Inscription identifier (signature)

The database contains a collection of runic inscriptions with information about them. Every runic inscription is referenced by a unique identifier also known as signature, i.e. when one searches for a particular inscription by it’s ID, we call such search searching by signature.

Signature format is inherited from Rundata. Signatures in Rundata could consists of three parts, of which only the first two are mandatory. Parts are separated from each other by a whitespace.

Signature: part 1

The first part indicates the origin of the inscription.

For Swedish inscriptions, the first element is the province designation used in Sveriges runinskrifter. For inscriptions from provinces which have not yet been published in Sveriges runinskrifter, a different designation is used. Here is the complete list of possible designations in alphabetic order:

ID

Meaning

Bo

Bohuslän, Sweden

By

Byzantium

D

Dalarna, Sweden

DE

Germany

DR

Denmark

Ds

Dalsland, Sweden

E

England!!

F

France

FI

Finland

FR

Faeroes

G

Gotland, Sweden

GR

Greenland

Gs

Gästrikland, Sweden

Hr

Härjedalen, Sweden

Hs

Hälsingland, Sweden

IM

Isle of Man

IR

Ireland

IS

Iceland

IT

Italy

J

Jämtland, Sweden

LV

Latvia

Lp

Lappland, Sweden

M

Medelpad, Sweden

N

Norway

NL

the Netherlands

Närke, Sweden

Or

Orkney islands

PL

Poland

RU

Russia

SE

Inscription from unknown origin in Sweden

Sc

Scotland

Sh

Shetland

Sm

Småland, Sweden

Södermanland, Sweden

U

Uppland, Sweden

UA

Ukraine

Vg

Västergötland, Sweden

Vr

Värmland, Sweden

Vs

Västmanland, Sweden

Ån

Ångermanland, Sweden

Ög

Östergötland, Sweden

Öl

Öland, Sweden

Signature: part 2

The second part of the signature contains either

  • Serial number from the relevant country’s official runic register.

  • Reference to another source where the inscription is accessible; this reference most often consists of an abbreviation of the name of the source plus the year and page reference. For example, Fv1958;252 (= Fornvännen year 1958, p. 252). If more than one inscription appears on the same source page, the references are distinguished by the letters A, B, etc. directly after the page number. All abbreviations are given in the Bibliography.

Signature: part 3

The third part of signature may contain the following symbols:

  • meaning that inscription has been lost.

  • $ meaning new reading or new interpretation, i.e. reading or interpretation has been completed from a later source than the source indicated in the signature.

Warning

This part provides user a quick glance of some inscription properties from signature. However, the same information is contained in inscription meta data. Rundata-net use part 3 of signature only for displaying the list of inscriptions. The search by signature is performed within the first two parts only!

Signature examples

Here are some examples of signatures:

  • Öl 1

  • Öl SHM1304:1836:64

  • Ög F7;54

  • Bo Peterson1992

  • X SvIK365,1,7