Runic Inscriptions in Orkney

James Farrer's book was the first report to describe what was at the time a brand new discovery: Incsriptions carved into the Neolithic chambered cairn, Maes Howe, in the Orkney Islands. What makes these carvings so fascinating is that they were not carved by the original builders, but by Viking settlers many centuries later. The cairn was subsequently buried for many centuries more until its discovery in the 19th century. Imagine the surprise of investigators to find Viking graffiti...
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James Farrer's book was the first report to describe what was at the time a brand new discovery: Incsriptions carved into the Neolithic chambered cairn, Maes Howe, in the Orkney Islands. What makes these carvings so fascinating is that they were not carved by the original builders, but by Viking settlers many centuries later. The cairn was subsequently buried for many centuries more until its discovery in the 19th century. Imagine the surprise of investigators to find Viking graffiti in a Neolithic chamber!This book describes both Maes Howe, with beautiful illustrations of the chambers, and the runic inscriptions. Also included are translations of the runes by the leading Norse scholars of the day.