Besides the proposal for the development of the futhark order (cf. part I), the GEAS Rune Provenance Theory contains other micro-theses to explain unsolved problems within the Rune transfer question. One more of these explanations – the Rahmenquader Effect, could be given solely due to the Reitia Alphabet Learning Procedure reappraised by actors of the “Iluis Glanna” Celtic Reenactment Clan on the occasion of the 2021 Historical Handcraft Market in Huttwil, Switzerland.
This news article is an ultra-short excerpt of a GEAS article published in the proceedings of the 2022 ISRRI in Sankelmark, Germany:
- Mäder, Michael (demnächst): „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).
In the course of the theatrical procession of the 3rd century BC Reitia learning ritual, the “prime disciple” (i.e. the pupil who had to exert under the cheering support of the other pupils sitting around him) is confronted with a tablet full of signs that look very similar to each other, at times even identical. This is due to the fact that the frames of each case replace the hastae (long vertical strokes) as well as the bars (short horizontal strokes) of the signs written inside. As a result, only the codae (short inclined strokes) and the diagonal strokes are discernible as intentional parts of the sign. During the reenactment, this simple fact lead to virtually insurmountable problems for “prime disciples” who, in their real lifes, were not familiar with Venetic writing. Even when other pupils from the crowd, i.e. from the surrounding learning class, tried to help them out by handing over (modern) tables containing the Venetic signs, and even if the Ritual Master, Chantal ‘Slania’ Bovard, showed herself patient and gave them time to find the phonetic value of the sign in qustion, it was often impossible to guess how a certain sign had to be pronounced.
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). For a transliteration, see Abb. 2 in the article cited above.
What made the confusion even worse was the fact that several times during the learning procedure the tablet has to be turned around by 90 or 180 degrees. As a result, it was impossible for beginners to orientate themselves. We interrupted the reenactment several times in order to rebound, take kare of the kids, or discuss the evolvement of the procedure. In the course of these retrospective discussions, it was the first time that we realized that the confusion caused by the frames inevitably lead to erroneous reproductions of the original Venetic sign forms. If we assume that uneducated Germanic soldiers would take a copy of a tablet back home to Germania in order to write down the names of their beloved ones, it is obvious that they would make mistakes and confoundments in virtually every single grapheme. Thus, the Rahmenquader Effect delivers a reasonable explanation for the evidence found in Elder Futhark inscriptions: inconsistent use of the graphemes, plenty of mirrored and inverted signs, and a number of new signs which sometimes would even become main runes when canonized as such in the futhark inscriptions between 400 and 600 AD.
The productivity of the Rahmenquader Effect
From c. 300 BC onwards, a considerable number of new sign variants appear in North Italic writing, especially in Lepontic (cf. Maras 2014, Breve storia della scrittura celtica d’Italia. Ziχu 1:73–93). They are characterized by inversion, and by added or eliminated strokes compared to their pre-300 BC predecessors. Crucially, most of the new shapes happened to become Germanic runes, too. The GEAS Rune Provenance Theory also discusses a particular writing style in late Lepontic (1st century BC to 2nd century AD) represented by three inscriptions from Wallis (Argnou, Liddes, Gamsen; see Mäder 2022) which they call Sedunic / late Lepontic fashion style. It is characterized by close-to-45° angles and straight, clear strokes, and thus is to be considered proto-runic, i.e. intermediate between North Italic and Germanic wirting. Among other runic forms, it comprises the in an inscription worshipping poenino, the Celtic equivalent of Jupiter. The Sedunic inscriptions thus fill the gap between North Italic Alphabets and Runes both palaeographically and chronologically.
New shapes produced by the Rahmenquader Effect
A Rahmenquader-generated variant of the d-rune on the Frøyhov inscription. The new reading offered by the GEAS article is φađa ‘father’, which covers the etruscoid φa-ligature, and fits the male statue it is written on (a). Lepontic coins with allographs, i.e. intermediate forms between North Italic and Germanic writing (b-e).
Together with the PQN comparisons, which end up in the statement that every single rune variant has its identical predecessor in Northern Italy, the production of new sign variants through the Rahmenquader Effect is an integral part of the GEAS Rune Provenance Theory.
Iluis Glanna co-founder and Ritual Master Slania with two of her daughters, a few hours before the 2021 Alphabet Ritual performance. Her interest in archaeological science combines with a candid spirituality and a deep knowlege in healing plants. She also was the one who pointed at the alpine garlic protection rituals, hint that lead to the Runic alu = Venetic allo = Allium sativum garlic hypothesis.
Preparing the ritual place.