Vimose Comb Translation 200 CE

For translation methodology see: How to Translate Alphabetic Akkadian Texts

The comb was found near the town of Vimose on Denmark's island of Funen (in red) just south of the port city of Odense.
More Information:
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2019/01/08/viking-comb/?firefox=1
Vimose Ritual Comb with Text. Wikimedia Commons. Online at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Antler_comb_from_Vimose,_Funen,_Denmark_(DR_207).jpg. Red letter assignments by Olmsted.

Comb from Vimose Denmark (150 CE)

(June 14, 2023) This comb was dug up by archaeologists in Denmark in 2018. The comb was discovered during excavations of Ribe — an 8th century settlement that claims to be Denmark’s oldest town. It was found alongside a small plate made from bone or antler, with another short runic inscription.

This comb is also a candidate for the earliest runic inscription in Scandinavia.  Su is the full moon god and the source of the astrological motion powers while the liver was thought to be the source of emotions. This text links the two sources of motion powers by stating that the astrological source opens the emotional source.

Translation of Top (Right) Row in Akkadian (Rune Text 7)

(read left to right in the newer Greek style. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verb is italic bold). Lettery style is a mixture Etruscan and Aegean Island
  1. ḪaRu  Su  Pu (Rune 7.1)

In English

  1.  The liver is opened by Su

Comment: The liver is the source of emotions in humans because it acts as a receiver of emotion/motion powers from the dark new moon god Su via the deity Thu.

For Comparison: Minoan Linear A Ivory Comb Text from Lachish Israel (1400 BCE)

(November 21, 2022, update December 21, 2024) This more ancient comb from the other end of the Druid civilization also mentions emotions.

Text in Akkadian Linear A

(Read right to left. Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verb is italic bold)
  1. [                     ] Gi
  2. Qu  AKu [ 2 ]P  Ḫi          -  (P has no vertical handle, Ḫi is more image based than normal for this time and likely is the missing Phaistos Disk version)
  3. ŠiGi  ṢMa  Qu  Ki  Qi‘u  Nu    -  (notice the small vertical line on the Ṣ which is a merger of Linear A styles)

Text Translated into English

  1. ……. emotional-energy
  2. Life-threads, emotion-owls [2 unreadable words ] Hu-powers
  3. Conflict's dehydrator of the threads is involving envy from the Revealer (Kate/Hekate)

Shin (Ṣ) and Sade (Š) sounds in Alphabetic Akkadian are reversed from Hebrew, a fact which is reflected in the Shibboleth story of Judges 12:6.

Comment

  1. The only word remaining in this line indicates the text is talking about magical emotional energy. Feelings are what was transmitted to the divine realm.
  2. Hu is the connective masculine life power who was represented by the sun. At a deeper level he represented the life network which transmitted life powers (fertility fluids) to the earth from the divine realm. Emotion owls are the mechanism in which emotion magic affects this life network (life-threads). This line is missing its verb so we do not know what sort of interaction is happening.
  3. Kate/Hekate being the underworld goddess is also the goddess of fate having the powers of life and death. She is symbolized by snakes whose venom brings death but whose skin shedding gives the impression of rebirth. Her conflict is being blamed on her being envious of something.

References

Daniel Vainstub, Madeleine Mumcuoglu, Michael G. Hasel, Katherine M. Hesler, Miriam Lavi, Rivka Rabinovich, Yuval Goren and Yosef Garfinkel (2022). A Canaanite’s Wish to Eradicate Lice on an Inscribed Ivory Comb from Lachish. Jerusalem Journal of Archaeology 2: 76–119. ISSN: 2788-8819; https://doi.org/10.52486/01.00002.4; https://jjar.huji.Also online at: https://www.academia.edu/88746893/Daniel_Vainstub_Madeleine_Mumcuoglu_Michael_G_Hasel_Katherine_M_Hesler_Miriam_Lavi_Rivka_Rabinovich_Yuval_Goren_and_Yosef_Garfinkel_A_Canaanites_Wish_to_Eradicate_Lice_on_an_Inscribed_Ivory_Comb_from_Lachish
Most of the runes on this comb can't be seen well enough to read. What can be seen does not match what is written in the upper corners which is why translations based upon such letters are not trustworthy and should not even be done. Translations need to come from good photos.

For Comparison: Hoogebeintum Comb from Friesland (600 CE)

This comb is made out of an antler. It was found in 1928 in an inhumation grave dug in a human made coastal mound. These are known as terpen in Friesland and wierden in Groningen.

Found on page 193 of the thesis entitled "Runes around the North Sea and on the Continent AD 150-700; texts & contexts" by  Looijenga, Jantina Helena. Online at: https://pure.rug.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/3230061/thesis.pdf