The GEAS Rune Provenance Theory: A Response to every single question as to how writing emerged in Germania

The GEAS RPT is a multi-disciplinary long-term endeavour envisaging an overall theory of the genesis of runic writing. The outline of parts 1 to 4 presented below gives insight into the content of the following publications:

Mäder, Michael (im Druck): „Der Fura-zara-kara-Merkspruch, der Rahmenquader-Effekt und ein alter Knoblauchkult: Die Übernahme des Futhark aus den norditalischen Alphabetritualen.“ Tagungsband ’Functions of Runic Literacy 200 to 1500 AD. Ninth International Symposium on Runes and Runic Inscriptions (ISRRI), Akademie Sankelmark, Germany, 14-19 June 2022’ (Runrön 26).
Mäder, Michael; Schregenberger, Joël (demnächst): Die Runen und die norditalischen Alphabete: Eine quantitativ-paläografische Untersuchung im Lichte der Schriftentlehnungs-Typologie (mit einer umfassenden Runenherkunfts-Bibliografie von J. Schregenberger). Oppenheim: Nünnerich-Asmus Verlag.
Mäder, Michael; Amadori, Sara (2023): „Paleografia quantitativa norditalica. Segni e varianti negli alfabeti retico-camuno, leponzio ed etrusco-venetico, con una comparazione alle rune del Futhark antico.“ Begleitpapiere zum Entzifferungstool – Alice Kober Gesellschaft für die Entzifferung antiker Schriftsysteme (GEAS) 2023/1.
ISRRI conference [abstract] (https://www.isrri2022.uni-kiel.de/abstracts/#m%C3%A4der);
See also the hints on the GEAS RPT in R. Nedoma / K. Düwel (2023): Runenkunde (5., aktualisierte und erweiterte Aufl.), p. 239.

The GEAS Rune Provenance Theory can be scheduled as follows:

Part 1: Solving problems that traditionally prevented scholars from accepting the North Etruscan (North Italic) Thesis

1.1

Problem: The time gap between NI and runic writing
Solution: Closed by recent archaeological finds

1.2

Problem: Eclecticism, i.e. the arbitrary selection of single signs from different NI sub-alphabets
Solution: Mercenary Thesis, i.e. the inevitable eclecticism in non-didactical script transfer

1.3

Problem: The intransparent emergence of “germanic” sign shapes
Solution: Accoding to PQN there are no purely germanic signs, i.e. every single rune (main type or variant) has its exact predecessor in NI writing

1.4

Problem: Geographical distance and intransparent distribution pattern of the early runes
Solution: Mercenary Thesis

1.5

Problem: The lack of any consistent alphabetary before 700 AD
Solution: Mercenary Thesis, i.e. the inevitable eclecticism in non-didactical script transfer

Part 2: Qualitative Palaeography: Bringing up detailed theories to explain particular palaeographical and archaeological issues

2.1 The Fura-zara-kara mnemonic as origin of the Futhark order
2.2 The inevitable ‘Rahmenquader’ Effect as origin of new sign forms
2.3 The inevitable 180°-inversion of the learning tablets as origin of inverted forms
2.4 The coexistence of seemingly NI and seemingly runic sign forms on lepontic coins
2.5 NI predecessors and etymologies of runic formula words (alu, laukr, laþu)
2.6 NI predecessors of non-linguistic and logographic signs (feather sign, word dividers)
2.7 NI predecessors of non-linguistic sign sequences (palindromoids such as )

Part 3: Quantitative Palaeography: Bringing up grapho-phonetical and grapho-mathematical proofs for the script adaptation

3.1 Jaccard Index
3.2 Levenshtein Distance
3.3 Combined graphico-phonetical Levenshtein Distance (LDg ∧ LDp)
3.4 Probabilistic proofs of allograph group borrowings

Part 4: Philology: Reading and translating rune inscriptions by the use of NI sound values

4.1 The Frøyhov inscription
4.2 The Weser runes
4.3 The stool of Wremen
4.4 The Meldorf inscription
4.5 Kaiser Friedrich’s A.E.I.O.U.

Part 5: Experimental Archaeology and theatrical documentary: Delivering a detailed, evidence-based sketch of the mercenary thesis**

5.1 Reenacting 470 BC life in rural Helvetia: The Iluis Glanna Celtic Clan
5.2 Contributions by Experimental Archaeology
5.3 Contributions by Experimental Linguistics
5.4 The Terra X documentary

The most telling figures from the GEAS publications:

According to the GEAS RPT, the famous runic ritual word alu is a reflex of venetic  allo ‘garlic’. The word can also be found on artefacts from the Sanzeno/Raetic ritual area, e.g.  ađu on a North Italic ciottolone votive stone, and other attestations on votive bones from Sanzeno. In the alpine area, garlic protection rituals were in use up to medieval times. — According to the GEAS RPT, the famous runic ritual word **alu** is a reflex of venetic  **allo** ‘garlic’. The word can also be found on artefacts from the Sanzeno/Raetic ritual area, e.g.  **ađu** on a North Italic *ciottolone* votive stone, and other attestations on votive bones from Sanzeno. In the alpine area, garlic protection rituals were in use up to medieval times.

E23 ist the most complete one of the c. 29 bronze tablets found at the Reitia ritual place in Este. Even though the strokes are perfectly legible, the signs are often underspecified. For instance,  (or  if we include the frame) can stand for  /ϑ/ (Theta), but in other cases stands for  /t/ (Tau). This lead to the Rahmenquader Effect that produced a large number of novel graphemes.

The list of unpunctuated consonant clusters (= bottom lines of the bronze tablets) was difficult to memorize. For ancient as well as for modern learners of Venetic, it is best to learn the first cluster of each -r/-n/-l group (i.e. the ones underlined), which is spelled out Fura-kara-zara…. A loudly spoken, mantra-like repetition of the mnemonic must have been heard, and memorized acoustically, by German soldiers. According to the GEAS RPT, it has lead to the Futhark order. — The list of unpunctuated consonant clusters (= bottom lines of the bronze tablets) was difficult to memorize. For ancient as well as for modern learners of Venetic, it is best to learn the first cluster of each -r/-n/-l group (i.e. the ones underlined), which is spelled out *Fura-kara-zara…*. A loudly spoken, mantra-like repetition of the mnemonic must have been heard, and memorized acoustically, by German soldiers. According to the GEAS RPT, it has lead to the Futhark order.

Not only the turning of the bronze tablet, but also the twisting of the writing nails has inevitably lead to inverted signs (Sturzrunen). In this example,  śainatei ‘to the sanity’ is written over two sides of the nail. No matter how you turn the nail, you inevitably get inverted signs: Either  ⟨a⟩ turns into , oder  ⟨n⟩ turns into  on the second line. It is easier to explain the inverted rune phenomenon by this effect than by assuming ‘mistakes’ or ‘magic’, as runologists often do. — Not only the turning of the bronze tablet, but also the twisting of the writing nails has inevitably lead to inverted signs (*Sturzrunen*). In this example,  śainatei ‘to the sanity’ is written over two sides of the nail. No matter how you turn the nail, you inevitably get inverted signs: Either  ⟨a⟩ turns into , oder  ⟨n⟩ turns into  on the second line. It is easier to explain the inverted rune phenomenon by this effect than by assuming ‘mistakes’ or ‘magic’, as runologists often do.