Anglo-Saxon Runic Rings

Anglo-Saxon Runic Rings

There are seven known rings of the Anglo-Saxon period (9th or 10th century) bearing runic inscriptions.

The most notable of these are the Bramham Moor Ring, found in the 18th century, and the Kingmoor Ring, found 1817, inscribed with a nearly identical magical formula read as

ærkriufltkriuriþonglæstæpontol

A third ring, found before 1824 (perhaps identical with a ring found in 1773 at Linstock castle in Carlisle), has a magical inscription of a similar type, ery.ri.uf.dol.yri.þol.wles.te.pote.nol.

The remaining four rings have much shorter inscriptions.

• Wheatley Hill, Durham, found 1993, now in the British Museum. Late 8th century. Inscription: ring ic hatt, "I am called a ring".
• Coquet Island, Northumberland, found before 1866, now lost. Inscription: + þis is - "this is…".
• Cramond, Edinburgh, found 1869-70, now in the National Museum of Scotland. 9th-10th century. Inscription: eworelu.
• Thames Exchange, London, found 1989, now in the Museum of London. Inscription: fuþni ine.