..L ʀ find the word IARL which Mongé identified as earl, a title (Syversen, pg. 79).

On the opposite side moving up from T to U..NI find Tuni which is an Old Swedish name. It is short for Thorniutʀ. Interestingly, Tuni / Thorniut was name of the riddle master who wrote the Leif Ericsson inscription from Noman’s Land in 1001. (see pdf below) The name was similarly broken up into Tunæ and then the remaining letters were encoded. Here, it is found as follows:

H N I A S

F U Th O R K

T B M L ʀ ……………. Thorniut Iarlʀ scrai …

I wrote – Earl Thorniutʀ

Intentional, coincidental, or just imagined? Let us say it is the first because somebody at sometime designed the order of this shorter alphabet.

‘When’ is the remaining question.

Use this same table but now pay attention to why the letters TBML are in that order. Also notice TM sounds an awful lot like ‘time.’ Directly above the B or 13 is NU which suggests ‘now.’ We have: now, table and time. There apparently is some date hidden here.

If it does spell table, then the M is inserted between them for some reason. It has value 14. Four times 14 is again 56. Perhaps it is just to confuse. But what else does M represent?

On the Spirit Pond inscription stone (see pdf below) M as a runic M (in Younger Futhork) appeared as part of the date: M11 to indicate 1011. On the Leif Ericsson inscription from Nomans Land, M1 was used to indicate 1001. This reveals the one weakness that all these gematrias have in common and that is the inability to show 0’s. It is especially troubling if one has to write a number like 1000. A Roman numeral M is then very helpful. It has value 1000. Within the word table ‘TBL’ is inserted an M. Does it represent the year 1000? Or does it just refer to time ‘TM’?

The way to see (or prove) what date may be here is to use the Easter Tables (the hint was time table) which was how they determined dates such as Easter before modern calendars were invented. Each year is identified by three numbers. The Line number, the Golden Number (GN) and the Day Letter (DL). (See Landsverk.) For the year 1000 the Line # is 15, the GN is 13 and the DL is 6 and 7, a leap year.
Line # is 15. Letter L was assigned value 15.
Day letter is 13. It is nearby.
There is a 12 just before (of course) but above it is two letters: HF almost as if it says half.
Half of 12 is 6…..the day letter. ???
But this is a leap year, where is the 7? Notice the second line ends at 6 and it is a leap up to 7.
This makes year 1000 a possibility. But there is a better choice.

Another possible date is found on Line #14. The number before L is 14 and the sum above L is 14.
If NU means ‘now’ and B/13 was below it then perhaps 13 is the GN.
This year has DL 2 which is found at U above B/13 in ‘now.’
Line #14, GN 13 implies year 981. This number is found in the table at INF.
The years 982, 983 are equally implied but only 981 has its DL near/in the same group.

It is for the reader to decide which date is implied.

Was this devised as a riddle in 981 by Tuni, otherwise known as Earl Thorniutʀ, for the sole purpose of creating a new alphabet? Or was it a riddle that just went viral?

Also of interest, the original six letters is F U Th Æ R K… as in ‘Foe 3 ark 56.’ Another riddle!!

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Similar Articles by this Author – pdfs as available

* Easter Table pdf

** For numeric background see: 

**Freeborn, B.L., Validating North American Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Ancient Riddles to Test Our Wits: The Secret Chamber, noahsage.com, January 2016. (Post)

Freeborn, B.L., Deciphering the Spirit Pond, Nomans Land and Narragansett Runic Inscriptions, noahsage.com, November 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Et in Arcadia Ego – OUOSVAVV DM – Deciphered, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., Kensington Rune Stone: A New Translation, noahsage.com, February 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., Runic Riddles: Time Capsules, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Freeborn, B.L. The Long Debated Bourne Stone, noahsage.com, January 2023.

Freeborn, B.L., The Nomans Land – Leif Eriksson Inscription, noahsage.com, December 2022. 

Freeborn, B.L., The Narragansett Inscription: A Translation with its Date of Dedication, Author and Inscriber, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Newport Tower: Finding the Date of Dedication, its Designer and Builder, noahsage.com, October 2022.

Freeborn, B.L., The Runic Riddles: Younger Futhork, noahsage.com, December 2022.

Book References:

Landsverk, O.G., Runic Records of the Norsemen in America, Erik J. Friis, Publisher, Rushford, MN, 1974.

Landsverk, O.G., Ancient Norse Messages, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1969.

Mongé, Alf & O.G. Landsverk, Norse Medieval Cryptography in Runic Carvings, Norseman Press, Glendale, California, 1967.

Syversen, Earl, Norse Runic Inscriptions: with their Long-forgotten Cryptography, The Vine Hill Press, Sebastopol, California, 1979.

Derogatory article by Aslak Liestol of Alf Mongé’s work: http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/41/v41i01p034-042.pdf  and…. Landsverk responded to these comments in Ancient Norse Messages pg. 126-129; and often in Runic Records of the Norsemen in America.

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